Ford County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Ford County covers 486 square miles around Paxton. Hunters took 227 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 260 (2005). That is up 7% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 0.3% of Ford County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (763 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 huntingForest preserves, county and city landLand trusts and other open landFord CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 311,167 acres (486 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 227 (ten-year average 189) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 260 in 2005 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | Yes |
| Public land | 0.3% (892 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 2 (763 acres inside Ford County) |
| Towns in and near it | Paxton, Gibson City, Piper City, Cabery, Thawville and Ludlow |
How many deer are harvested in Ford County?
Hunters took 227 deer in Ford County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 189. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 600 and its muzzleloader quota 100. 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 | 227 | 189 | 470 / 600 | 68 / 100 | Yes |
| 2024-25 | 213 | 186 | 325 / 400 | 87 / 100 | Yes |
| 2023-24 | 194 | 181 | 325 / 325 | 76 / 100 | Yes |
| 2022-23 | 204 | 181 | 325 / 325 | 81 / 100 | No |
| 2021-22 | 165 | 181 | 325 / 325 | 73 / 100 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Ford County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Ford County?
892 of Ford County's 311,167 acres are public land open to the public (0.3%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 763 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Ford County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 763 | 0.2% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 122 | under 0.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 7 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 892 | 0.3% |
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 Ford County
IDNR hunting sites in Ford County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Sibley State Habitat Area: 639 acres
- Perdueville State Habitat Area: 124 acres
How do you get to Ford County?
Highways through it: IL 115 (about 42 miles inside), IL 9 (about 28 miles inside), IL 54 (about 25 miles inside), IL 47 (about 16 miles inside) and I-57 (about 13 miles inside). Towns inside: Paxton, Gibson City, Piper City, Elliott, Roberts and Sibley. Nearby: Cabery (on the line), Thawville (on the line), Ludlow (on the line) and Cullom (on the line).
Which counties border Ford County?
Ford County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| McLean County | 1,396 | 2025 | 1.3% |
| Iroquois County | 1,323 | 2025 | 0.5% |
| Kankakee County | 749 | 2025 | 1.5% |
| Champaign County | 678 | 2025 | 0.7% |
| Vermilion County | 1,938 | 2025 | 2% |
| Livingston County | 775 | 2025 | 0.2% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Ford County in 2025-26?
227, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 213. The county record is 260, set in 2005.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Ford 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 Ford County?
892 acres, 0.3% 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 (763 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 McLean County Iroquois County Kankakee County Champaign County Vermilion County Livingston County