Illinois deer research / Menard County

Menard County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research

Central IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 70.1 — ranked #6 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.

A - Elite
70.1 / 100
FDR Herd Index
#6 of 102
Statewide rank
68
Record-book bucks (deduped)
42,294
Public-land acres
858
2024 deer harvest

What drives the Menard County index

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

Habitat · 25%58
Herd quality · 30%89
Population · 18%70
Momentum · 12%32
Trophy history · 15%84

Trophy record — counted once

68 unique record-book bucks from 87 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 19 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #62 in Illinois.

BookBucks
Listed in one book only65
In two books3
In all three books0
Unique bucks68

2005–2024 harvest trend

SeasonArcheryFirearmTotal
2024438420858
2023440380820
2022438350788
2021400329729
2020508388896
2019263361624
2018388371759
2017387367754
2016319368687
2015334398732
2014311332643
2013281322603
2012330469799
2011311423734
2010296467763
2009364449813
2008370431801
2007367542909
2006370536906
20053736311,004

IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: Menard County runs 5.99 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.

See full Menard County harvest charts →

Harvest by sex

IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, Menard County ran 441 bucks (males) and 417 does (females) — 51.4% bucks.

SeasonBucks (M)Does (F)Total% bucks
202444141785851.4%
202347834282058.3%
202243135778854.7%
202140232772955.1%
202047342389652.8%
201943718762470%
201840435575953.2%
201742233275456%
201641527268760.4%
201540432873255.2%
201437327064358%
201330529860350.6%
201243236779954.1%
201140632873455.3%
201038437976350.3%
200941639781351.2%
200840539680150.6%
200752038990957.2%
200654935790660.6%
20055374671,00453.5%

See full Menard County sex-composition chart →

Age structure

IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, Menard County ran 75.3% adult, 13.9% yearling, and 10.8% fawn — a higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.

SeasonAdultYearlingFawnTotal
202464611993858
202362210791820
202258410698788
20215389893729
2020676108112896
201940912095624
2018514122123759
201755210597754
2016463112112687
201552699107732
2014428102113643
2013383113107603
2012529118152799
2011490132112734
2010519106138763
2009553104156813
2008533110158801
2007605144160909
2006599136171906
20056151342551,004

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 Menard 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: 42,294 acres (20.9% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.

Where to hunt public in Menard County

Oakford State Habitat Area · 107 acWolf Preserve · 69 acBarton-Sommer Woodland State Natural Area · 49 ac

Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.

See Menard 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 Menard County charts

Nearby counties

Mason · 51Sangamon · 58.5Logan · 73.9Cass · 61.3Morgan · 63.5Tazewell · 50.4Fulton · 58.4Christian · 57.1
← #5 Iroquois County#7 Hancock County →

Frequently asked questions

Is Menard County, Illinois good for deer hunting?

Menard County scores 70.1 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (A - Elite), ranked #6 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 Menard County?

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

Is there public hunting land in Menard County, Illinois?

Yes — about 42,294 acres of public hunting land, roughly 20.9% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.

How many deer were harvested in Menard County last season?

IDNR records show 858 deer harvested in Menard County in 2024, the most recent reported season.