Illinois deer research / Grundy County

Grundy County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research

Central IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 46.5 — ranked #66 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.

C - Above Average
46.5 / 100
FDR Herd Index
#66 of 102
Statewide rank
93
Record-book bucks (deduped)
43,908
Public-land acres
737
2024 deer harvest

What drives the Grundy County index

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

Habitat · 25%65
Herd quality · 30%41
Population · 18%24
Momentum · 12%21
Trophy history · 15%76

Trophy record — counted once

93 unique record-book bucks from 110 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 17 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #42 in Illinois.

BookBucks
Listed in one book only87
In two books5
In all three books1
Unique bucks93

2005–2024 harvest trend

SeasonArcheryFirearmTotal
2024331314737
2023357285705
2022371270721
2021319233640
2020365259696
2019356266661
2018332270677
2017308285659
2016294296662
2015343360799
2014345331766
2013345340790
2012399468972
2011435435998
2010436448884
2009433392825
2008462409871
20074805251,129
20065215031,024
20055265541,080

IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: Grundy County runs 4.92 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.

See full Grundy County harvest charts →

Harvest by sex

IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, Grundy County ran 403 bucks (males) and 334 does (females) — 54.7% bucks.

SeasonBucks (M)Does (F)Total% bucks
202440333473754.7%
202343227370561.3%
202240431772156%
202137826264059.1%
202038930769655.9%
201936529666155.2%
201839628167758.5%
201736129865954.8%
201636629666255.3%
201544235779955.3%
201440436276652.7%
201340438679051.1%
201252644697254.1%
201150849099850.9%
201048040488454.3%
200944238382553.6%
200845641587152.4%
20075735561,12950.8%
20065424821,02452.9%
20056144661,08056.9%

See full Grundy County sex-composition chart →

Age structure

IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, Grundy County ran 69.3% adult, 16.3% yearling, and 14.4% fawn — a higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.

SeasonAdultYearlingFawnTotal
2024511120106737
202347414586705
2022480120121721
202141114683640
2020440141115696
201945212287661
2018417137123677
2017429120110659
2016408111143662
2015499148152799
2014486129151766
2013462139189790
2012577174221972
2011619154225998
2010538149197884
2009526127172825
2008541140190871
20077101752441,129
20066381622241,024
20056611772421,080

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 Grundy 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: 43,908 acres (15.9% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.

Where to hunt public in Grundy County

Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area · 3,181 acIllinois and Michigan Canal State Trail · 1,398 acHeidecke Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area · 839 ac

Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.

See Grundy 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 Grundy County charts

Nearby counties

Kendall · 32.1Livingston · 59.6Will · 45.7LaSalle · 48.7Kankakee · 48.6Kane · 38.4DuPage · 37.2DeKalb · 38.7
← #65 Effingham County#67 Jefferson County →

Frequently asked questions

Is Grundy County, Illinois good for deer hunting?

Grundy County scores 46.5 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (C - Above Average), ranked #66 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 Grundy County?

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

Is there public hunting land in Grundy County, Illinois?

Yes — about 43,908 acres of public hunting land, roughly 15.9% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.

How many deer were harvested in Grundy County last season?

IDNR records show 737 deer harvested in Grundy County in 2024, the most recent reported season.