Coles County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Coles County covers 510 square miles around Mattoon. Hunters took 1,671 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 1,692 (2024). That is down 1% from 2024. 1.2% of Coles County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (2,044 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 landColes CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 326,441 acres (510 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 1,671 (ten-year average 1,447) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 1,692 in 2024 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 1.2% (3,935 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 2 (2,043 acres inside Coles County) |
| Towns in and near it | Mattoon, Charleston, Ashmore, Westfield, Kansas and Gays |
How many deer are harvested in Coles County?
Hunters took 1,671 deer in Coles County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 1,447. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 1,850 and its muzzleloader quota 300.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,671 | 1,447 | 1,850 / 1,850 | 290 / 300 | No |
| 2024-25 | 1,692 | 1,401 | 1,750 / 1,750 | 278 / 300 | No |
| 2023-24 | 1,462 | 1,332 | 1,750 / 1,750 | 257 / 300 | No |
| 2022-23 | 1,541 | 1,287 | 1,689 / 1,750 | 263 / 300 | No |
| 2021-22 | 1,452 | 1,273 | 1,654 / 1,750 | 258 / 300 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Coles County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Coles County?
3,935 of Coles County's 326,441 acres are public land open to the public (1.2%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 2,044 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Coles County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 2,044 | 0.6% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 1,085 | 0.3% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 707 | 0.2% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 99 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 3,935 | 1.2% |
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 Coles County
IDNR hunting sites in Coles County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Fox Ridge State Park: 1,669 acres
- Hurricane Creek State Habitat Area: 374 acres
How do you get to Coles County?
Highways through it: I-57 (about 43 miles inside), IL 16 (about 31 miles inside), IL 130 (about 21 miles inside), US 45 (about 20 miles inside) and IL 121 (about 14 miles inside). Towns inside: Mattoon, Charleston, Ashmore, Oakland, Humboldt and Lerna. Nearby: Westfield (on the line), Kansas (on the line), Gays (on the line) and Arcola (2 miles).
Which counties border Coles County?
Coles County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clark County | 2,186 | 2025 | 1.3% |
| Edgar County | 1,248 | 2025 | 0.1% |
| Shelby County | 2,769 | 2025 | 1% |
| Douglas County | 467 | 2025 | 0.4% |
| Moultrie County | 900 | 2025 | 2.8% |
| Cumberland County | 1,543 | 2025 | 0% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Coles County in 2025-26?
1,671, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 1,692. The county record is 1,692, set in 2024.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Coles County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Coles County?
3,935 acres, 1.2% 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 (2,044 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 Clark County Edgar County Shelby County Douglas County Moultrie County Cumberland County