Cass County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Cass County covers 384 square miles around Beardstown. Hunters took 1,475 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 1,774 (2005). That is down 4% from 2024. 10.8% of Cass County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (23,395 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 landLand trusts and other open landCass CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 245,554 acres (384 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 1,475 (ten-year average 1,380) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 1,774 in 2005 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 10.8% (26,464 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 3 (23,395 acres inside Cass County) |
| Towns in and near it | Beardstown, Virginia, Chandlerville, Browning, Oakford and Kilbourne |
How many deer are harvested in Cass County?
Hunters took 1,475 deer in Cass County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 1,380. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 1,500 and its muzzleloader quota 230.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,475 | 1,380 | 1,500 / 1,500 | 201 / 230 | No |
| 2024-25 | 1,530 | 1,375 | 1,500 / 1,500 | 201 / 230 | No |
| 2023-24 | 1,396 | 1,344 | 1,500 / 1,500 | 202 / 230 | No |
| 2022-23 | 1,406 | 1,323 | 1,484 / 1,500 | 202 / 230 | No |
| 2021-22 | 1,291 | 1,336 | 1,564 / 1,750 | 192 / 230 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Cass County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Cass County?
26,464 of Cass County's 245,554 acres are public land open to the public (10.8%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 23,395 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Cass County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 23,395 | 9.5% |
| National wildlife refuges | 1,345 | 0.5% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 883 | 0.4% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 737 | 0.3% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 104 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 26,464 | 10.8% |
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 Cass County
IDNR hunting sites in Cass County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area: 16,256 acres
- Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area: 6,848 acres
- Meredosia Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: 291 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Meredosia National Wildlife Refuge (1,356 acres).
How do you get to Cass County?
Highways through it: IL 125 (about 25 miles inside), IL 78 (about 15 miles inside), IL 100 (about 11 miles inside) and US 67 (about 11 miles inside). Towns inside: Beardstown, Virginia, Chandlerville, Arenzville and Ashland. Nearby: Browning (on the line), Oakford (2 miles), Kilbourne (3 miles) and Tallula (3 miles).
Which counties border Cass County?
Cass County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown County | 2,183 | 2025 | 2.5% |
| Mason County | 1,071 | 2025 | 6% |
| Menard County | 891 | 2025 | 0.4% |
| Morgan County | 1,483 | 2025 | 0.9% |
| Sangamon County | 1,743 | 2025 | 0.7% |
| Schuyler County | 2,784 | 2025 | 0.7% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Cass County in 2025-26?
1,475, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 1,530. The county record is 1,774, set in 2005.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Cass County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Cass County?
26,464 acres, 10.8% 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 (23,395 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.
Illinois hunting Brown County Mason County Menard County Morgan County Sangamon County Schuyler County