SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Hunters took more than 75,000 deer during Illinois’ seven-day firearm hunting season this fall, according to preliminary totals compiled by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
That number represents a 7% drop in the number of deer harvested from 2018 when nearly 81,000 deer were taken.
But the second part of this year’s season, from Dec. 5-8, saw an uptick over last year. More than 25,000 deer were harvested during the second season, a 14% increase from 2018.
That more than made up the difference from the first weekend of firearm deer season last month, which saw a drop of nearly 9,000 deer taken compared with 2018.
State wildlife officials say there are other hunting opportunities underway or approaching. Those include archery hunting and hunting with muzzleloaders, late-winter antlerless-only deer hunting and Chronic Wasting Disease hunting in certain counties.
