76,579: preliminary harvest total for 2020 firearm deer season

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources, IDNR, has announced that a preliminary total of 76,579 deer were taken by hunters during the seven-day 2020 Illinois firearm deer season that concluded on Sunday, Dec. 6. 

A final total of 75,417 deer were harvested during the firearm season in 2019. 

The preliminary harvest for the second segment of the firearm season (Dec. 3-6) was 29,432, compared with 25,176 during the second season in 2019.  

The preliminary harvest for the first segment of this year’s firearm season (Nov. 20-22) was 47,147 deer. 

The archery deer season continues through Jan. 17, 2021.

Preliminary figures from IDNR showed that hunters harvested a total of 1,236 deer in Union County during the seven-day 2020 firearm deer season.

The total included 772 in the first season and 464 in the second season.

Union County’s 2020 harvest total was down from the 1,293 recorded in 2019.

Harvest totals for other area counties in 2020 included:

Alexander County: first season 257, second season 166, total of 423; down from 453 in 2019.

Jackson County: first season 1,227, second season 855, total of 2,082; down from 2,109 in 2019.

Johnson County: first season 857, second season 461, total of 1,318; down from 1,384 in 2019.

Massac County: first season 219, second season 172, total of 391; down from 435 in 2019.

Pulaski County: first season 177, second season 107, total of 284; up from 279 in 2019.

Williamson County: first season 943, second season 695, total of 1,638; down from 1,860 in 2019.