Edgar County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Edgar County covers 624 square miles around Paris. Hunters took 1,248 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 1,474 (2012). That is up 4% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 0.1% of Edgar County is public land open to the public, the largest share other IDNR and state land (207 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.
Other IDNR and state landForest preserves, county and city landLand trusts and other open landEdgar CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 399,245 acres (624 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 1,248 (ten-year average 1,126) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 1,474 in 2012 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 0.1% (347 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | None mapped |
| Towns in and near it | Paris, Kansas, Chrisman, Ridge Farm, Newman and Sidell |
How many deer are harvested in Edgar County?
Hunters took 1,248 deer in Edgar County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 1,126. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 1,300 and its muzzleloader quota 275.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,248 | 1,126 | 1,300 / 1,300 | 275 / 275 | No |
| 2024-25 | 1,196 | 1,118 | 1,300 / 1,300 | 265 / 265 | No |
| 2023-24 | 1,166 | 1,104 | 1,300 / 1,300 | 227 / 265 | No |
| 2022-23 | 1,164 | 1,115 | 1,300 / 1,300 | 265 / 265 | No |
| 2021-22 | 1,068 | 1,146 | 1,300 / 1,300 | 265 / 265 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Edgar County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Edgar County?
347 of Edgar County's 399,245 acres are public land open to the public (0.1%). The biggest share is other IDNR and state land: 207 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Edgar County |
|---|---|---|
| Other IDNR and state land | 207 | 0.1% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 140 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 347 | 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.
How do you get to Edgar County?
Highways through it: IL 1 (about 29 miles inside), US 150 (about 29 miles inside), IL 49 (about 24 miles inside), US 36 (about 23 miles inside) and IL 16 (about 15 miles inside). Towns inside: Paris, Kansas, Chrisman, Metcalf, Brocton and Hume. Nearby: Ridge Farm (on the line), Newman (on the line), Sidell (2 miles) and Allerton (3 miles).
Which counties border Edgar County?
Edgar County touches 5 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clark County | 2,186 | 2025 | 1.3% |
| Coles County | 1,671 | 2025 | 1.2% |
| Douglas County | 467 | 2025 | 0.4% |
| Champaign County | 678 | 2025 | 0.7% |
| Vermilion County | 1,938 | 2025 | 2% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Edgar County in 2025-26?
1,248, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 1,196. The county record is 1,474, set in 2012.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Edgar County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Edgar County?
347 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 other IDNR and state land (207 acres).
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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 Coles County Douglas County Champaign County Vermilion County