Illinois deer research / DuPage County

DuPage County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research

Northern IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 37.2 — ranked #85 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.

D - Average

37.2 / 100

FDR Herd Index

#85 of 102

Statewide rank

Record-book bucks (deduped)

28,925

Public-land acres

2024 deer harvest

What drives the DuPage County index

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

Habitat · 25%44

Herd quality · 30%38

Population · 18%20

Momentum · 12%13

Trophy history · 15%65

Trophy record — counted once

42 unique record-book bucks from 53 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 11 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #87 in Illinois.

Book	Bucks
Listed in one book only	41
In two books	1
In all three books	0
Unique bucks	42

2005–2024 harvest trend

Season	Archery	Total
2024	39	39
2023	50	50
2022	34	34
2021	37	37
2020	42	42
2019	42	42
2018	29	29
2017	37	37
2016	35	35
2015	37	37
2014	36	36
2013	42	42
2012	35	35
2011	61	61
2010	69	69
2009	72	72
2008	78	78
2007	72	72
2006	64	64
2005	72	72

IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: DuPage County runs 0.55 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.

See full DuPage County harvest charts →

Harvest by sex

IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, DuPage County ran 31 bucks (males) and 8 does (females) — 79.5% bucks.

79.5% bucks20.5% does

Season	Bucks (M)	Does (F)	Total	% bucks
2024	31	8	39	79.5%
2023	26	24	50	52%
2022	23	11	34	67.6%
2021	24	13	37	64.9%
2020	31	11	42	73.8%
2019	27	15	42	64.3%
2018	22	7	29	75.9%
2017	25	12	37	67.6%
2016	18	17	35	51.4%
2015	22	15	37	59.5%
2014	27	9	36	75%
2013	26	16	42	61.9%
2012	21	14	35	60%
2011	34	27	61	55.7%
2010	38	31	69	55.1%
2009	41	31	72	56.9%
2008	43	35	78	55.1%
2007	44	28	72	61.1%
2006	41	23	64	64.1%
2005	43	29	72	59.7%

See full DuPage County sex-composition chart →

Age structure

IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, DuPage County ran 61.5% adult, 30.8% yearling, and 7.7% fawn — a higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.

61.5% adult30.8%7.7% fawn

Season	Adult	Yearling	Fawn	Total
2024	24	12	3	39
2023	26	14	10	50
2022	18	10	6	34
2021	26	9	2	37
2020	33	4	5	42
2019	30	9	3	42
2018	18	10	1	29
2017	25	10	2	37
2016	27	3	5	35
2015	26	7	4	37
2014	20	10	6	36
2013	26	11	5	42
2012	20	11	4	35
2011	37	16	8	61
2010	50	13	6	69
2009	48	16	8	72
2008	56	13	9	78
2007	44	14	14	72
2006	41	11	12	64
2005	53	4	15	72

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 DuPage 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: 28,925 acres (13.4% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.

Where to hunt public in DuPage County

Springbrook Prairie · 1,763 ac Pratts Wayne Woods · 1,326 ac Herrick Lake Forest Preserve · 772 ac Truitt-Hoff Nature Preserve · 304 ac McKee Marsh · 126 ac Churchill Prairie Nature Preserve · 57 ac Green Meadows Golf Course · 43 ac

Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.

See DuPage 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 — free See all DuPage County charts

Nearby counties

Cook · 38.6 Kane · 38.4 Will · 45.7 Kendall · 32.1 Lake · 31 McHenry · 33.5 Grundy · 46.5 DeKalb · 38.7

← #84 Peoria County #86 St. Clair County →

Frequently asked questions

Is DuPage County, Illinois good for deer hunting?

DuPage County scores 37.2 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (D - Average), ranked #85 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 DuPage County?

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

Is there public hunting land in DuPage County, Illinois?

Yes — about 28,925 acres of public hunting land, roughly 13.4% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.

How many deer were harvested in DuPage County last season?

IDNR records show 39 deer harvested in DuPage County in 2024, the most recent reported season.