Effingham County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Effingham County covers 480 square miles around Effingham. Hunters took 2,180 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 2,207 (2024). That is down 1% from 2024. 0.4% of Effingham County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (700 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 landEffingham CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 307,223 acres (480 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 2,180 (ten-year average 1,748) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 2,207 in 2024 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | Yes |
| Public land | 0.4% (1,276 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 1 (700 acres inside Effingham County) |
| Towns in and near it | Effingham, Teutopolis, Altamont, Sigel, Wheeler and St. Elmo |
How many deer are harvested in Effingham County?
Hunters took 2,180 deer in Effingham County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 1,748. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 2,700 and its muzzleloader quota 355. Chronic wasting disease has been detected in the county.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2,180 | 1,748 | 2,700 / 2,700 | 355 / 355 | Yes |
| 2024-25 | 2,207 | 1,675 | 2,700 / 2,700 | 340 / 340 | No |
| 2023-24 | 1,864 | 1,567 | 2,700 / 2,700 | 335 / 340 | No |
| 2022-23 | 1,838 | 1,498 | 2,200 / 2,700 | 322 / 340 | No |
| 2021-22 | 1,813 | 1,466 | 2,353 / 2,350 | 306 / 340 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Effingham County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Effingham County?
1,276 of Effingham County's 307,223 acres are public land open to the public (0.4%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 700 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Effingham County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 700 | 0.2% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 242 | 0.1% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 200 | 0.1% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 134 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 1,276 | 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 Effingham County
IDNR hunting sites in Effingham County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Wildcat Hollow State Habitat Area: 700 acres
How do you get to Effingham County?
Highways through it: I-70 (about 53 miles inside), I-57 (about 51 miles inside), IL 33 (about 28 miles inside), US 40 (about 26 miles inside) and US 45 (about 22 miles inside). Towns inside: Effingham, Teutopolis, Altamont, Dieterich, Mason and Watson. Nearby: Sigel (on the line), Wheeler (2 miles), St. Elmo (2 miles) and Stewardson (3 miles).
Which counties border Effingham County?
Effingham County touches 5 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | 2,752 | 2025 | 0.1% |
| Jasper County | 2,531 | 2025 | 2.9% |
| Shelby County | 2,769 | 2025 | 1% |
| Fayette County | 4,025 | 2025 | 2% |
| Cumberland County | 1,543 | 2025 | 0% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Effingham County in 2025-26?
2,180, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 2,207. The county record is 2,207, set in 2024.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Effingham County?
Yes, by IDNR's 2025-26 county summary. Counties where CWD is found are usually open to IDNR's CWD deer season; IDNR's deer pages list the counties each year.
Is there public hunting land in Effingham County?
1,276 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 (700 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 Clay County Jasper County Shelby County Fayette County Cumberland County