Illinois deer research / Kankakee County

Kankakee County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research

Central IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 48.6 — ranked #63 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.

C - Above Average
48.6 / 100
FDR Herd Index
#63 of 102
Statewide rank
75
Record-book bucks (deduped)
49,589
Public-land acres
669
2024 deer harvest

What drives the Kankakee County index

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

Habitat · 25%71
Herd quality · 30%22
Population · 18%59
Momentum · 12%40
Trophy history · 15%60

Trophy record — counted once

75 unique record-book bucks from 82 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 7 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #54 in Illinois.

BookBucks
Listed in one book only71
In two books4
In all three books0
Unique bucks75

2005–2024 harvest trend

SeasonArcheryFirearmTotal
2024408192669
2023342190571
2022311178535
2021277185513
2020336196582
2019305196535
2018318199578
2017261185480
2016281186522
2015275195532
2014308186494
2013350201551
2012319248567
2011322219541
2010317233550
2009344211555
2008324242566
2007325284609
2006268276544
2005337278615

IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: Kankakee County runs 2.97 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.

See full Kankakee County harvest charts →

Harvest by sex

IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, Kankakee County ran 390 bucks (males) and 279 does (females) — 58.3% bucks.

SeasonBucks (M)Does (F)Total% bucks
202439027966958.3%
202334922257161.1%
202231122453558.1%
202130820551360%
202032325958255.5%
201931022553557.9%
201834723157860%
201727520548057.3%
201628623652254.8%
201527825453252.3%
201427122349454.9%
201330025155154.4%
201231125656754.9%
201130423754156.2%
201030324755055.1%
200931723855557.1%
200829427256651.9%
200735725260958.6%
200630723754456.4%
200533128461553.8%

See full Kankakee County sex-composition chart →

Age structure

IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, Kankakee County ran 66.1% adult, 19.7% yearling, and 14.2% fawn — a higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.

SeasonAdultYearlingFawnTotal
202444213295669
202337112179571
20223549685535
202132810877513
202036913083582
201933513565535
201833414797578
201728412076480
2016306116100522
20153439891532
201430511871494
2013327116108551
2012351106110567
2011325106110541
20103719584550
200933812889555
20083829589566
2007377115117609
200633811393544
200541610693615

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 Kankakee 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: 49,589 acres (11.4% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.

Where to hunt public in Kankakee County

Kankakee River State Park · 3,664 acIroquois County State Fish and Wildlife Area · 2,946 acMazonia-Braidwood State Fish and Wildlife Area · 2,816 acMomencee Wetlands State Natural Area · 667 acIroquois Woods State Natural Area · 46 ac

Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.

See Kankakee 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 Kankakee County charts

Nearby counties

Will · 45.7Iroquois · 70.2Grundy · 46.5Ford · 59.3Cook · 38.6Kendall · 32.1Livingston · 59.6DuPage · 37.2
← #62 LaSalle County#64 Henry County →

Frequently asked questions

Is Kankakee County, Illinois good for deer hunting?

Kankakee County scores 48.6 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (C - Above Average), ranked #63 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 Kankakee County?

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

Is there public hunting land in Kankakee County, Illinois?

Yes — about 49,589 acres of public hunting land, roughly 11.4% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.

How many deer were harvested in Kankakee County last season?

IDNR records show 669 deer harvested in Kankakee County in 2024, the most recent reported season.