Illinois deer research / De Witt County
De Witt County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research
Central IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 60 — ranked #21 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.
B - StrongWhat drives the De Witt County index
Five weighted components, each scored 0–100 against all Illinois counties.
Trophy record — counted once
45 unique record-book bucks from 46 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 1 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #84 in Illinois.
| Book | Bucks |
|---|---|
| Listed in one book only | 44 |
| In two books | 1 |
| In all three books | 0 |
| Unique bucks | 45 |
Harvest trend
The county-level IDNR harvest series for De Witt County is being reconciled (a source naming mismatch) and will appear here shortly. The index, trophy record, and public-land figures above are complete.
IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: De Witt County runs 6.87 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.
Seasons & access
| Season | Method | Dates | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery — Oct 1 to mid-Jan | archery | 2025-10-01 → 2026-01-18 | otc |
| Firearm — 1st + 2nd Shotgun Season | firearm | 2025-11-21 → 2025-12-07 | otc |
| Muzzleloader — December | muzzleloader | 2025-12-12 → 2025-12-14 | otc |
Public hunting land: 34,230 acres (13.2% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.
Where to hunt public in De Witt County
Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.
See De Witt County on the map
Parcels with owner & acreage, public hunting land with regs, access points, leaf-off imagery, and this research — together on one hunting map.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
Is De Witt County, Illinois good for deer hunting?
De Witt County scores 60 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (B - Strong), ranked #21 of 102 Illinois counties. The index is built from IDNR public harvest records, habitat, herd quality, momentum, and record-book history deduplicated across the major whitetail record books.
How many record-book bucks have come from De Witt County?
45 record-book whitetails are attributed to De Witt County across the major record books, with each buck counted once after cross-book deduplication.
Is there public hunting land in De Witt County, Illinois?
Yes — about 34,230 acres of public hunting land, roughly 13.2% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.