Illinois deer research / Madison County

Madison County, Illinois Deer Hunting Research

Southern IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 43, ranked #73 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and the Buck Index.

C - Above Average
43 / 100
FDR Herd Index
#73 of 102
Statewide rank
87→
Buck Index
152,077
Bow-huntable acres (10 m estimate)
1,972
2024 deer harvest

What drives the Madison 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.

Habitat45
Herd quality30
Population47
Momentum78
Buck Index34

Buck Index

87→ 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 5.5 / 10 (Middle). About 6.0 deer hunters per square mile of huntable land: 55th percentile of 3,051 rated counties in 48 states, 91st 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
20241,0529201,972
20231,0937821,875
20221,0428411,883
20211,0567261,782
20201,1487441,892
20199877421,729
20189018951,796
20178028111,613
20167307261,456
20158578601,717
20148547481,602
20138967871,683
20121,1131,1572,270
20111,1091,1162,225
20101,1401,0672,207
20091,0381,1352,173
20081,0671,0892,156
20071,1471,3972,544
20061,1841,2942,478
20051,1391,3392,478

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: Madison County averages 2.84 adult bucks harvested per 1,000 huntable acres (2005-2024).

See full Madison County harvest charts →

Harvest by sex

IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, Madison County ran 1,056 bucks (males) and 916 does (females): 53.5% bucks.

SeasonBucks (M)Does (F)Total% bucks
20241,0569161,97253.5%
20231,0298461,87554.9%
20221,0398441,88355.2%
20211,0087741,78256.6%
20201,0278651,89254.3%
20199258041,72953.5%
20189858111,79654.8%
20178917221,61355.2%
20167716851,45653%
20158978201,71752.2%
20147608421,60247.4%
20138308531,68349.3%
20121,1391,1312,27050.2%
20111,1381,0872,22551.1%
20101,1021,1052,20749.9%
20091,0781,0952,17349.6%
20081,0421,1142,15648.3%
20071,3591,1852,54453.4%
20061,3481,1302,47854.4%
20051,3671,1112,47855.2%

See full Madison County sex-composition chart →

Age structure

IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, Madison County ran 66.4% adult, 19.8% yearling, and 13.8% fawn. A higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.

SeasonAdultYearlingFawnTotal
20241,3103902721,972
20231,2623572561,875
20221,2423632781,883
20211,1703442681,782
20201,2303882741,892
20191,1103792401,729
20181,1183932851,796
20171,0383262491,613
20168772942851,456
20151,0663273241,717
20149862913251,602
20139552894391,683
20121,3514264932,270
20111,3603904752,225
20101,3453764862,207
20091,3533534672,173
20081,2813784972,156
20071,4834895722,544
20061,3644746402,478
20051,4184556012,474

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 Madison 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: 152,077 acres (10 m estimate). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.

Where to hunt public in Madison County

Chouteau Island State Fish and Wildlife Area · 2,118 acJohn M. Olin Nature Preserve · 296 acLevee Lake · 233 acEagle Park Marsh · 106 acHorseshoe Lake-Madison State Fish and Wildlife Area · 91 ac

Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.

See Madison 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 Madison County charts

Nearby counties

St. Clair · 40Macoupin · 67.3Bond · 40.8Jersey · 56.2Clinton · 43.6Montgomery · 53.1Monroe · 46.6Washington · 55.4
← #72 Peoria County#74 Franklin County →

Frequently asked questions

Is Madison County, Illinois good for deer hunting?

Madison County scores 43 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (C - Above Average), ranked #73 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 Madison County?

Madison County has a Buck Index of 87 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 Madison County, Illinois?

Yes: the Illinois public hunting land directory lists 5 sites in Madison County, including Chouteau Island State Fish and Wildlife Area, John M. Olin Nature Preserve, Levee Lake. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.

How many deer were harvested in Madison County last season?

IDNR records show 1,972 deer harvested in Madison County in 2024, the most recent reported season.

Cite this

Fully Drawn Research. "Madison County, Illinois deer hunting research." County page. https://www.fullydrawnresearch.ai/research/il/madison. 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