Hamilton County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Hamilton County covers 436 square miles around McLeansboro. Hunters took 2,671 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 2,671 (2025). That is up 1% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 1.8% of Hamilton County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (4,720 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 landLand trusts and other open landHamilton CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 278,992 acres (436 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 2,671 (ten-year average 2,246) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 2,671 in 2025 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 1.8% (4,983 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 2 (4,720 acres inside Hamilton County) |
| Towns in and near it | McLeansboro, Broughton, Dahlgren, Springerton, Mill Shoals and Enfield |
How many deer are harvested in Hamilton County?
Hunters took 2,671 deer in Hamilton County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 2,246. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 2,500 and its muzzleloader quota 400.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2,671 | 2,246 | 2,500 / 2,500 | 384 / 400 | No |
| 2024-25 | 2,646 | 2,189 | 2,400 / 2,400 | 350 / 350 | No |
| 2023-24 | 2,361 | 2,121 | 2,400 / 2,400 | 350 / 350 | No |
| 2022-23 | 2,237 | 2,071 | 2,400 / 2,400 | 350 / 350 | No |
| 2021-22 | 2,008 | 2,043 | 2,400 / 2,400 | 312 / 315 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Hamilton County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Hamilton County?
4,983 of Hamilton County's 278,992 acres are public land open to the public (1.8%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 4,720 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Hamilton County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 4,720 | 1.7% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 210 | 0.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 39 | under 0.1% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 14 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 4,983 | 1.8% |
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 Hamilton County
IDNR hunting sites in Hamilton County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Ten Mile Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area: 3,239 acres
- Hamilton County State Fish and Wildlife Area: 1,481 acres
How do you get to Hamilton County?
Highways through it: IL 142 (about 27 miles inside), IL 14 (about 19 miles inside) and IL 242 (about 11 miles inside). Towns inside: McLeansboro, Broughton, Dahlgren, Belle Prairie City and Macedonia. Nearby: Springerton (on the line), Mill Shoals (on the line), Enfield (2 miles) and Belle Rive (2 miles).
Which counties border Hamilton County?
Hamilton County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County | 3,288 | 2025 | 0.5% |
| White County | 1,790 | 2025 | 0.4% |
| Saline County | 1,814 | 2025 | 12.3% |
| Franklin County | 2,638 | 2025 | 1.1% |
| Gallatin County | 734 | 2025 | 5.8% |
| Jefferson County | 5,124 | 2025 | 4.8% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Hamilton County in 2025-26?
2,671, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 2,646. The county record is 2,671, set in 2025.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Hamilton County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Hamilton County?
4,983 acres, 1.8% 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 (4,720 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 Wayne County White County Saline County Franklin County Gallatin County Jefferson County