Fayette County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Fayette County covers 725 square miles around Vandalia. Hunters took 4,025 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 4,025 (2025). That is up 9% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 2% of Fayette County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (8,518 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 landFayette CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 464,189 acres (725 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 4,025 (ten-year average 2,932) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 4,025 in 2025 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 2% (9,223 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 2 (8,518 acres inside Fayette County) |
| Towns in and near it | Vandalia, St. Elmo, Farina, Herrick, Mulberry Grove and Beecher City |
How many deer are harvested in Fayette County?
Hunters took 4,025 deer in Fayette County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 2,932. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 4,000 and its muzzleloader quota 700.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 4,025 | 2,932 | 4,000 / 4,000 | 685 / 700 | No |
| 2024-25 | 3,700 | 2,788 | 3,750 / 3,750 | 473 / 475 | No |
| 2023-24 | 3,221 | 2,636 | 3,400 / 3,400 | 475 / 475 | No |
| 2022-23 | 2,998 | 2,545 | 3,600 / 3,600 | 435 / 485 | No |
| 2021-22 | 2,738 | 2,525 | 3,600 / 3,600 | 385 / 385 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Fayette County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Fayette County?
9,223 of Fayette County's 464,189 acres are public land open to the public (2%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 8,518 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Fayette County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 8,518 | 1.8% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 562 | 0.1% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 111 | under 0.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 32 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 9,223 | 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 Fayette County
IDNR hunting sites in Fayette County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: 6,957 acres
- Ramsey Lake State Park: 1,561 acres
How do you get to Fayette County?
Highways through it: I-70 (about 52 miles inside), IL 185 (about 36 miles inside), US 51 (about 30 miles inside), US 40 (about 29 miles inside) and I-57 (about 17 miles inside). Towns inside: Vandalia, St. Elmo, Farina, Ramsey, Brownstown and St. Peter. Nearby: Herrick (on the line), Mulberry Grove (on the line), Beecher City (on the line) and Keyesport (on the line).
Which counties border Fayette County?
Fayette County touches 7 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bond County | 1,490 | 2025 | 0.1% |
| Clay County | 2,752 | 2025 | 0.1% |
| Marion County | 3,885 | 2025 | 1.1% |
| Shelby County | 2,769 | 2025 | 1% |
| Clinton County | 1,748 | 2025 | 1.1% |
| Effingham County | 2,180 | 2025 | 0.4% |
| Montgomery County | 2,228 | 2025 | 0.6% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Fayette County in 2025-26?
4,025, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 3,700. The county record is 4,025, set in 2025.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Fayette County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Fayette County?
9,223 acres, 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 (8,518 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 Bond County Clay County Marion County Shelby County Clinton County Effingham County Montgomery County