Illinois deer research / Macon County

Macon County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research

Southern IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 60.2 — ranked #20 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.

B - Strong
60.2 / 100
FDR Herd Index
#20 of 102
Statewide rank
70
Record-book bucks (deduped)
35,614
Public-land acres
657
2024 deer harvest

What drives the Macon County index

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

Habitat · 25%76
Herd quality · 30%59
Population · 18%48
Momentum · 12%28
Trophy history · 15%78

Trophy record — counted once

70 unique record-book bucks from 83 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 13 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #58 in Illinois.

BookBucks
Listed in one book only67
In two books3
In all three books0
Unique bucks70

2005–2024 harvest trend

SeasonArcheryFirearmTotal
2024410247657
2023454210664
2022429232661
2021484220704
2020568268836
2019495221716
2018474238712
2017458240698
2016411251662
2015469262731
2014479243722
2013501244745
2012458329787
2011605366971
2010603333936
2009580318898
2008548341889
2007529355884
2006516304820
2005527323850

IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: Macon County runs 5.98 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.

See full Macon County harvest charts →

Harvest by sex

IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, Macon County ran 401 bucks (males) and 256 does (females) — 61% bucks.

SeasonBucks (M)Does (F)Total% bucks
202440125665761%
202338827666458.4%
202240026166160.5%
202142428070460.2%
202049134583658.7%
201942828871659.8%
201839731571255.8%
201738930969855.7%
201636629666255.3%
201539233973153.6%
201437934372252.5%
201336737874549.3%
201240638178751.6%
201148149097149.5%
201046746993649.9%
200944845089849.9%
200846242788952%
200749738788456.2%
200646435682056.6%
200548236885056.7%

See full Macon County sex-composition chart →

Age structure

IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, Macon County ran 65.4% adult, 19.5% yearling, and 15.1% fawn — a higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.

SeasonAdultYearlingFawnTotal
202443012899657
202344413189664
2022436112113661
202146315982704
2020540179117836
201947115590716
2018462131119712
2017433152113698
2016438115109662
2015456140135731
2014454140128722
2013495126124745
2012478118191787
2011594152225971
2010617135184936
2009575129194898
2008572147170889
2007573159152884
2006511154155820
2005545149156850

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 Macon 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: 35,614 acres (9.5% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.

Where to hunt public in Macon County

Calamus Lake State Natural Area · 118 acBois du Sangamon Nature Preserve · 44 ac

Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.

See Macon 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 Macon County charts

Nearby counties

De Witt · 60Piatt · 71.2Moultrie · 58Christian · 57.1Logan · 73.9Shelby · 60McLean · 66.9Sangamon · 58.5
← #19 Cass County#21 De Witt County →

Frequently asked questions

Is Macon County, Illinois good for deer hunting?

Macon County scores 60.2 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (B - Strong), ranked #20 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 Macon County?

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

Is there public hunting land in Macon County, Illinois?

Yes — about 35,614 acres of public hunting land, roughly 9.5% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.

How many deer were harvested in Macon County last season?

IDNR records show 657 deer harvested in Macon County in 2024, the most recent reported season.