Illinois deer research / Kane County

Kane County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research

Northern IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 38.4 — ranked #81 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.

D - Average
38.4 / 100
FDR Herd Index
#81 of 102
Statewide rank
145
Record-book bucks (deduped)
63,024
Public-land acres
394
2024 deer harvest

What drives the Kane County index

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

Habitat · 25%49
Herd quality · 30%35
Population · 18%8
Momentum · 12%24
Trophy history · 15%75

Trophy record — counted once

145 unique record-book bucks from 185 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 40 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #17 in Illinois.

BookBucks
Listed in one book only140
In two books5
In all three books0
Unique bucks145

2005–2024 harvest trend

SeasonArcheryFirearmTotal
202435435394
202335233391
202230827340
202133531376
202040534445
201932724357
201833030365
201729628336
201626329299
201532430378
201434143408
201330234357
201234955417
201138144448
201040662486
200941054493
200840262476
200740771478
200641576491
200544192533

IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: Kane County runs 1.86 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.

See full Kane County harvest charts →

Harvest by sex

IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, Kane County ran 249 bucks (males) and 145 does (females) — 63.2% bucks.

SeasonBucks (M)Does (F)Total% bucks
202424914539463.2%
202325114039164.2%
202219814234058.2%
202122615037660.1%
202027616944562%
201921614135760.5%
201821714836559.5%
201720113533659.8%
201617812129959.5%
201520717137854.8%
201422418440854.9%
201320415335757.1%
201221420341751.3%
201124120744853.8%
201027720948657%
200927022349354.8%
200827420247657.6%
200728319547859.2%
200628920249158.9%
200531521853359.1%

See full Kane County sex-composition chart →

Age structure

IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, Kane County ran 64.7% adult, 24.6% yearling, and 10.7% fawn — a higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.

SeasonAdultYearlingFawnTotal
20242559742394
20232697250391
20222357134340
20212377960376
20202939854445
20192387940357
20182398739365
20172366832336
20161786358299
20152358261378
20142697960408
20132088267357
20122917353417
20112988763448
201030010878486
20093249277493
200829710475476
200729910772478
200630910478491
2005327104102533

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 Kane 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: 63,024 acres (18.8% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.

Where to hunt public in Kane County

Fox River Fen · 1,207 acNelson Lake Marsh · 520 acNelson Lake Marsh Nature Preserve · 170 acDixie Fromm Briggs Prairie Nature Preserve · 151 acHickory Knolls Natural Area · 124 acJohnson's Mound Nature Preserve · 87 acBowes Creek Woods Forest Preserve 3 · 59 acMoosheart Ravine · 44 ac

Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.

See Kane 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 Kane County charts

Nearby counties

DeKalb · 38.7Kendall · 32.1DuPage · 37.2McHenry · 33.5Boone · 40.5Lake · 31Cook · 38.6Grundy · 46.5
← #80 Cook County#82 Madison County →

Frequently asked questions

Is Kane County, Illinois good for deer hunting?

Kane County scores 38.4 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (D - Average), ranked #81 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 Kane County?

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

Is there public hunting land in Kane County, Illinois?

Yes — about 63,024 acres of public hunting land, roughly 18.8% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.

How many deer were harvested in Kane County last season?

IDNR records show 394 deer harvested in Kane County in 2024, the most recent reported season.