Illinois deer research / Edgar County
Edgar County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research
Southern IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 80.5 — ranked #1 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.
A - EliteWhat drives the Edgar County index
Five weighted components, each scored 0–100 against all Illinois counties.
Trophy record — counted once
136 unique record-book bucks from 157 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 21 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #22 in Illinois.
| Book | Bucks |
|---|---|
| Listed in one book only | 133 |
| In two books | 3 |
| In all three books | 0 |
| Unique bucks | 136 |
2005–2024 harvest trend
| Season | Archery | Firearm | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 551 | 594 | 1,145 |
| 2023 | 534 | 574 | 1,108 |
| 2022 | 526 | 591 | 1,117 |
| 2021 | 515 | 521 | 1,036 |
| 2020 | 584 | 548 | 1,132 |
| 2019 | 490 | 530 | 1,020 |
| 2018 | 452 | 565 | 1,017 |
| 2017 | 411 | 561 | 972 |
| 2016 | 370 | 566 | 936 |
| 2015 | 406 | 637 | 1,043 |
| 2014 | 395 | 518 | 913 |
| 2013 | 465 | 648 | 1,113 |
| 2012 | 461 | 843 | 1,304 |
| 2011 | 451 | 785 | 1,236 |
| 2010 | 458 | 817 | 1,275 |
| 2009 | 441 | 773 | 1,214 |
| 2008 | 430 | 785 | 1,215 |
| 2007 | 442 | 838 | 1,280 |
| 2006 | 432 | 762 | 1,194 |
| 2005 | 391 | 772 | 1,163 |
IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: Edgar County runs 6.55 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.
See full Edgar County harvest charts →
Harvest by sex
IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, Edgar County ran 677 bucks (males) and 468 does (females) — 59.1% bucks.
| Season | Bucks (M) | Does (F) | Total | % bucks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 677 | 468 | 1,145 | 59.1% |
| 2023 | 694 | 414 | 1,108 | 62.6% |
| 2022 | 669 | 448 | 1,117 | 59.9% |
| 2021 | 645 | 391 | 1,036 | 62.3% |
| 2020 | 674 | 458 | 1,132 | 59.5% |
| 2019 | 591 | 429 | 1,020 | 57.9% |
| 2018 | 614 | 403 | 1,017 | 60.4% |
| 2017 | 572 | 400 | 972 | 58.8% |
| 2016 | 558 | 378 | 936 | 59.6% |
| 2015 | 572 | 471 | 1,043 | 54.8% |
| 2014 | 490 | 423 | 913 | 53.7% |
| 2013 | 572 | 541 | 1,113 | 51.4% |
| 2012 | 716 | 588 | 1,304 | 54.9% |
| 2011 | 654 | 582 | 1,236 | 52.9% |
| 2010 | 697 | 578 | 1,275 | 54.7% |
| 2009 | 697 | 517 | 1,214 | 57.4% |
| 2008 | 680 | 535 | 1,215 | 56% |
| 2007 | 754 | 526 | 1,280 | 58.9% |
| 2006 | 699 | 495 | 1,194 | 58.5% |
| 2005 | 669 | 494 | 1,163 | 57.5% |
See full Edgar County sex-composition chart →
Age structure
IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, Edgar County ran 74.8% adult, 14.7% yearling, and 10.5% fawn — a higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.
| Season | Adult | Yearling | Fawn | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 857 | 168 | 120 | 1,145 |
| 2023 | 832 | 145 | 131 | 1,108 |
| 2022 | 818 | 161 | 138 | 1,117 |
| 2021 | 732 | 163 | 141 | 1,036 |
| 2020 | 826 | 181 | 125 | 1,132 |
| 2019 | 746 | 131 | 143 | 1,020 |
| 2018 | 703 | 175 | 139 | 1,017 |
| 2017 | 678 | 146 | 148 | 972 |
| 2016 | 646 | 149 | 141 | 936 |
| 2015 | 694 | 152 | 197 | 1,043 |
| 2014 | 616 | 137 | 160 | 913 |
| 2013 | 749 | 152 | 212 | 1,113 |
| 2012 | 869 | 193 | 242 | 1,304 |
| 2011 | 835 | 189 | 212 | 1,236 |
| 2010 | 876 | 169 | 230 | 1,275 |
| 2009 | 821 | 171 | 222 | 1,214 |
| 2008 | 782 | 189 | 244 | 1,215 |
| 2007 | 833 | 187 | 260 | 1,280 |
| 2006 | 732 | 204 | 258 | 1,194 |
| 2005 | 750 | 197 | 216 | 1,163 |
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 Edgar 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: 58,531 acres (14.7% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.
Where to hunt public in Edgar County
Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.
See Edgar 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 Edgar County, Illinois good for deer hunting?
Edgar County scores 80.5 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (A - Elite), ranked #1 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 Edgar County?
136 record-book whitetails are attributed to Edgar County across the major record books, with each buck counted once after cross-book deduplication.
Is there public hunting land in Edgar County, Illinois?
Yes — about 58,531 acres of public hunting land, roughly 14.7% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.
How many deer were harvested in Edgar County last season?
IDNR records show 1,145 deer harvested in Edgar County in 2024, the most recent reported season.