Illinois deer research / Jo Daviess County
Jo Daviess County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research
Northern IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 36.3 — ranked #89 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.
D - AverageWhat drives the Jo Daviess County index
Five weighted components, each scored 0–100 against all Illinois counties.
Trophy record — counted once
312 unique record-book bucks from 351 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 39 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #4 in Illinois.
| Book | Bucks |
|---|---|
| Listed in one book only | 309 |
| In two books | 3 |
| In all three books | 0 |
| Unique bucks | 312 |
2021–2021 harvest trend
| Season | Archery | Firearm | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 982 | 1,229 | 2,503 |
IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: Jo Daviess County runs 4.13 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.
See full Jo Daviess County harvest charts →
Harvest by sex
IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2021, Jo Daviess County ran 1,379 bucks (males) and 1,124 does (females) — 55.1% bucks.
| Season | Bucks (M) | Does (F) | Total | % bucks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,379 | 1,124 | 2,503 | 55.1% |
See full Jo Daviess County sex-composition chart →
Age structure
IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2021, Jo Daviess County ran 71% adult, 14.5% yearling, and 14.5% fawn — a higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.
| Season | Adult | Yearling | Fawn | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,777 | 364 | 362 | 2,503 |
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 Jo Daviess 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: 216,508 acres (54.7% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.
Where to hunt public in Jo Daviess County
Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.
See Jo Daviess 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 Jo Daviess County, Illinois good for deer hunting?
Jo Daviess County scores 36.3 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (D - Average), ranked #89 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 Jo Daviess County?
312 record-book whitetails are attributed to Jo Daviess County across the major record books, with each buck counted once after cross-book deduplication.
Is there public hunting land in Jo Daviess County, Illinois?
Yes — about 216,508 acres of public hunting land, roughly 54.7% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.
How many deer were harvested in Jo Daviess County last season?
IDNR records show 2,503 deer harvested in Jo Daviess County in 2021, the most recent reported season.