Brown County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Brown County covers 307 square miles around Mount Sterling. Hunters took 2,183 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 3,003 (2004). That is down 3% from 2024. 2.5% of Brown County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (4,713 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 wildlife refugesOther IDNR and state landForest preserves, county and city landBrown CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 196,731 acres (307 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 2,183 (ten-year average 2,151) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 3,003 in 2004 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 2.5% (4,836 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 2 (4,713 acres inside Brown County) |
| Towns in and near it | Mount Sterling, Versailles, Mound Station, Meredosia, Clayton and Camden |
How many deer are harvested in Brown County?
Hunters took 2,183 deer in Brown County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 2,151. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 2,700 and its muzzleloader quota 500.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2,183 | 2,151 | 2,647 / 2,700 | 473 / 500 | No |
| 2024-25 | 2,259 | 2,159 | 2,665 / 2,700 | 473 / 500 | No |
| 2023-24 | 1,942 | 2,140 | 2,695 / 2,700 | 457 / 500 | No |
| 2022-23 | 2,195 | 2,153 | 2,657 / 3,000 | 474 / 575 | No |
| 2021-22 | 1,977 | 2,223 | 2,701 / 3,150 | 473 / 575 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Brown County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Brown County?
4,836 of Brown County's 196,731 acres are public land open to the public (2.5%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 4,713 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Brown County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 4,713 | 2.4% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 77 | under 0.1% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 46 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 4,836 | 2.5% |
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 Brown County
IDNR hunting sites in Brown County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Siloam Springs State Park: 3,852 acres
- Weinberg-King State Park: 861 acres
How do you get to Brown County?
Highways through it: IL 99 (about 23 miles inside), US 24 (about 17 miles inside) and IL 107 (about 10 miles inside). Towns inside: Mount Sterling, Versailles, Mound Station and Ripley. Nearby: Meredosia (on the line), Clayton (2 miles), Camden (3 miles) and Perry (4 miles).
Which counties border Brown County?
Brown County touches 5 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cass County | 1,475 | 2025 | 10.8% |
| Pike County | 4,724 | 2025 | 1.6% |
| Adams County | 4,249 | 2025 | 3% |
| Morgan County | 1,483 | 2025 | 0.9% |
| Schuyler County | 2,784 | 2025 | 0.7% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Brown County in 2025-26?
2,183, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 2,259. The county record is 3,003, set in 2004.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Brown County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Brown County?
4,836 acres, 2.5% 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 IDNR sites open to hunting (4,713 acres). IDNR's records show 2 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.
Illinois hunting Cass County Pike County Adams County Morgan County Schuyler County