Illinois deer research / Hardin County
Hardin County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research
Southern IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 19 — ranked #102 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.
E - Below AverageWhat drives the Hardin County index
Five weighted components, each scored 0–100 against all Illinois counties.
Trophy record — counted once
25 unique record-book bucks from 29 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 4 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #100 in Illinois.
| Book | Bucks |
|---|---|
| Listed in one book only | 25 |
| In two books | 0 |
| In all three books | 0 |
| Unique bucks | 25 |
2005–2024 harvest trend
| Season | Archery | Firearm | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 391 | 556 | 947 |
| 2023 | 397 | 624 | 1,021 |
| 2022 | 432 | 739 | 1,171 |
| 2021 | 408 | 676 | 1,084 |
| 2020 | 457 | 689 | 1,146 |
| 2019 | 494 | 858 | 1,352 |
| 2018 | 425 | 887 | 1,312 |
| 2017 | 440 | 963 | 1,403 |
| 2016 | 399 | 890 | 1,289 |
| 2015 | 438 | 1,000 | 1,438 |
| 2014 | 429 | 845 | 1,274 |
| 2013 | 422 | 936 | 1,358 |
| 2012 | 457 | 1,027 | 1,484 |
| 2011 | 462 | 1,093 | 1,555 |
| 2010 | 402 | 1,008 | 1,410 |
| 2009 | 337 | 1,067 | 1,404 |
| 2008 | 419 | 1,107 | 1,526 |
| 2007 | 370 | 1,228 | 1,598 |
| 2006 | 373 | 1,049 | 1,422 |
| 2005 | 398 | 1,070 | 1,468 |
IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: Hardin County runs 3.28 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.
See full Hardin County harvest charts →
Harvest by sex
IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, Hardin County ran 535 bucks (males) and 412 does (females) — 56.5% bucks.
| Season | Bucks (M) | Does (F) | Total | % bucks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 535 | 412 | 947 | 56.5% |
| 2023 | 604 | 417 | 1,021 | 59.2% |
| 2022 | 663 | 508 | 1,171 | 56.6% |
| 2021 | 616 | 468 | 1,084 | 56.8% |
| 2020 | 610 | 536 | 1,146 | 53.2% |
| 2019 | 703 | 649 | 1,352 | 52% |
| 2018 | 692 | 620 | 1,312 | 52.7% |
| 2017 | 729 | 674 | 1,403 | 52% |
| 2016 | 745 | 544 | 1,289 | 57.8% |
| 2015 | 806 | 632 | 1,438 | 56.1% |
| 2014 | 682 | 592 | 1,274 | 53.5% |
| 2013 | 712 | 646 | 1,358 | 52.4% |
| 2012 | 756 | 728 | 1,484 | 50.9% |
| 2011 | 845 | 710 | 1,555 | 54.3% |
| 2010 | 739 | 671 | 1,410 | 52.4% |
| 2009 | 754 | 650 | 1,404 | 53.7% |
| 2008 | 790 | 736 | 1,526 | 51.8% |
| 2007 | 828 | 770 | 1,598 | 51.8% |
| 2006 | 802 | 620 | 1,422 | 56.4% |
| 2005 | 809 | 659 | 1,468 | 55.1% |
See full Hardin County sex-composition chart →
Age structure
IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, Hardin County ran 61.8% adult, 22.4% yearling, and 15.8% fawn — a higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.
| Season | Adult | Yearling | Fawn | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 585 | 212 | 150 | 947 |
| 2023 | 643 | 244 | 134 | 1,021 |
| 2022 | 718 | 266 | 187 | 1,171 |
| 2021 | 652 | 236 | 196 | 1,084 |
| 2020 | 759 | 224 | 163 | 1,146 |
| 2019 | 887 | 258 | 207 | 1,352 |
| 2018 | 832 | 298 | 182 | 1,312 |
| 2017 | 909 | 269 | 225 | 1,403 |
| 2016 | 791 | 306 | 192 | 1,289 |
| 2015 | 887 | 294 | 257 | 1,438 |
| 2014 | 799 | 248 | 227 | 1,274 |
| 2013 | 847 | 277 | 234 | 1,358 |
| 2012 | 898 | 285 | 301 | 1,484 |
| 2011 | 972 | 323 | 260 | 1,555 |
| 2010 | 859 | 268 | 283 | 1,410 |
| 2009 | 860 | 293 | 251 | 1,404 |
| 2008 | 846 | 339 | 341 | 1,526 |
| 2007 | 903 | 325 | 370 | 1,598 |
| 2006 | 818 | 306 | 298 | 1,422 |
| 2005 | 835 | 326 | 307 | 1,468 |
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 Hardin 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: 98,871 acres (85.0% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.
Where to hunt public in Hardin County
Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.
See Hardin 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 Hardin County, Illinois good for deer hunting?
Hardin County scores 19 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (E - Below Average), ranked #102 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 Hardin County?
25 record-book whitetails are attributed to Hardin County across the major record books, with each buck counted once after cross-book deduplication.
Is there public hunting land in Hardin County, Illinois?
Yes — about 98,871 acres of public hunting land, roughly 85.0% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.
How many deer were harvested in Hardin County last season?
IDNR records show 947 deer harvested in Hardin County in 2024, the most recent reported season.