SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) announced 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.

Remaining 2020-21 deer season hunting opportunities in Illinois in the weeks ahead include:

• The Late-Winter Antlerless-Only Deer Season and CWD Deer Season (in designated counties only) will be on two upcoming weekends - Dec. 31, 2020-Jan. 3, 2021 and Jan. 15-17, 2021;
• The Archery Deer Season continues through Jan. 17, 2021.

Details on the Late-Winter season are available on the IDNR website at: https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/hunting/Documents/2020-2021%20Late%20Winter%20Hunting%20Information.pdf

Details on the CWD season are available on the website at: https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/hunting/Documents/2020-2021%20Special%20CWD%20Season%20Hunting%20Information.pdf

A map showing the counties open to the Late-Winter and CWD seasons can be found at:  https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/programs/CWD/Documents/Late_Winter_CWD_Map.pdf

For more deer hunting information, visit: https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/hunting/Pages/DeerHunting.aspx

Preliminary Firearm Deer Season harvest totals in area counties for the second season are:

Bureau – 366; DeKalb – 36; LaSalle – 232; Lee – 198; Ogle – 241; Putnam – 113; Whiteside – 186.