Illinois hunters take home just over 147,000 deer

 
 
SPRINGFIELD – Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 147,004 deer during all 2021-2022 archery and firearm seasons that concluded on January 16th. The total preliminary deer harvest for all seasons compares with a total harvest for all seasons of 162,752 deer in 2020-2021.
During the 2021-2022 deer seasons, hunters took 43.75% does and 56.25% males.
Archery: Archery deer hunters in Illinois took a preliminary total of 67,637 deer during the season that began Oct. 1 and concluded Jan. 16. The total archery harvest during the 2020-2021 season was 75,106 deer.
Youth: Youth deer hunters harvested a preliminary total of 1,829 deer during the three-day Illinois Youth Deer Season Oct. 9-11, compared to 2,322 in 2020.
Traditional Firearm Season: Hunters took a preliminary total of 69,990 deer during the Illinois Firearm Deer Season Nov. 19-21 and Dec. 2-5, compared with 77,160 deer taken during the 2020 firearm season.
Muzzleloader: Hunters using muzzleloading rifles harvested a preliminary total of 3,043 deer during the Muzzleloader-Only Deer Season Dec. 10-12, compared with a harvest of 3,451 deer in the 2020 muzzleloader season.
Late-Winter Seasons: The 2021-2022 Late-Winter Antlerless-Only and Special CWD (chronic wasting disease) deer seasons concluded Jan. 16 with a combined preliminary harvest total for both seasons of 4,505 deer. Season dates for the seven-day Late-Winter and CWD seasons were Dec. 30-Jan. 2 and Jan. 14-16. During those seasons in 2020-2021, a harvest of 4,713 deer were taken.
Sixteen northern Illinois counties were open to the Special CWD season, which is used to assist in slowing the spread of chronic wasting disease in the Illinois deer herd.
A total of 21 counties were open for the Late-Winter Antlerless Season in 2021-2022. Counties that are at or below their individual deer population goal for two consecutive years may be removed from the Late-Winter season.
For more information on the Illinois deer harvest prior to 2020-2021, check the IDNR website at https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/hunting/deer/Pages/AnnualDeerHarvestReports.aspx.