Carroll County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Carroll County covers 467 square miles around Savanna. Hunters took 1,282 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 2,044 (2012). That is up 8% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 5.6% of Carroll County is public land open to the public, the largest share federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes (10,133 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 refugesFederal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakesOther IDNR and state landForest preserves, county and city landLand trusts and other open landCarroll CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 298,893 acres (467 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 1,282 (ten-year average 1,273) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 2,044 in 2012 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | Yes |
| Public land | 5.6% (16,872 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 4 (3,704 acres inside Carroll County) |
| Towns in and near it | Savanna, Thomson, Mount Carroll, Coleta, Hanover and Fulton |
How many deer are harvested in Carroll County?
Hunters took 1,282 deer in Carroll County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 1,273. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 3,200 and its muzzleloader quota 450. 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 | 1,282 | 1,273 | 2,065 / 3,200 | 236 / 450 | Yes |
| 2024-25 | 1,184 | 1,294 | 2,027 / 3,050 | 219 / 450 | Yes |
| 2023-24 | 1,155 | 1,323 | 2,129 / 3,050 | 233 / 450 | Yes |
| 2022-23 | 1,160 | 1,368 | 1,946 / 3,050 | 263 / 450 | Yes |
| 2021-22 | 1,056 | 1,457 | 2,122 / 3,050 | 281 / 450 | Yes |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Carroll County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Carroll County?
16,872 of Carroll County's 298,893 acres are public land open to the public (5.6%). The biggest share is federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes: 10,133 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Carroll County |
|---|---|---|
| Federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes | 10,133 | 3.4% |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 3,705 | 1.2% |
| National wildlife refuges | 2,748 | 0.9% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 184 | 0.1% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 101 | under 0.1% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 1 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 16,872 | 5.6% |
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 Carroll County
IDNR hunting sites in Carroll County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Mississippi Palisades State Park: 1,807 acres
- Lost Mound Unit: 1,403 acres
- French Bluff State Natural Area: 344 acres
- Little Rock Creek State Habitat Area: 150 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Ms Rv Pools 11-22 Recreation Area (10,388 acres) and Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife And Fish Refuge (3,107 acres).
How do you get to Carroll County?
Highways through it: IL 64 (about 29 miles inside), US 52 (about 29 miles inside), IL 84 (about 21 miles inside), IL 40 (about 21 miles inside) and IL 78 (about 20 miles inside). Towns inside: Savanna, Thomson, Mount Carroll, Lanark, Milledgeville and Shannon. Nearby: Coleta (2 miles), Hanover (4 miles), Fulton (4 miles) and Pearl City (5 miles).
Which counties border Carroll County?
Carroll 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% |
| Whiteside County | 1,496 | 2025 | 2.1% |
| Jo Daviess County | 2,698 | 2025 | 6.7% |
| Stephenson County | 1,133 | 2025 | 0.5% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Carroll County in 2025-26?
1,282, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 1,184. The county record is 2,044, set in 2012.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Carroll 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 Carroll County?
16,872 acres, 5.6% 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 federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes (10,133 acres). IDNR's records show 4 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 Ogle County Whiteside County Jo Daviess County Stephenson County