Boone County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Boone County covers 282 square miles around Belvidere. Hunters took 413 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 634 (1995). That is up 8% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 1.7% of Boone County is public land open to the public, the largest share forest preserves, county and city land (2,721 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 huntingOther IDNR and state landForest preserves, county and city landLand trusts and other open landBoone CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 180,546 acres (282 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 413 (ten-year average 327) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 634 in 1995 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | Yes |
| Public land | 1.7% (3,012 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | None mapped |
| Towns in and near it | Belvidere, Poplar Grove, Timberlane, Cherry Valley, Loves Park and Roscoe |
How many deer are harvested in Boone County?
Hunters took 413 deer in Boone County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 327. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 1,350 and its muzzleloader quota 300. Chronic wasting disease has been detected in the county.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 413 | 327 | 636 / 1,350 | 71 / 300 | Yes |
| 2024-25 | 381 | 318 | 635 / 1,350 | 63 / 300 | Yes |
| 2023-24 | 340 | 310 | 626 / 1,350 | 65 / 300 | Yes |
| 2022-23 | 323 | 300 | 590 / 1,350 | 73 / 300 | Yes |
| 2021-22 | 312 | 297 | 661 / 1,350 | 58 / 300 | Yes |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Boone County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Boone County?
3,012 of Boone County's 180,546 acres are public land open to the public (1.7%). The biggest share is forest preserves, county and city land: 2,721 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Boone County |
|---|---|---|
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 2,721 | 1.5% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 182 | 0.1% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 109 | 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 3,012 | 1.7% |
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.
How do you get to Boone County?
Highways through it: I-90 (about 25 miles inside), US 20 (about 19 miles inside), IL 76 (about 15 miles inside) and IL 173 (about 13 miles inside). Towns inside: Belvidere, Poplar Grove, Timberlane, Caledonia, Capron and Candlewick Lake. Nearby: Cherry Valley (2 miles), Loves Park (3 miles), Roscoe (3 miles) and Kingston (4 miles).
Which counties border Boone County?
Boone County touches 4 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ogle County | 1,620 | 2025 | 1.4% |
| DeKalb County | 413 | 2025 | 1.2% |
| McHenry County | 1,139 | 2025 | 5.5% |
| Winnebago County | 997 | 2025 | 5% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Boone County in 2025-26?
413, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 381. The county record is 634, set in 1995.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Boone County?
Yes, by IDNR's 2025-26 county summary. Counties where CWD is found are usually open to IDNR's CWD deer season; IDNR's deer pages list the counties each year.
Is there public hunting land in Boone County?
3,012 acres, 1.7% 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 forest preserves, county and city land (2,721 acres).
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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.
Illinois hunting Ogle County DeKalb County McHenry County Winnebago County