Champaign County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Champaign County covers 998 square miles around Champaign. Hunters took 678 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 816 (2005). That is down 7% from 2024. 0.7% of Champaign County is public land open to the public, the largest share forest preserves, county and city land (3,279 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 landChampaign CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 639,030 acres (998 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 678 (ten-year average 631) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 816 in 2005 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 0.7% (4,629 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 2 (270 acres inside Champaign County) |
| Towns in and near it | Champaign, Urbana, Mahomet, Allerton, Villa Grove and Mansfield |
How many deer are harvested in Champaign County?
Hunters took 678 deer in Champaign County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 631. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 500 and its muzzleloader quota 175.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 678 | 631 | 500 / 500 | 175 / 175 | No |
| 2024-25 | 730 | 619 | 498 / 500 | 174 / 175 | No |
| 2023-24 | 619 | 602 | 425 / 425 | 175 / 175 | No |
| 2022-23 | 623 | 600 | 425 / 425 | 175 / 175 | No |
| 2021-22 | 595 | 615 | 425 / 425 | 140 / 140 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Champaign County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Champaign County?
4,629 of Champaign County's 639,030 acres are public land open to the public (0.7%). The biggest share is forest preserves, county and city land: 3,279 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Champaign County |
|---|---|---|
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 3,279 | 0.5% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 646 | 0.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 434 | 0.1% |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 270 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 4,629 | 0.7% |
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.
IDNR hunting sites in Champaign County
IDNR hunting sites in Champaign County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Perdueville State Habitat Area: 168 acres
- Gifford State Habitat Area: 102 acres
How do you get to Champaign County?
Highways through it: I-57 (about 79 miles inside), I-74 (about 59 miles inside), US 45 (about 55 miles inside), US 150 (about 31 miles inside) and US 136 (about 28 miles inside). Towns inside: Champaign, Urbana, Mahomet, Rantoul, Savoy and St. Joseph. Nearby: Allerton (on the line), Villa Grove (on the line), Mansfield (2 miles) and Bellflower (3 miles).
Which counties border Champaign County?
Champaign County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford County | 227 | 2025 | 0.3% |
| Edgar County | 1,248 | 2025 | 0.1% |
| Piatt County | 450 | 2025 | 1.5% |
| McLean County | 1,396 | 2025 | 1.3% |
| Douglas County | 467 | 2025 | 0.4% |
| Vermilion County | 1,938 | 2025 | 2% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Champaign County in 2025-26?
678, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 730. The county record is 816, set in 2005.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Champaign County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Champaign County?
4,629 acres, 0.7% 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 (3,279 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 Ford County Edgar County Piatt County McLean County Douglas County Vermilion County