Hardin County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Hardin County covers 182 square miles around Rosiclare. Hunters took 902 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 1,667 (2011). That is down 8% from 2024, and the fewest in the 5 years shown. 25% of Hardin County is public land open to the public, the largest share national forest (28,562 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 landHardin CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 116,201 acres (182 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 902 (ten-year average 1,215) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 1,667 in 2011 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 25% (29,039 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 1 (174 acres inside Hardin County) |
| Towns in and near it | Rosiclare, Elizabethtown, Cave-In-Rock, Golconda, Old Shawneetown and Shawneetown |
How many deer are harvested in Hardin County?
Hunters took 902 deer in Hardin County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 1,215. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 1,800 and its muzzleloader quota 235.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 902 | 1,215 | 1,800 / 1,800 | 192 / 235 | No |
| 2024-25 | 977 | 1,268 | 1,997 / 2,000 | 190 / 235 | No |
| 2023-24 | 1,074 | 1,306 | 2,000 / 2,000 | 211 / 235 | No |
| 2022-23 | 1,212 | 1,434 | 2,162 / 2,200 | 199 / 235 | No |
| 2021-22 | 1,118 | 1,377 | 2,305 / 2,475 | 221 / 235 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Hardin County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Hardin County?
29,039 of Hardin County's 116,201 acres are public land open to the public (25%). The biggest share is national forest: 28,562 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Hardin County |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 28,562 | 24.6% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 301 | 0.3% |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 174 | 0.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 2 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 29,039 | 25% |
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 Hardin County
IDNR hunting sites in Hardin County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Cave-In-Rock State Park: 174 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Shawnee National Forest (28,513 acres).
How do you get to Hardin County?
Highways through it: IL 146 (about 15 miles inside), IL 34 (about 13 miles inside) and IL 1 (about 10 miles inside). Towns inside: Rosiclare, Elizabethtown and Cave-In-Rock. Nearby: Golconda (6 miles), Old Shawneetown (7 miles), Shawneetown (8 miles) and Junction (9 miles).
Which counties border Hardin County?
Hardin County touches 3 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pope County | 2,070 | 2025 | 39.8% |
| Saline County | 1,814 | 2025 | 12.3% |
| Gallatin County | 734 | 2025 | 5.8% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Hardin County in 2025-26?
902, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 977. The county record is 1,667, set in 2011.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Hardin County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Hardin County?
29,039 acres, 25% 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 national forest (28,562 acres). IDNR's records show 1 site 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.