Henry County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Henry County covers 826 square miles around Kewanee. Hunters took 1,233 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 1,634 (2007). That is up 9% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 0.8% of Henry County is public land open to the public, the largest share other IDNR and state land (1,451 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 huntingFederal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakesOther IDNR and state landForest preserves, county and city landLand trusts and other open landHenry CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 528,421 acres (826 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 1,233 (ten-year average 1,063) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 1,634 in 2007 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 0.8% (4,196 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 1 (942 acres inside Henry County) |
| Towns in and near it | Kewanee, Geneseo, Colona, Coal Valley, Windsor and Mineral |
How many deer are harvested in Henry County?
Hunters took 1,233 deer in Henry County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 1,063. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 1,500 and its muzzleloader quota 400.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,233 | 1,063 | 1,500 / 1,500 | 391 / 400 | No |
| 2024-25 | 1,132 | 1,064 | 1,100 / 1,200 | 375 / 375 | No |
| 2023-24 | 1,114 | 1,063 | 1,000 / 1,000 | 325 / 325 | No |
| 2022-23 | 985 | 1,066 | 1,000 / 1,000 | 325 / 325 | No |
| 2021-22 | 961 | 1,110 | 1,000 / 1,000 | 280 / 280 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Henry County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Henry County?
4,196 of Henry County's 528,421 acres are public land open to the public (0.8%). The biggest share is other IDNR and state land: 1,451 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Henry County |
|---|---|---|
| Other IDNR and state land | 1,451 | 0.3% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 1,024 | 0.2% |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 942 | 0.2% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 779 | 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 4,196 | 0.8% |
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 Henry County
IDNR hunting sites in Henry County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Johnson-Sauk Trail State Recreation Area: 942 acres
How do you get to Henry County?
Highways through it: I-80 (about 61 miles inside), I-74 (about 52 miles inside), US 6 (about 38 miles inside), IL 78 (about 31 miles inside) and IL 82 (about 29 miles inside). Towns inside: Kewanee, Geneseo, Colona, Galva, Annawan and Cambridge. Nearby: Coal Valley (on the line), Windsor (on the line), Mineral (on the line) and Carbon Cliff (on the line).
Which counties border Henry County?
Henry County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knox County | 2,339 | 2025 | 1.3% |
| Stark County | 395 | 2025 | 0.1% |
| Bureau County | 1,848 | 2025 | 1.6% |
| Mercer County | 1,716 | 2025 | 1.8% |
| Whiteside County | 1,496 | 2025 | 2.1% |
| Rock Island County | 1,618 | 2025 | 4.1% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Henry County in 2025-26?
1,233, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 1,132. The county record is 1,634, set in 2007.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Henry County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Henry County?
4,196 acres, 0.8% 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 other IDNR and state land (1,451 acres). IDNR's records show 1 site 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 Knox County Stark County Bureau County Mercer County Whiteside County Rock Island County