Illinois deer research / White County
White County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research
Southern IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 39.8 — ranked #76 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.
D - AverageWhat drives the White County index
Five weighted components, each scored 0–100 against all Illinois counties.
Trophy record — counted once
87 unique record-book bucks from 96 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 9 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #47 in Illinois.
| Book | Bucks |
|---|---|
| Listed in one book only | 86 |
| In two books | 1 |
| In all three books | 0 |
| Unique bucks | 87 |
2005–2024 harvest trend
| Season | Archery | Firearm | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 737 | 844 | 1,581 |
| 2023 | 678 | 832 | 1,510 |
| 2022 | 683 | 872 | 1,555 |
| 2021 | 633 | 713 | 1,346 |
| 2020 | 706 | 811 | 1,517 |
| 2019 | 576 | 757 | 1,333 |
| 2018 | 492 | 775 | 1,267 |
| 2017 | 539 | 745 | 1,284 |
| 2016 | 508 | 831 | 1,339 |
| 2015 | 588 | 852 | 1,440 |
| 2014 | 640 | 777 | 1,417 |
| 2013 | 598 | 691 | 1,289 |
| 2012 | 569 | 872 | 1,441 |
| 2011 | 638 | 992 | 1,630 |
| 2010 | 619 | 1,026 | 1,645 |
| 2009 | 655 | 1,044 | 1,699 |
| 2008 | 697 | 1,041 | 1,738 |
| 2007 | 756 | 1,237 | 1,993 |
| 2006 | 660 | 1,243 | 1,903 |
| 2005 | 749 | 1,351 | 2,100 |
IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: White County runs 3.50 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.
See full White County harvest charts →
Harvest by sex
IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, White County ran 910 bucks (males) and 671 does (females) — 57.6% bucks.
| Season | Bucks (M) | Does (F) | Total | % bucks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 910 | 671 | 1,581 | 57.6% |
| 2023 | 894 | 616 | 1,510 | 59.2% |
| 2022 | 887 | 668 | 1,555 | 57% |
| 2021 | 738 | 608 | 1,346 | 54.8% |
| 2020 | 860 | 657 | 1,517 | 56.7% |
| 2019 | 696 | 637 | 1,333 | 52.2% |
| 2018 | 673 | 594 | 1,267 | 53.1% |
| 2017 | 769 | 515 | 1,284 | 59.9% |
| 2016 | 801 | 538 | 1,339 | 59.8% |
| 2015 | 792 | 648 | 1,440 | 55% |
| 2014 | 783 | 634 | 1,417 | 55.3% |
| 2013 | 713 | 576 | 1,289 | 55.3% |
| 2012 | 799 | 642 | 1,441 | 55.4% |
| 2011 | 870 | 760 | 1,630 | 53.4% |
| 2010 | 931 | 714 | 1,645 | 56.6% |
| 2009 | 924 | 775 | 1,699 | 54.4% |
| 2008 | 945 | 793 | 1,738 | 54.4% |
| 2007 | 1,133 | 860 | 1,993 | 56.8% |
| 2006 | 1,076 | 827 | 1,903 | 56.5% |
| 2005 | 1,171 | 929 | 2,100 | 55.8% |
See full White County sex-composition chart →
Age structure
IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, White County ran 77.2% adult, 13.8% yearling, and 9% fawn — a higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.
| Season | Adult | Yearling | Fawn | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,221 | 218 | 142 | 1,581 |
| 2023 | 1,163 | 201 | 146 | 1,510 |
| 2022 | 1,188 | 227 | 140 | 1,555 |
| 2021 | 1,011 | 196 | 139 | 1,346 |
| 2020 | 1,147 | 216 | 154 | 1,517 |
| 2019 | 993 | 200 | 140 | 1,333 |
| 2018 | 925 | 181 | 161 | 1,267 |
| 2017 | 918 | 210 | 156 | 1,284 |
| 2016 | 994 | 185 | 160 | 1,339 |
| 2015 | 1,019 | 229 | 192 | 1,440 |
| 2014 | 1,019 | 187 | 211 | 1,417 |
| 2013 | 920 | 195 | 174 | 1,289 |
| 2012 | 1,042 | 197 | 202 | 1,441 |
| 2011 | 1,156 | 186 | 288 | 1,630 |
| 2010 | 1,143 | 233 | 269 | 1,645 |
| 2009 | 1,219 | 238 | 242 | 1,699 |
| 2008 | 1,245 | 240 | 253 | 1,738 |
| 2007 | 1,409 | 252 | 332 | 1,993 |
| 2006 | 1,315 | 263 | 325 | 1,903 |
| 2005 | 1,458 | 271 | 371 | 2,100 |
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 White 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: 81,614 acres (25.4% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.
See White 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 White County, Illinois good for deer hunting?
White County scores 39.8 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (D - Average), ranked #76 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 White County?
87 record-book whitetails are attributed to White County across the major record books, with each buck counted once after cross-book deduplication.
Is there public hunting land in White County, Illinois?
Yes — about 81,614 acres of public hunting land, roughly 25.4% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.
How many deer were harvested in White County last season?
IDNR records show 1,581 deer harvested in White County in 2024, the most recent reported season.