Illinois deer research / DeKalb County

DeKalb County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research

Northern IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 38.7 — ranked #79 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.

D - Average
38.7 / 100
FDR Herd Index
#79 of 102
Statewide rank
57
Record-book bucks (deduped)
29,919
Public-land acres
422
2024 deer harvest

What drives the DeKalb County index

Five weighted components, each scored 0–100 against all Illinois counties.

Habitat · 25%73
Herd quality · 30%15
Population · 18%15
Momentum · 12%25
Trophy history · 15%68

Trophy record — counted once

57 unique record-book bucks from 66 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 9 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #74 in Illinois.

BookBucks
Listed in one book only57
In two books0
In all three books0
Unique bucks57

2005–2024 harvest trend

SeasonArcheryFirearmTotal
2024241138422
2023242125384
2022186113331
2021212107358
2020215115357
2019179108310
2018160120301
2017147106278
2016177139345
2015149126309
2014162133340
2013178131344
2012182196417
2011192182425
2010238225524
2009225214521
2008235244547
2007247306587
2006238309608
2005270350643

IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: DeKalb County runs 3.26 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.

See full DeKalb County harvest charts →

Harvest by sex

IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, DeKalb County ran 260 bucks (males) and 162 does (females) — 61.6% bucks.

SeasonBucks (M)Does (F)Total% bucks
202426016242261.6%
202324713738464.3%
202220212933161%
202122013835861.5%
202021714035760.8%
201920110931064.8%
201818711430162.1%
201717410427862.6%
201622112434564.1%
201518312630959.2%
201420513534060.3%
201319514934456.7%
201224717041759.2%
201125217342559.3%
201029223252455.7%
200925226952148.4%
200829725054754.3%
200732426358755.2%
200634526360856.7%
200536328064356.5%

See full DeKalb County sex-composition chart →

Age structure

IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, DeKalb County ran 63.7% adult, 19.7% yearling, and 16.6% fawn — a higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.

SeasonAdultYearlingFawnTotal
20242698370422
202322310358384
20221936870331
20212127967358
20202128461357
20192007337310
20181767847301
20171607048278
20161949160345
20151627671309
20141827781340
20131698887344
201224110571417
2011213100112425
2010276105143524
2009276101144521
2008246105196547
2007304116167587
2006331119158608
2005350121172643

Age class is IDNR's field classification at check-in, not a lab-aged tooth-wear cohort; treat it as a directional maturity signal.

See full DeKalb County composition charts →

Seasons & access

SeasonMethodDatesTags
Archery — Oct 1 to mid-Janarchery2025-10-01 → 2026-01-18otc
Firearm — 1st + 2nd Shotgun Seasonfirearm2025-11-21 → 2025-12-07otc
Muzzleloader — Decembermuzzleloader2025-12-12 → 2025-12-14otc

Public hunting land: 29,919 acres (7.4% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.

Where to hunt public in DeKalb County

Shabbona Lake State Park · 1,531 acKishwaukee River State Natural Area · 546 acParkside Preserve · 135 acMerritt Prairie Forest Preserve · 53 acWilkinson-Renwick Marsh Nature Preserve · 48 acPrairie Oaks Forest Preserve · 43 ac

Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.

See DeKalb 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.

Open Fully Drawn Scout — freeSee all DeKalb County charts

Nearby counties

Kane · 38.4Boone · 40.5Kendall · 32.1McHenry · 33.5Lee · 51.3LaSalle · 48.7Ogle · 40.2Winnebago · 37.8
← #78 Saline County#80 Cook County →

Frequently asked questions

Is DeKalb County, Illinois good for deer hunting?

DeKalb County scores 38.7 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (D - Average), ranked #79 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 DeKalb County?

57 record-book whitetails are attributed to DeKalb County across the major record books, with each buck counted once after cross-book deduplication.

Is there public hunting land in DeKalb County, Illinois?

Yes — about 29,919 acres of public hunting land, roughly 7.4% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.

How many deer were harvested in DeKalb County last season?

IDNR records show 422 deer harvested in DeKalb County in 2024, the most recent reported season.