Kendall County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Kendall County covers 322 square miles around Yorkville. Hunters took 269 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 403 (2012). That is down 15% from 2024. 2.7% of Kendall County is public land open to the public, the largest share forest preserves, county and city land (4,115 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 landKendall CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 206,226 acres (322 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 269 (ten-year average 290) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 403 in 2012 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | Yes |
| Public land | 2.7% (5,482 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 1 (895 acres inside Kendall County) |
| Towns in and near it | Yorkville, Oswego, Montgomery, Millington, Plainfield and Sandwich |
How many deer are harvested in Kendall County?
Hunters took 269 deer in Kendall County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 290. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 600 and its muzzleloader quota 225. 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 | 269 | 290 | 483 / 600 | 51 / 225 | Yes |
| 2024-25 | 317 | 295 | 427 / 600 | 51 / 225 | Yes |
| 2023-24 | 278 | 292 | 409 / 600 | 49 / 225 | Yes |
| 2022-23 | 253 | 301 | 408 / 600 | 68 / 225 | Yes |
| 2021-22 | 297 | 316 | 430 / 600 | 72 / 225 | Yes |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Kendall County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Kendall County?
5,482 of Kendall County's 206,226 acres are public land open to the public (2.7%). The biggest share is forest preserves, county and city land: 4,115 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Kendall County |
|---|---|---|
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 4,115 | 2% |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 895 | 0.4% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 397 | 0.2% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 75 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 5,482 | 2.7% |
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 Kendall County
IDNR hunting sites in Kendall County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Silver Springs State Park: 895 acres
How do you get to Kendall County?
Highways through it: US 52 (about 19 miles inside), US 34 (about 19 miles inside), IL 47 (about 19 miles inside), IL 71 (about 18 miles inside) and IL 126 (about 10 miles inside). Towns inside: Yorkville, Oswego, Montgomery, Plano, Plattville and Lisbon. Nearby: Millington (on the line), Plainfield (on the line), Sandwich (on the line) and Minooka (on the line).
Which counties border Kendall County?
Kendall County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kane County | 413 | 2025 | 7.3% |
| Will County | 1,063 | 2025 | 9.2% |
| DeKalb County | 413 | 2025 | 1.2% |
| DuPage County | 29 | 2025 | 10.9% |
| Grundy County | 796 | 2025 | 3.1% |
| LaSalle County | 1,561 | 2025 | 1.7% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Kendall County in 2025-26?
269, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 317. The county record is 403, set in 2012.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Kendall 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 Kendall County?
5,482 acres, 2.7% 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 (4,115 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 Kane County Will County DeKalb County DuPage County Grundy County LaSalle County