Douglas County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Douglas County covers 417 square miles around Tuscola. Hunters took 467 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 501 (2005). That is up 9% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 0.4% of Douglas County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (622 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 landDouglas CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 267,032 acres (417 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 467 (ten-year average 375) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 501 in 2005 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 0.4% (1,159 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 2 (622 acres inside Douglas County) |
| Towns in and near it | Tuscola, Arcola, Villa Grove, Atwood, Longview and Oakland |
How many deer are harvested in Douglas County?
Hunters took 467 deer in Douglas County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 375. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 400 and its muzzleloader quota 100.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 467 | 375 | 400 / 400 | 98 / 100 | No |
| 2024-25 | 427 | 362 | 375 / 375 | 75 / 75 | No |
| 2023-24 | 402 | 349 | 375 / 375 | 75 / 75 | No |
| 2022-23 | 405 | 339 | 375 / 375 | 75 / 75 | No |
| 2021-22 | 371 | 336 | 350 / 350 | 60 / 60 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Douglas County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Douglas County?
1,159 of Douglas County's 267,032 acres are public land open to the public (0.4%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 622 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Douglas County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 622 | 0.2% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 227 | 0.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 170 | 0.1% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 140 | 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 1,159 | 0.4% |
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 Douglas County
IDNR hunting sites in Douglas County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Walnut Point State Park: 536 acres
- Hindsboro State Habitat Area: 86 acres
How do you get to Douglas County?
Highways through it: I-57 (about 33 miles inside), US 36 (about 27 miles inside), IL 133 (about 23 miles inside), IL 130 (about 17 miles inside) and US 45 (about 16 miles inside). Towns inside: Tuscola, Arcola, Villa Grove, Arthur, Camargo and Newman. Nearby: Atwood (on the line), Longview (on the line), Oakland (2 miles) and Brocton (2 miles).
Which counties border Douglas County?
Douglas County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coles County | 1,671 | 2025 | 1.2% |
| Edgar County | 1,248 | 2025 | 0.1% |
| Piatt County | 450 | 2025 | 1.5% |
| Moultrie County | 900 | 2025 | 2.8% |
| Champaign County | 678 | 2025 | 0.7% |
| Vermilion County | 1,938 | 2025 | 2% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Douglas County in 2025-26?
467, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 427. The county record is 501, set in 2005.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Douglas County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Douglas County?
1,159 acres, 0.4% 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 (622 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 Coles County Edgar County Piatt County Moultrie County Champaign County Vermilion County