Illinois deer research / Putnam County

Putnam County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research

Central IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 56.9 — ranked #40 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.

B - Strong
56.9 / 100
FDR Herd Index
#40 of 102
Statewide rank
35
Record-book bucks (deduped)
32,498
Public-land acres
664
2024 deer harvest

What drives the Putnam County index

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

Habitat · 25%45
Herd quality · 30%58
Population · 18%90
Momentum · 12%31
Trophy history · 15%55

Trophy record — counted once

35 unique record-book bucks from 38 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 3 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #90 in Illinois.

BookBucks
Listed in one book only34
In two books1
In all three books0
Unique bucks35

2005–2024 harvest trend

SeasonArcheryFirearmTotal
2024299365664
2023309336645
2022302330632
2021281312593
2020288322610
2019296337633
2018252343595
2017211342553
2016236335571
2015266399665
2014255357612
2013258361619
2012289520809
2011317470787
2010327499826
2009362564926
2008330538868
2007313610923
2006285527812
2005289618907

IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: Putnam County runs 5.84 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.

See full Putnam County harvest charts →

Harvest by sex

IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, Putnam County ran 373 bucks (males) and 291 does (females) — 56.2% bucks.

SeasonBucks (M)Does (F)Total% bucks
202437329166456.2%
202338426164559.5%
202235028263255.4%
202133226159356%
202033127961054.3%
201935827563356.6%
201832527059554.6%
201731923455357.7%
201629627557151.8%
201533433166550.2%
201430830461250.3%
201331530461950.9%
201239341680948.6%
201139139678749.7%
201039842882648.2%
200942250492645.6%
200843243686849.8%
200748643792352.7%
200643837481253.9%
200549341490754.4%

See full Putnam County sex-composition chart →

Age structure

IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, Putnam County ran 66.4% adult, 15.2% yearling, and 18.4% fawn — a higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.

SeasonAdultYearlingFawnTotal
2024441101122664
202345711771645
20224459988632
202141610275593
202042610084610
201943512375633
201839011095595
201735511286553
201637410493571
2015433110122665
2014386110116612
2013360115144619
2012545113151809
2011496117174787
2010552103171826
2009570122234926
2008547128193868
2007603128192923
2006498120194812
2005591105211907

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 Putnam 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: 32,498 acres (29.5% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.

Where to hunt public in Putnam County

Donnelley State Fish and Wildlife Area · 561 acGeorge S. Park Memorial Woods State Natural Area · 81 ac

Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.

See Putnam 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 Putnam County charts

Nearby counties

Marshall · 53.5Bureau · 57.2Woodford · 59LaSalle · 48.7Stark · 57Lee · 51.3Peoria · 37.6Tazewell · 50.4
← #39 McDonough County#41 Douglas County →

Frequently asked questions

Is Putnam County, Illinois good for deer hunting?

Putnam County scores 56.9 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (B - Strong), ranked #40 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 Putnam County?

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

Is there public hunting land in Putnam County, Illinois?

Yes — about 32,498 acres of public hunting land, roughly 29.5% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.

How many deer were harvested in Putnam County last season?

IDNR records show 664 deer harvested in Putnam County in 2024, the most recent reported season.