Illinois deer research / Johnson County

Johnson County, Illinois Deer Hunting Research

Southern IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 28, ranked #98 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and the Buck Index.

D - Average
28 / 100
FDR Herd Index
#98 of 102
Statewide rank
78→
Buck Index
181,537
Bow-huntable acres (10 m estimate)
2,015
2024 deer harvest

What drives the Johnson County index

The FDR Index combines five measured parts into one 0 to 100 score. Each part is scored 0–100 against all Illinois counties.

Habitat22
Herd quality44
Population26
Momentum7
Buck Index26

Buck Index

78→ out of 100. How this county ranks on the Buck Index against every county we cover. 100 is the top. Land is measured as what a hunter can actually hunt (10 m estimate).

Hunting pressure

Pressure Index 5.3 / 10 (Middle). About 5.8 deer hunters per square mile of huntable land: 53rd percentile of 3,051 rated counties in 48 states, 83rd percentile within Illinois. How often deer run into people, 0 to 10 on one scale across every rated state; 10 is the most crowded county in the country.

Modeled. Illinois does not publish hunter numbers by county, so FDR places this county within Illinois from deer harvest per huntable acre (2020 to 2024 seasons) and population density. The model was checked against agency hunter counts in Michigan, Indiana and Missouri, and against agency hunter surveys by hunting unit in 10 more states. It estimates crowding; it is not a hunter count. Illinois averages 5.2 deer hunters per square mile of huntable land (state wildlife agency count, 2023-24 season).

2005–2024 harvest trend

SeasonArcheryFirearmTotal
20248421,1732,015
20238491,1682,017
20228571,2892,146
20217961,2222,018
20208681,3942,262
20197841,4822,266
20186661,6362,302
20176771,6782,355
20166311,7252,356
20156701,8392,509
20147841,6462,430
20137611,4942,255
20126381,8132,451
20116992,0672,766
20107212,0242,745
20096122,0942,706
20086612,1012,762
20076712,1652,836
20066012,0992,700
20056472,0602,707

Totals are IDNR's all-season county harvest; firearm includes the youth, muzzleloader and late-winter seasons. Source: Hunt Illinois county deer harvest. Buck density: Johnson County averages 3.31 adult bucks harvested per 1,000 huntable acres (2005-2024).

See full Johnson County harvest charts →

Harvest by sex

IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, Johnson County ran 1,121 bucks (males) and 894 does (females): 55.6% bucks.

SeasonBucks (M)Does (F)Total% bucks
20241,1218942,01555.6%
20231,1179002,01755.4%
20221,1451,0012,14653.4%
20211,1258932,01855.7%
20201,2561,0062,26255.5%
20191,2441,0222,26654.9%
20181,3689342,30259.4%
20171,3729832,35558.3%
20161,2921,0642,35654.8%
20151,3741,1352,50954.8%
20141,3611,0692,43056%
20131,2879682,25557.1%
20121,3321,1192,45154.3%
20111,4161,3502,76651.2%
20101,3881,3572,74550.6%
20091,4291,2772,70652.8%
20081,4671,2952,76253.1%
20071,5291,3072,83653.9%
20061,5671,1332,70058%
20051,5351,1722,70756.7%

See full Johnson County sex-composition chart →

Age structure

IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, Johnson County ran 68.2% adult, 20% yearling, and 11.9% fawn. A higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.

SeasonAdultYearlingFawnTotal
20241,3744022392,015
20231,3264382532,017
20221,4344132992,146
20211,3463792932,018
20201,5444662522,262
20191,4744982942,266
20181,4175573282,302
20171,4115523922,355
20161,4915143512,356
20151,5715623762,509
20141,4645094572,430
20131,3865323372,255
20121,4605424492,451
20111,6355955362,766
20101,6505565392,745
20091,6615464992,706
20081,6915385332,762
20071,7075186112,836
20061,6575435002,700
20051,5765875392,702

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 Johnson County composition charts →

Seasons & access

SeasonMethodDatesTags
Archery · Oct 1 to mid-Janarchery2026-10-01 → 2027-01-17otc
Firearm · 1st + 2nd Shotgun Seasonfirearm2026-11-20 → 2026-12-06otc
Muzzleloader · Decembermuzzleloader2026-12-11 → 2026-12-13otc

Bow-huntable land, public and private: 181,537 acres (10 m estimate). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.

Where to hunt public in Johnson County

Shawnee National Forest · 391,507 acFerne Clyffe State Park · 2,572 acFarm Service Agency Interest Of Il · 665 acDeer Pond State Natural Area · 251 acSkinner Farm State Habitat Area · 227 acCypress Pond · 8 ac

Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.

See Johnson 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.

See all Johnson County charts

Nearby counties

Williamson · 36.6Massac · 34.4Pope · 26.4Pulaski · 27Union · 30.9Saline · 42.7Franklin · 42.8Alexander · 26.3
← #97 Jackson County#99 Pulaski County →

Frequently asked questions

Is Johnson County, Illinois good for deer hunting?

Johnson County scores 28 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (D - Average), ranked #98 of 102 Illinois counties. The index is built from IDNR public harvest records, habitat, herd quality, momentum, and the Buck Index.

What is the Buck Index for Johnson County?

Johnson County has a Buck Index of 78 out of 100. How this county ranks on the Buck Index against every county we cover. 100 is the top. Land is measured as what a hunter can actually hunt (10 m estimate).

Is there public hunting land in Johnson County, Illinois?

Yes: the Illinois public hunting land directory lists 6 sites in Johnson County, including Shawnee National Forest, Ferne Clyffe State Park, Farm Service Agency Interest Of Il. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.

How many deer were harvested in Johnson County last season?

IDNR records show 2,015 deer harvested in Johnson County in 2024, the most recent reported season.

Cite this

Fully Drawn Research. "Johnson County, Illinois deer hunting research." County page. https://www.fullydrawnresearch.ai/research/il/johnson. Accessed Nov 1, 2026.

Data and charts from this page are free to use with attribution. See the Content Lab.

Sources: Illinois DNR public harvest and public-land records, plus FDR's own land data for the Buck Index. Public-record data only: no private contact information, no landowner lists.

Fully Drawn Research is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Historical data and modeled indexes describe the past; they are not a promise of hunting outcomes. Always verify current seasons, permits, and site rules with IDNR before you hunt.

© Fully Drawn Research · FDR Scout