Bureau County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Bureau County covers 874 square miles around Princeton. Hunters took 1,848 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 2,873 (2007). That is down 3% from 2024. 1.6% of Bureau County is public land open to the public, the largest share other IDNR and state land (3,281 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 landBureau CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 559,102 acres (874 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 1,848 (ten-year average 1,812) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 2,873 in 2007 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | Yes |
| Public land | 1.6% (9,210 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 4 (2,578 acres inside Bureau County) |
| Towns in and near it | Princeton, Spring Valley, De Pue, Bradford, Peru and Deer Grove |
How many deer are harvested in Bureau County?
Hunters took 1,848 deer in Bureau County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 1,812. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 4,500 and its muzzleloader quota 500. 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 | 1,848 | 1,812 | 3,119 / 4,500 | 440 / 500 | Yes |
| 2024-25 | 1,906 | 1,811 | 3,173 / 4,500 | 473 / 500 | Yes |
| 2023-24 | 1,915 | 1,794 | 3,000 / 3,000 | 481 / 500 | Yes |
| 2022-23 | 1,799 | 1,791 | 2,859 / 3,600 | 486 / 625 | No |
| 2021-22 | 1,665 | 1,861 | 3,053 / 3,600 | 500 / 625 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Bureau County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Bureau County?
9,210 of Bureau County's 559,102 acres are public land open to the public (1.6%). The biggest share is other IDNR and state land: 3,281 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Bureau County |
|---|---|---|
| Other IDNR and state land | 3,281 | 0.6% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 2,838 | 0.5% |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 2,579 | 0.5% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 512 | 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 9,210 | 1.6% |
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 Bureau County
IDNR hunting sites in Bureau County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Lake DePue State Fish and Wildlife Area: 1,029 acres
- Mautino State Fish and Wildlife Area: 797 acres
- Miller-Anderson Woods State Natural Area: 408 acres
- Hennepin Canal: 344 acres
How do you get to Bureau County?
Highways through it: I-80 (about 74 miles inside), US 34 (about 47 miles inside), US 6 (about 40 miles inside), IL 92 (about 32 miles inside) and IL 26 (about 27 miles inside). Towns inside: Princeton, Spring Valley, De Pue, Bureau Junction, Ladd and Sheffield. Nearby: Bradford (on the line), Peru (on the line), Deer Grove (2 miles) and Annawan (2 miles).
Which counties border Bureau County?
Bureau County touches 7 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County | 1,404 | 2025 | 1.3% |
| Henry County | 1,233 | 2025 | 0.8% |
| Stark County | 395 | 2025 | 0.1% |
| Putnam County | 763 | 2025 | 7.5% |
| LaSalle County | 1,561 | 2025 | 1.7% |
| Marshall County | 1,167 | 2025 | 3.6% |
| Whiteside County | 1,496 | 2025 | 2.1% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Bureau County in 2025-26?
1,848, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 1,906. The county record is 2,873, set in 2007.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Bureau 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 Bureau County?
9,210 acres, 1.6% 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 other IDNR and state land (3,281 acres). IDNR's records show 4 sites open to hunting here.
Get a Illinois hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Illinois are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Illinois included.
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 Lee County Henry County Stark County Putnam County LaSalle County Marshall County Whiteside County