SPRINGFIELD – Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 47,147 deer during the first weekend of the Illinois Firearm Deer Season Nov. 20-22 compared with 50,173 deer taken during the first firearm weekend in 2019. Illinois’ seven-day Firearm Deer Season concluded Dec. 3-6.

Deer harvest totals from area counties are: Bureau – 635; DeKalb – 77; LaSalle – 465; Lee – 334; Ogle – 437; Putnam – 207; Whiteside – 420.

Other deer hunting opportunities in the weeks ahead include:

• Muzzleloader-Only Deer Season, Dec. 11-13;
• Late-Winter Antlerless-Only Dec. 31, 2020 – Jan. 3, 2021 and Jan. 15-17, 2021;
• CWD Deer Season (in select counties only), Dec. 31, 2020 – Jan. 3, 2021 and Jan. 15-17, 2021; and
• Archery Deer Season continues through Jan. 17. 2021

For more details on deer hunting, open counties, and other information, check the Illinois Department of Natural Resources website at https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/Pages/DeerHunting.aspx