Grundy County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Grundy County covers 430 square miles around Channahon. Hunters took 796 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 1,157 (2007). That is up 6% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 3.1% of Grundy County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (5,371 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 huntingNational forestOther IDNR and state landForest preserves, county and city landLand trusts and other open landGrundy CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 275,500 acres (430 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 796 (ten-year average 714) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 1,157 in 2007 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | Yes |
| Public land | 3.1% (8,527 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 5 (5,370 acres inside Grundy County) |
| Towns in and near it | Channahon, Morris, Minooka, Godley, Dwight and Reddick |
How many deer are harvested in Grundy County?
Hunters took 796 deer in Grundy County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 714. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 1,850 and its muzzleloader quota 475. 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 | 796 | 714 | 1,091 / 1,850 | 105 / 475 | Yes |
| 2024-25 | 753 | 714 | 1,113 / 1,850 | 132 / 475 | Yes |
| 2023-24 | 727 | 718 | 1,113 / 1,850 | 132 / 475 | Yes |
| 2022-23 | 736 | 727 | 1,081 / 1,850 | 150 / 475 | Yes |
| 2021-22 | 653 | 754 | 1,108 / 1,850 | 141 / 475 | Yes |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Grundy County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Grundy County?
8,527 of Grundy County's 275,500 acres are public land open to the public (3.1%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 5,371 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Grundy County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 5,371 | 1.9% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 1,870 | 0.7% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 1,284 | 0.5% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 2 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 8,527 | 3.1% |
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 Grundy County
IDNR hunting sites in Grundy County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area: 2,982 acres
- Heidecke Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: 1,299 acres
- Morris Wetland Mitigation Site: 724 acres
- Mazonia-Braidwood State Fish and Wildlife Area: 183 acres
- Illinois and Michigan Canal: 182 acres
How do you get to Grundy County?
Highways through it: I-80 (about 38 miles inside), I-55 (about 31 miles inside), US 6 (about 19 miles inside), IL 47 (about 12 miles inside) and IL 53 (about 6 miles inside). Towns inside: Channahon, Morris, Minooka, Coal City, Braceville and Gardner. Nearby: Godley (on the line), Dwight (on the line), Reddick (on the line) and Braidwood (on the line).
Which counties border Grundy County?
Grundy County touches 5 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will County | 1,063 | 2025 | 9.2% |
| Kendall County | 269 | 2025 | 2.7% |
| LaSalle County | 1,561 | 2025 | 1.7% |
| Kankakee County | 749 | 2025 | 1.5% |
| Livingston County | 775 | 2025 | 0.2% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Grundy County in 2025-26?
796, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 753. The county record is 1,157, set in 2007.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Grundy 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 Grundy County?
8,527 acres, 3.1% 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 (5,371 acres). IDNR's records show 5 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 Will County Kendall County LaSalle County Kankakee County Livingston County