Clay County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Clay County covers 470 square miles around Flora. Hunters took 2,752 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 2,752 (2025). That is up 1% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 0.1% of Clay County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (256 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 landLand trusts and other open landClay CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 300,511 acres (470 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 2,752 (ten-year average 2,154) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 2,752 in 2025 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 0.1% (442 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 1 (256 acres inside Clay County) |
| Towns in and near it | Flora, Clay City, Iola, Edgewood, Mason and Noble |
How many deer are harvested in Clay County?
Hunters took 2,752 deer in Clay County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 2,154. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 3,500 and its muzzleloader quota 475.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2,752 | 2,154 | 3,500 / 3,500 | 397 / 475 | No |
| 2024-25 | 2,714 | 2,069 | 3,500 / 3,500 | 372 / 475 | No |
| 2023-24 | 2,401 | 1,968 | 3,453 / 3,500 | 358 / 475 | No |
| 2022-23 | 2,205 | 1,882 | 3,058 / 3,100 | 347 / 475 | No |
| 2021-22 | 1,979 | 1,863 | 3,001 / 3,100 | 345 / 475 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Clay County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Clay County?
442 of Clay County's 300,511 acres are public land open to the public (0.1%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 256 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Clay County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 256 | 0.1% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 95 | under 0.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 84 | under 0.1% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 7 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 442 | 0.1% |
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 Clay County
IDNR hunting sites in Clay County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Flag Pond State Natural Area: 256 acres
How do you get to Clay County?
Highways through it: US 45 (about 26 miles inside) and US 50 (about 25 miles inside). Towns inside: Flora, Clay City, Iola, Louisville, Xenia and Sailor Springs. Nearby: Edgewood (on the line), Mason (3 miles), Noble (3 miles) and Farina (5 miles).
Which counties border Clay County?
Clay County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County | 3,288 | 2025 | 0.5% |
| Jasper County | 2,531 | 2025 | 2.9% |
| Marion County | 3,885 | 2025 | 1.1% |
| Fayette County | 4,025 | 2025 | 2% |
| Richland County | 1,415 | 2025 | 0.8% |
| Effingham County | 2,180 | 2025 | 0.4% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Clay County in 2025-26?
2,752, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 2,714. The county record is 2,752, set in 2025.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Clay County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Clay County?
442 acres, 0.1% 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 (256 acres). IDNR's records show 1 site 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 Wayne County Jasper County Marion County Fayette County Richland County Effingham County