Franklin County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Franklin County covers 431 square miles around Benton. Hunters took 2,638 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 2,778 (2024). That is down 5% from 2024. 1.1% of Franklin County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (1,237 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 landFranklin CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 276,152 acres (431 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 2,638 (ten-year average 2,597) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 2,778 in 2024 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 1.1% (2,931 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 2 (1,237 acres inside Franklin County) |
| Towns in and near it | Benton, West Frankfort, North City, Macedonia, Freeman Spur and Bush |
How many deer are harvested in Franklin County?
Hunters took 2,638 deer in Franklin County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 2,597. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 3,000 and its muzzleloader quota 400.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2,638 | 2,597 | 3,000 / 3,000 | 375 / 400 | No |
| 2024-25 | 2,778 | 2,586 | 3,000 / 3,000 | 374 / 400 | No |
| 2023-24 | 2,634 | 2,534 | 3,000 / 3,000 | 376 / 400 | No |
| 2022-23 | 2,677 | 2,484 | 3,172 / 3,200 | 336 / 400 | No |
| 2021-22 | 2,409 | 2,442 | 3,200 / 3,200 | 332 / 400 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Franklin County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Franklin County?
2,931 of Franklin County's 276,152 acres are public land open to the public (1.1%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 1,237 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Franklin County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 1,237 | 0.4% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 1,160 | 0.4% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 477 | 0.2% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 57 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 2,931 | 1.1% |
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.
IDNR hunting sites in Franklin County
IDNR hunting sites in Franklin County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area: 1,172 acres
- Campbell Pond State Habitat Area: 65 acres
How do you get to Franklin County?
Highways through it: I-57 (about 37 miles inside), IL 14 (about 28 miles inside), IL 149 (about 23 miles inside), IL 37 (about 19 miles inside) and IL 148 (about 18 miles inside). Towns inside: Benton, West Frankfort, North City, Thompsonville, Christopher and West City. Nearby: Macedonia (on the line), Freeman Spur (on the line), Bush (on the line) and Ina (2 miles).
Which counties border Franklin County?
Franklin County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perry County | 2,993 | 2025 | 6.7% |
| Saline County | 1,814 | 2025 | 12.3% |
| Jackson County | 3,340 | 2025 | 17.2% |
| Hamilton County | 2,671 | 2025 | 1.8% |
| Jefferson County | 5,124 | 2025 | 4.8% |
| Williamson County | 3,400 | 2025 | 32.1% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Franklin County in 2025-26?
2,638, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 2,778. The county record is 2,778, set in 2024.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Franklin County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Franklin County?
2,931 acres, 1.1% 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 IDNR sites open to hunting (1,237 acres). IDNR's records show 2 sites open to hunting here.
Get a Illinois hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Illinois are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Illinois included.
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 Perry County Saline County Jackson County Hamilton County Jefferson County Williamson County