The reputation of Illinois deer country centers on rivers and the western part of the state. Using data from twenty seasons, a composite ranking brings together harvest, the condition of the herd, the population signal, momentum, and the trophy signal. Its results point elsewhere: Illinois's highest-scoring counties are concentrated in east-central Illinois. The famous river counties earn respectable rankings but do not lead.
KEY FINDINGS
- Edgar County earns Illinois's highest composite score (80.5 out of 100). Vermilion comes next, then Logan and Piatt. These leaders form an east-central group rather than a western river cluster.
- For counties known for big deer, the composite places Pike at 26th, with Brown at 28th, Adams at 49th, and Jo Daviess at 89th.
- The highest tier, “A · Elite,” includes just 6 counties out of 102. Almost half (40) receive “B · Strong.” Truly elite Illinois deer country is scarce.
IBeyond the reputation
What belongs in a useful ranking
Our index asks a question looking ahead: with each county's current herd condition, harvest direction, population signal, forward momentum, and trophy signal considered, where does it rank today? Public records supply the inputs. We build the composite.
IIThe top of the state
East-central counties take the lead
Illinois's best scores gather away from its major rivers, in the central and east-central parts of the state: Edgar, Vermilion, Piatt, Logan, and Menard. Intensive row cropping in this area supports the deer food base. Edgar holds the outright lead.
IIIWhere the famous counties land
Solid, but short of dominant
We consider the river counties in western Illinois to still be good deer ground. Pike continues to record the state's single highest reading for herd condition, a measure of body condition in deer. In the combined index ranking, however, 26th goes to Pike, 28th to Brown, and 49th to Adams. Declining trends, rather than quality, weigh on their scores: harvest has fallen over two decades, and forward momentum is subdued in several of those counties. For documentation of these patterns in the Golden Triangle, see Working Paper 06.
Illinois's deer reputation and our ranking point different ways. We place Edgar ahead of Pike, supported by the record across twenty years.
Swipe table to see every column
| Rank | County | FDR Index | Tier | Trophy signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edgar | 80.5 | A · Elite | Elite |
| 2 | Vermilion | 79.2 | A · Elite | Premier |
| 3 | Logan | 73.9 | A · Elite | Premier |
| 4 | Piatt | 71.2 | A · Elite | Premier |
| 5 | Iroquois | 70.2 | A · Elite | Strong |
| 6 | Menard | 70.1 | A · Elite | Elite |
| 7 | Hancock | 67.8 | B · Strong | Strong |
| 8 | Crawford | 67.2 | B · Strong | Moderate |
| 9 | McLean | 66.9 | B · Strong | Elite |
| 10 | Macoupin | 66.3 | B · Strong | Strong |
IVThe scarcity at the top
Few counties qualify as elite deer country
A ranking alone can obscure the finding revealed by the tiers. Across 102 counties, just 6 qualify for “A · Elite,” while 40 receive “B · Strong.” The other 56 occupy tiers C, D, and E. Under this measure, half of Illinois offers deer ground rated average or lower. Hardin scores 19.0, Johnson 20.2, and Pope 20.6, the lowest results. These counties occupy Illinois's wooded southern tip, where much of the acreage lies within Shawnee National Forest. Deer quality in Illinois gathers in a farmed band through the state's middle instead of being evenly distributed. The ranking shows that concentration clearly.
VHow to read the ranking
Today's condition beyond past acclaim
Read a county's rank as a picture of its current condition, alongside its trend. A modest placement today can accompany rapid improvement. Adams best illustrates this: its composite position sits near the middle, yet its forward momentum, measuring improvement over time, is among Illinois's strongest. Adams also produces more mature bucks than its composite placement suggests (Working Paper 06). Let rank distinguish truly elite deer country from reputation. Then look at momentum and harvest direction to find improving counties before their reputations follow.
NOTES AND SOURCES
- For each county, this proprietary index assigns a composite score on a 0 to 100 scale using public IDNR harvest records covering 2005 to 2024. Its inputs include the level of harvest and its trend, the condition of the herd, the population signal, forward momentum, and the trophy signal. Both the component weights and the way the index is built remain proprietary and undisclosed. Publication is limited to ranked results and tiers.
- The proprietary trophy index is a calculated metric presented as a score or tier. Its values do not represent record-book measurements. We do not reproduce the record compilations behind it.
- For 2024, the tiers are: A · Elite, with 6 counties; B · Strong, with 40; C · Average, with 29; D · Below Average, with 21; and E · Lowest, with 6. Limits apply: the index describes average conditions for a county. It cannot distinguish variation inside that county across individual properties, between private ground and public land, or among different habitat types.
Fully Drawn Research is an independent data analysis desk, not affiliated with any state wildlife agency, transportation agency, mapping provider or outfitter. Rankings are analytical opinions derived from public data and are informational only, not hunting, wildlife-management, or investment advice. Figures current to the 2024 season.
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