Illinois deer research / Marshall County

Marshall County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research

Central IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 53.5 — ranked #50 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.

C - Above Average
53.5 / 100
FDR Herd Index
#50 of 102
Statewide rank
70
Record-book bucks (deduped)
50,597
Public-land acres
1,082
2024 deer harvest

What drives the Marshall County index

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

Habitat · 25%67
Herd quality · 30%53
Population · 18%48
Momentum · 12%36
Trophy history · 15%53

Trophy record — counted once

70 unique record-book bucks from 72 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 2 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #58 in Illinois.

BookBucks
Listed in one book only70
In two books0
In all three books0
Unique bucks70

2005–2024 harvest trend

SeasonArcheryFirearmTotal
20244146681,082
20234555991,054
2022383582965
2021370547917
20204315951,026
2019393572965
2018335603938
2017305601906
2016334553887
2015338611949
2014327561888
2013313571884
20123357771,112
20113607671,127
20103907751,165
20093947621,156
20083848361,220
20073818961,277
20063388031,141
20053649111,275

IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: Marshall County runs 5.73 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.

See full Marshall County harvest charts →

Harvest by sex

IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, Marshall County ran 585 bucks (males) and 497 does (females) — 54.1% bucks.

SeasonBucks (M)Does (F)Total% bucks
20245854971,08254.1%
20236244301,05459.2%
202254442196556.4%
202153837991758.7%
20205444821,02653%
201953043596554.9%
201852341593855.8%
201749141590654.2%
201649739088756%
201552742294955.5%
201448640288854.7%
201346741788452.8%
20125875251,11252.8%
20116235041,12755.3%
20106095561,16552.3%
20096305261,15654.5%
20086465741,22053%
20077375401,27757.7%
20066894521,14160.4%
20057405351,27558%

See full Marshall County sex-composition chart →

Age structure

IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, Marshall County ran 66.1% adult, 17.8% yearling, and 16.1% fawn — a higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.

SeasonAdultYearlingFawnTotal
20247151931741,082
20237062071411,054
2022657151157965
2021594167156917
20206951781531,026
2019642190133965
2018619168151938
2017592170144906
2016561174152887
2015621160168949
2014539187162888
2013536152196884
20127211452461,112
20117021932321,127
20107151932571,165
20096931772861,156
20087502022681,220
20077172373231,277
20066662302451,141
20057412173171,275

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 Marshall 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: 50,597 acres (19.8% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.

Where to hunt public in Marshall County

Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area · 6,430 acWhitefield State Habitat Area · 116 ac

Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.

See Marshall 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 Marshall County charts

Nearby counties

Putnam · 56.9Woodford · 59Bureau · 57.2Stark · 57Peoria · 37.6Tazewell · 50.4LaSalle · 48.7Lee · 51.3
← #49 Adams County#51 Jersey County →

Frequently asked questions

Is Marshall County, Illinois good for deer hunting?

Marshall County scores 53.5 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (C - Above Average), ranked #50 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 Marshall County?

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

Is there public hunting land in Marshall County, Illinois?

Yes — about 50,597 acres of public hunting land, roughly 19.8% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.

How many deer were harvested in Marshall County last season?

IDNR records show 1,082 deer harvested in Marshall County in 2024, the most recent reported season.