Alexander County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Alexander County covers 253 square miles around Cairo. Hunters took 602 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 896 (2009). That is up 1% from 2024. 27.4% of Alexander County is public land open to the public, the largest share national forest (27,918 acres), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: IDNR's county summaries, 2021-22 to 2025-26. Land: PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's land records.
IDNR sites open to huntingNational forestNational wildlife refugesOther IDNR and state landForest preserves, county and city landLand trusts and other open landAlexander CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 161,713 acres (253 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 602 (ten-year average 650) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 896 in 2009 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 27.4% (44,255 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 3 (13,155 acres inside Alexander County) |
| Towns in and near it | Cairo, Tamms, East Cape Girardeau, Mill Creek, Mound City and Ullin |
How many deer are harvested in Alexander County?
Hunters took 602 deer in Alexander County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 650. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 800 and its muzzleloader quota 200.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 602 | 650 | 800 / 800 | 142 / 200 | No |
| 2024-25 | 597 | 669 | 800 / 800 | 147 / 200 | No |
| 2023-24 | 538 | 674 | 800 / 800 | 173 / 200 | No |
| 2022-23 | 659 | 700 | 846 / 850 | 219 / 235 | No |
| 2021-22 | 577 | 704 | 1,200 / 1,200 | 211 / 235 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Alexander County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Alexander County?
44,255 of Alexander County's 161,713 acres are public land open to the public (27.4%). The biggest share is national forest: 27,918 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Alexander County |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 27,918 | 17.3% |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 13,154 | 8.1% |
| National wildlife refuges | 2,721 | 1.7% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 430 | 0.3% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 20 | under 0.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 12 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 44,255 | 27.4% |
Measured by FilledTag inside the county line from USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and IDNR's hunting area records. Hunting rules differ by manager: IDNR sites allow the seasons IDNR lists for each, some by permit or lottery only; national forest is open; refuges follow U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rules; Corps of Engineers land is open in many places under each project's own rules; forest preserves and city land are closed to most hunting.
IDNR hunting sites in Alexander County
IDNR hunting sites in Alexander County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Horseshoe Lake-Alexander State Fish and Wildlife Area: 10,399 acres
- Devil's Island State Fish and Wildlife Area: 1,571 acres
- Cape Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area: 1,185 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Shawnee National Forest (26,131 acres), Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge (2,734 acres) and Middle Mississippi Purchase Unit (1,776 acres).
How do you get to Alexander County?
Highways through it: IL 3 (about 31 miles inside), IL 127 (about 15 miles inside), US 51 (about 13 miles inside), IL 146 (about 8 miles inside) and I-57 (about 8 miles inside). Towns inside: Cairo, Tamms, East Cape Girardeau, Thebes, McClure and Olive Branch. Nearby: Mill Creek (on the line), Mound City (on the line), Ullin (2 miles) and Mounds (2 miles).
Which counties border Alexander County?
Alexander County touches 2 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Union County | 2,109 | 2025 | 21.3% |
| Pulaski County | 588 | 2025 | 10.4% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Alexander County in 2025-26?
602, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 597. The county record is 896, set in 2009.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Alexander County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Alexander County?
44,255 acres, 27.4% of the county, are public land open to the public by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records, the largest share national forest (27,918 acres). IDNR's records show 3 sites open to hunting here.
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Where these numbers come from
- Deer harvest: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons).
- Public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and IDNR's hunting area records. IDNR hunting sites: IDNR land records: sites and hunting areas (OMLP, Prairie Research Institute).
- Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 cartographic county boundaries. Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Numbers are copied from IDNR and the federal sources above, or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.