Kankakee County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Kankakee County covers 681 square miles around Kankakee. Hunters took 749 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 749 (2025). That is up 10% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 1.5% of Kankakee County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (3,101 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 forestNational wildlife refugesOther IDNR and state landForest preserves, county and city landLand trusts and other open landKankakee CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 436,003 acres (681 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 749 (ten-year average 588) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 749 in 2025 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | Yes |
| Public land | 1.5% (6,758 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 4 (3,102 acres inside Kankakee County) |
| Towns in and near it | Kankakee, Bourbonnais, Bradley, Chebanse, East Brooklyn and South Wilmington |
How many deer are harvested in Kankakee County?
Hunters took 749 deer in Kankakee County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 588. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 1,650 and its muzzleloader quota 325. 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 | 749 | 588 | 1,220 / 1,650 | 193 / 325 | Yes |
| 2024-25 | 683 | 570 | 1,191 / 1,400 | 185 / 325 | Yes |
| 2023-24 | 585 | 553 | 1,192 / 1,400 | 177 / 325 | Yes |
| 2022-23 | 553 | 553 | 1,083 / 1,300 | 190 / 325 | Yes |
| 2021-22 | 527 | 557 | 1,100 / 1,300 | 196 / 325 | Yes |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Kankakee County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Kankakee County?
6,758 of Kankakee County's 436,003 acres are public land open to the public (1.5%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 3,101 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Kankakee County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 3,101 | 0.7% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 2,003 | 0.5% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 1,530 | 0.4% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 121 | under 0.1% |
| National wildlife refuges | 3 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 6,758 | 1.5% |
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 Kankakee County
IDNR hunting sites in Kankakee County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Mazonia-Braidwood State Fish and Wildlife Area: 1,494 acres
- Kankakee River State Park: 1,077 acres
- Momence Wetlands State Natural Area: 500 acres
- Iroquois County State Fish and Wildlife Area: 31 acres
How do you get to Kankakee County?
Highways through it: IL 17 (about 59 miles inside), I-57 (about 46 miles inside), IL 1 (about 32 miles inside), IL 115 (about 25 miles inside) and US 52 (about 21 miles inside). Towns inside: Kankakee, Bourbonnais, Bradley, Manteno, Hopkins Park and Grant Park. Nearby: Chebanse (on the line), East Brooklyn (on the line), South Wilmington (2 miles) and Braceville (2 miles).
Which counties border Kankakee County?
Kankakee County touches 5 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford County | 227 | 2025 | 0.3% |
| Will County | 1,063 | 2025 | 9.2% |
| Grundy County | 796 | 2025 | 3.1% |
| Iroquois County | 1,323 | 2025 | 0.5% |
| Livingston County | 775 | 2025 | 0.2% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Kankakee County in 2025-26?
749, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 683. The county record is 749, set in 2025.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Kankakee 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 Kankakee County?
6,758 acres, 1.5% 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 (3,101 acres). IDNR's records show 4 sites 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 Ford County Will County Grundy County Iroquois County Livingston County