Illinois deer research / Douglas County
Douglas County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research
Southern IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 56.7 — ranked #41 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.
B - StrongWhat drives the Douglas County index
Five weighted components, each scored 0–100 against all Illinois counties.
Trophy record — counted once
24 unique record-book bucks from 27 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 3 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #101 in Illinois.
| Book | Bucks |
|---|---|
| Listed in one book only | 24 |
| In two books | 0 |
| In all three books | 0 |
| Unique bucks | 24 |
2005–2024 harvest trend
| Season | Archery | Firearm | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 222 | 185 | 407 |
| 2023 | 221 | 166 | 387 |
| 2022 | 218 | 177 | 395 |
| 2021 | 212 | 149 | 361 |
| 2020 | 226 | 163 | 389 |
| 2019 | 180 | 137 | 317 |
| 2018 | 187 | 153 | 340 |
| 2017 | 185 | 132 | 317 |
| 2016 | 133 | 138 | 271 |
| 2015 | 158 | 151 | 309 |
| 2014 | 131 | 156 | 287 |
| 2013 | 144 | 143 | 287 |
| 2012 | 171 | 193 | 364 |
| 2011 | 173 | 242 | 415 |
| 2010 | 164 | 198 | 362 |
| 2009 | 164 | 188 | 352 |
| 2008 | 143 | 205 | 348 |
| 2007 | 192 | 268 | 460 |
| 2006 | 185 | 256 | 441 |
| 2005 | 215 | 275 | 490 |
IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: Douglas County runs 5.27 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.
See full Douglas County harvest charts →
Harvest by sex
IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, Douglas County ran 254 bucks (males) and 153 does (females) — 62.4% bucks.
| Season | Bucks (M) | Does (F) | Total | % bucks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 254 | 153 | 407 | 62.4% |
| 2023 | 241 | 146 | 387 | 62.3% |
| 2022 | 238 | 157 | 395 | 60.3% |
| 2021 | 242 | 119 | 361 | 67% |
| 2020 | 232 | 157 | 389 | 59.6% |
| 2019 | 204 | 113 | 317 | 64.4% |
| 2018 | 202 | 138 | 340 | 59.4% |
| 2017 | 193 | 124 | 317 | 60.9% |
| 2016 | 166 | 105 | 271 | 61.3% |
| 2015 | 166 | 143 | 309 | 53.7% |
| 2014 | 163 | 124 | 287 | 56.8% |
| 2013 | 162 | 125 | 287 | 56.4% |
| 2012 | 200 | 164 | 364 | 54.9% |
| 2011 | 234 | 181 | 415 | 56.4% |
| 2010 | 203 | 159 | 362 | 56.1% |
| 2009 | 189 | 163 | 352 | 53.7% |
| 2008 | 191 | 157 | 348 | 54.9% |
| 2007 | 272 | 188 | 460 | 59.1% |
| 2006 | 267 | 174 | 441 | 60.5% |
| 2005 | 281 | 209 | 490 | 57.3% |
See full Douglas County sex-composition chart →
Age structure
IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, Douglas County ran 60.4% adult, 26.5% yearling, and 13% fawn — a higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.
| Season | Adult | Yearling | Fawn | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 246 | 108 | 53 | 407 |
| 2023 | 257 | 79 | 51 | 387 |
| 2022 | 262 | 69 | 64 | 395 |
| 2021 | 228 | 75 | 58 | 361 |
| 2020 | 245 | 84 | 60 | 389 |
| 2019 | 185 | 73 | 59 | 317 |
| 2018 | 209 | 79 | 52 | 340 |
| 2017 | 213 | 62 | 42 | 317 |
| 2016 | 158 | 69 | 44 | 271 |
| 2015 | 186 | 61 | 62 | 309 |
| 2014 | 173 | 65 | 49 | 287 |
| 2013 | 190 | 53 | 44 | 287 |
| 2012 | 210 | 73 | 81 | 364 |
| 2011 | 256 | 67 | 92 | 415 |
| 2010 | 228 | 72 | 62 | 362 |
| 2009 | 207 | 70 | 75 | 352 |
| 2008 | 231 | 59 | 58 | 348 |
| 2007 | 259 | 104 | 97 | 460 |
| 2006 | 274 | 83 | 84 | 441 |
| 2005 | 286 | 90 | 114 | 490 |
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 Douglas County composition charts →
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: 19,528 acres (7.3% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.
Where to hunt public in Douglas County
Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.
See Douglas 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 Douglas County, Illinois good for deer hunting?
Douglas County scores 56.7 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (B - Strong), ranked #41 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 Douglas County?
24 record-book whitetails are attributed to Douglas County across the major record books, with each buck counted once after cross-book deduplication.
Is there public hunting land in Douglas County, Illinois?
Yes — about 19,528 acres of public hunting land, roughly 7.3% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.
How many deer were harvested in Douglas County last season?
IDNR records show 407 deer harvested in Douglas County in 2024, the most recent reported season.