Illinois deer research / Rock Island County
Rock Island County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research
Central IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 29 — ranked #95 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.
D - AverageWhat drives the Rock Island County index
Five weighted components, each scored 0–100 against all Illinois counties.
Trophy record — counted once
95 unique record-book bucks from 104 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 9 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #40 in Illinois.
| Book | Bucks |
|---|---|
| Listed in one book only | 93 |
| In two books | 2 |
| In all three books | 0 |
| Unique bucks | 95 |
2020–2024 harvest trend
| Season | Archery | Firearm | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 670 | 713 | 1,383 |
| 2023 | 605 | 713 | 1,318 |
| 2022 | 622 | 620 | 1,242 |
| 2021 | 609 | 585 | 1,194 |
| 2020 | 678 | 696 | 1,374 |
IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: Rock Island County runs 3.66 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.
See full Rock Island County harvest charts →
Harvest by sex
IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, Rock Island County ran 804 bucks (males) and 579 does (females) — 58.1% bucks.
| Season | Bucks (M) | Does (F) | Total | % bucks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 804 | 579 | 1,383 | 58.1% |
| 2023 | 786 | 532 | 1,318 | 59.6% |
| 2022 | 703 | 539 | 1,242 | 56.6% |
| 2021 | 672 | 522 | 1,194 | 56.3% |
| 2020 | 751 | 623 | 1,374 | 54.7% |
See full Rock Island County sex-composition chart →
Age structure
IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, Rock Island County ran 66.6% adult, 20.7% yearling, and 12.7% fawn — a higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.
| Season | Adult | Yearling | Fawn | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 921 | 286 | 176 | 1,383 |
| 2023 | 874 | 258 | 186 | 1,318 |
| 2022 | 783 | 251 | 208 | 1,242 |
| 2021 | 767 | 228 | 199 | 1,194 |
| 2020 | 914 | 252 | 208 | 1,374 |
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 Rock Island 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: 95,282 acres (33.0% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.
Where to hunt public in Rock Island County
Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.
See Rock Island 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 Rock Island County, Illinois good for deer hunting?
Rock Island County scores 29 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (D - Average), ranked #95 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 Rock Island County?
95 record-book whitetails are attributed to Rock Island County across the major record books, with each buck counted once after cross-book deduplication.
Is there public hunting land in Rock Island County, Illinois?
Yes — about 95,282 acres of public hunting land, roughly 33.0% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.
How many deer were harvested in Rock Island County last season?
IDNR records show 1,383 deer harvested in Rock Island County in 2024, the most recent reported season.