Illinois sees drop in deer harvest in first week of firearm season

Posted on November 28, 2016

By Cole Lauterbach/Illinois Radio Network

SPRINGFIELD – Hunters in Illinois fought off high winds for a solid first weekend in the state’s firearm deer season.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) released the results of last weekend’s firearm deer hunt. Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 54,452 deer during the first weekend of the Illinois Firearm Deer Season on Nov. 18-20, roughly 3,400 less than the first weekend in 2015.

“We anticipate more good opportunities for hunters in the second half of the season which will be Dec. 1-4,” IDNR spokesman Tim Schweizer said.

Temperatures in Illinois on the 18th reached unseasonable highs in the low 70’s, but cooled off Saturday and Sunday. Schweizer said it was the high winds kept some tree stands empty. “Some hunters said the wind was too much. They just decided it was too windy to be out, consequently didn’t spend much time in deer stands on Friday and particularly on Saturday.”

Breaking down the harvest, Adams County lead the state with more than 1,642, followed by Randolph county with 1,582.

IDNR wants to remind hunters that a new rule allows hunters with a valid Illinois firearm deer permit to use archery equipment during firearm season on private land only. Archery permits are not valid during the firearm season, except in those counties closed to firearm deer hunting. Schweizer said there was some confusion over the rule last weekend.

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