Illinois deer research / St. Clair County
St. Clair County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research
Southern IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 37.2 — ranked #86 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.
D - AverageWhat drives the St. Clair County index
Five weighted components, each scored 0–100 against all Illinois counties.
Trophy record — counted once
60 unique record-book bucks from 66 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 6 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #70 in Illinois.
| Book | Bucks |
|---|---|
| Listed in one book only | 59 |
| In two books | 1 |
| In all three books | 0 |
| Unique bucks | 60 |
Harvest trend
The county-level IDNR harvest series for St. Clair County is being reconciled (a source naming mismatch) and will appear here shortly. The index, trophy record, and public-land figures above are complete.
IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: St. Clair County runs 3.09 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.
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: 113,808 acres (26.4% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.
Where to hunt public in St. Clair County
Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.
See St. Clair 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 St. Clair County, Illinois good for deer hunting?
St. Clair County scores 37.2 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (D - Average), ranked #86 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 St. Clair County?
60 record-book whitetails are attributed to St. Clair County across the major record books, with each buck counted once after cross-book deduplication.
Is there public hunting land in St. Clair County, Illinois?
Yes — about 113,808 acres of public hunting land, roughly 26.4% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.