Illinois deer research / Pulaski County
Pulaski County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research
Southern IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 25.2 — ranked #96 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.
D - AverageWhat drives the Pulaski County index
Five weighted components, each scored 0–100 against all Illinois counties.
Trophy record — counted once
29 unique record-book bucks from 32 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 3 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #97 in Illinois.
| Book | Bucks |
|---|---|
| Listed in one book only | 29 |
| In two books | 0 |
| In all three books | 0 |
| Unique bucks | 29 |
2005–2024 harvest trend
| Season | Archery | Firearm | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 279 | 315 | 594 |
| 2023 | 258 | 296 | 554 |
| 2022 | 293 | 328 | 621 |
| 2021 | 268 | 279 | 547 |
| 2020 | 298 | 286 | 584 |
| 2019 | 299 | 279 | 578 |
| 2018 | 231 | 281 | 512 |
| 2017 | 230 | 340 | 570 |
| 2016 | 218 | 414 | 632 |
| 2015 | 218 | 534 | 752 |
| 2014 | 272 | 498 | 770 |
| 2013 | 241 | 561 | 802 |
| 2012 | 252 | 660 | 912 |
| 2011 | 301 | 709 | 1,010 |
| 2010 | 299 | 768 | 1,067 |
| 2009 | 277 | 729 | 1,006 |
| 2008 | 266 | 819 | 1,085 |
| 2007 | 325 | 794 | 1,119 |
| 2006 | 278 | 820 | 1,098 |
| 2005 | 295 | 790 | 1,085 |
IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: Pulaski County runs 3.51 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.
See full Pulaski County harvest charts →
Harvest by sex
IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, Pulaski County ran 350 bucks (males) and 244 does (females) — 58.9% bucks.
| Season | Bucks (M) | Does (F) | Total | % bucks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 350 | 244 | 594 | 58.9% |
| 2023 | 340 | 214 | 554 | 61.4% |
| 2022 | 343 | 278 | 621 | 55.2% |
| 2021 | 321 | 226 | 547 | 58.7% |
| 2020 | 331 | 253 | 584 | 56.7% |
| 2019 | 311 | 267 | 578 | 53.8% |
| 2018 | 293 | 219 | 512 | 57.2% |
| 2017 | 320 | 250 | 570 | 56.1% |
| 2016 | 350 | 282 | 632 | 55.4% |
| 2015 | 418 | 334 | 752 | 55.6% |
| 2014 | 401 | 369 | 770 | 52.1% |
| 2013 | 449 | 353 | 802 | 56% |
| 2012 | 479 | 433 | 912 | 52.5% |
| 2011 | 522 | 488 | 1,010 | 51.7% |
| 2010 | 557 | 510 | 1,067 | 52.2% |
| 2009 | 519 | 487 | 1,006 | 51.6% |
| 2008 | 551 | 534 | 1,085 | 50.8% |
| 2007 | 577 | 542 | 1,119 | 51.6% |
| 2006 | 565 | 533 | 1,098 | 51.5% |
| 2005 | 550 | 535 | 1,085 | 50.7% |
See full Pulaski County sex-composition chart →
Age structure
IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, Pulaski County ran 69% adult, 19.4% yearling, and 11.6% fawn — a higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.
| Season | Adult | Yearling | Fawn | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 410 | 115 | 69 | 594 |
| 2023 | 380 | 108 | 66 | 554 |
| 2022 | 443 | 113 | 65 | 621 |
| 2021 | 364 | 105 | 78 | 547 |
| 2020 | 411 | 113 | 60 | 584 |
| 2019 | 404 | 106 | 68 | 578 |
| 2018 | 327 | 119 | 66 | 512 |
| 2017 | 381 | 119 | 70 | 570 |
| 2016 | 413 | 135 | 84 | 632 |
| 2015 | 488 | 165 | 99 | 752 |
| 2014 | 507 | 145 | 118 | 770 |
| 2013 | 545 | 150 | 107 | 802 |
| 2012 | 559 | 168 | 185 | 912 |
| 2011 | 620 | 210 | 180 | 1,010 |
| 2010 | 654 | 181 | 232 | 1,067 |
| 2009 | 664 | 172 | 170 | 1,006 |
| 2008 | 677 | 200 | 208 | 1,085 |
| 2007 | 639 | 205 | 275 | 1,119 |
| 2006 | 652 | 201 | 245 | 1,098 |
| 2005 | 659 | 214 | 212 | 1,085 |
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 Pulaski County composition charts →
Seasons & access
| Season | Method | Dates | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery — Oct 1 to mid-Jan | archery | 2025-10-01 → 2026-01-18 | otc |
| Firearm — 1st + 2nd Shotgun Season | firearm | 2025-11-21 → 2025-12-07 | otc |
| Muzzleloader — December | muzzleloader | 2025-12-12 → 2025-12-14 | otc |
Public hunting land: 59,509 acres (45.7% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.
Where to hunt public in Pulaski County
Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.
See Pulaski 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.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
Is Pulaski County, Illinois good for deer hunting?
Pulaski County scores 25.2 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (D - Average), ranked #96 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 Pulaski County?
29 record-book whitetails are attributed to Pulaski County across the major record books, with each buck counted once after cross-book deduplication.
Is there public hunting land in Pulaski County, Illinois?
Yes — about 59,509 acres of public hunting land, roughly 45.7% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.
How many deer were harvested in Pulaski County last season?
IDNR records show 594 deer harvested in Pulaski County in 2024, the most recent reported season.