Hancock County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Hancock County covers 814 square miles around Warsaw. Hunters took 3,185 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 3,661 (2008). That is up 3% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 0.5% of Hancock County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (1,186 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 landHancock CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 521,178 acres (814 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 3,185 (ten-year average 2,849) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 3,661 in 2008 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 0.5% (2,365 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 5 (1,186 acres inside Hancock County) |
| Towns in and near it | Warsaw, Hamilton, Nauvoo, Lima, Blandinsville and Lomax |
How many deer are harvested in Hancock County?
Hunters took 3,185 deer in Hancock County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 2,849. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 4,400 and its muzzleloader quota 675.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 3,185 | 2,849 | 4,306 / 4,400 | 590 / 675 | No |
| 2024-25 | 3,098 | 2,801 | 4,187 / 4,200 | 601 / 665 | No |
| 2023-24 | 2,850 | 2,745 | 4,086 / 4,200 | 578 / 665 | No |
| 2022-23 | 3,077 | 2,727 | 4,103 / 4,200 | 626 / 665 | No |
| 2021-22 | 2,699 | 2,754 | 3,993 / 4,200 | 602 / 665 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Hancock County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Hancock County?
2,365 of Hancock County's 521,178 acres are public land open to the public (0.5%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 1,186 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Hancock County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 1,186 | 0.2% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 565 | 0.1% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 429 | 0.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 185 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 2,365 | 0.5% |
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 Hancock County
IDNR hunting sites in Hancock County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Cedar Glen State Natural Area: 837 acres
- Prairie State Eagle Refuge: 242 acres
- Mississippi River Sand Hills State Natural Area: 46 acres
- Cecil White Prairie State Natural Area: 33 acres
- Max and Edward Rowe State Habitat Area: 28 acres
How do you get to Hancock County?
Highways through it: IL 110 (about 55 miles inside), IL 336 (about 55 miles inside), IL 94 (about 55 miles inside), IL 96 (about 43 miles inside) and US 136 (about 38 miles inside). Towns inside: Warsaw, Hamilton, Nauvoo, Carthage, Dallas City and Ferris. Nearby: Lima (2 miles), Blandinsville (2 miles), Lomax (3 miles) and Loraine (3 miles).
Which counties border Hancock County?
Hancock County touches 4 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County | 4,249 | 2025 | 3% |
| Schuyler County | 2,784 | 2025 | 0.7% |
| Henderson County | 1,063 | 2025 | 3.7% |
| McDonough County | 1,607 | 2025 | 0.6% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Hancock County in 2025-26?
3,185, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 3,098. The county record is 3,661, set in 2008.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Hancock County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Hancock County?
2,365 acres, 0.5% 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 (1,186 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 Adams County Schuyler County Henderson County McDonough County