Kane County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Kane County covers 524 square miles around Aurora. Hunters took 413 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 559 (2004). That is up 5% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 7.3% of Kane County is public land open to the public, the largest share forest preserves, county and city land (22,634 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 landKane CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 335,477 acres (524 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 413 (ten-year average 373) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 559 in 2004 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | Yes |
| Public land | 7.3% (24,403 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 1 (84 acres inside Kane County) |
| Towns in and near it | Aurora, Elgin, Campton Hills, Montgomery, Maple Park and Algonquin |
How many deer are harvested in Kane County?
Hunters took 413 deer in Kane County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 373. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 525 and its muzzleloader quota 200. 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 | 413 | 373 | 252 / 525 | 21 / 200 | Yes |
| 2024-25 | 395 | 370 | 262 / 525 | 27 / 200 | Yes |
| 2023-24 | 392 | 371 | 233 / 525 | 26 / 200 | Yes |
| 2022-23 | 340 | 369 | 208 / 525 | 23 / 200 | Yes |
| 2021-22 | 378 | 377 | 222 / 525 | 27 / 200 | Yes |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Kane County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Kane County?
24,403 of Kane County's 335,477 acres are public land open to the public (7.3%). The biggest share is forest preserves, county and city land: 22,634 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Kane County |
|---|---|---|
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 22,634 | 6.7% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 1,674 | 0.5% |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 85 | under 0.1% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 10 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 24,403 | 7.3% |
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 Kane County
IDNR hunting sites in Kane County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- James Pate Philip State Park: 84 acres
How do you get to Kane County?
Highways through it: I-88 (about 38 miles inside), IL 47 (about 37 miles inside), IL 31 (about 33 miles inside), IL 25 (about 32 miles inside) and I-90 (about 32 miles inside). Towns inside: Aurora, Elgin, Campton Hills, St. Charles, Batavia and Sugar Grove. Nearby: Montgomery (on the line), Maple Park (on the line), Algonquin (on the line) and Wayne (on the line).
Which counties border Kane County?
Kane County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cook County | 149 | 2025 | 5% |
| Will County | 1,063 | 2025 | 9.2% |
| DeKalb County | 413 | 2025 | 1.2% |
| DuPage County | 29 | 2025 | 10.9% |
| Kendall County | 269 | 2025 | 2.7% |
| McHenry County | 1,139 | 2025 | 5.5% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Kane County in 2025-26?
413, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 395. The county record is 559, set in 2004.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Kane 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 Kane County?
24,403 acres, 7.3% 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 forest preserves, county and city land (22,634 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.
Illinois hunting Cook County Will County DeKalb County DuPage County Kendall County McHenry County