Knox County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Knox County covers 720 square miles around Galesburg. Hunters took 2,339 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 3,000 (2012). That is up 6% from 2024. 1.3% of Knox County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (4,536 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 landKnox CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 460,710 acres (720 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 2,339 (ten-year average 2,317) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 3,000 in 2012 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 1.3% (5,895 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 3 (4,536 acres inside Knox County) |
| Towns in and near it | Galesburg, Knoxville, Abingdon, London Mills, La Fayette and Elmwood |
How many deer are harvested in Knox County?
Hunters took 2,339 deer in Knox County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 2,317. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 4,200 and its muzzleloader quota 700.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2,339 | 2,317 | 3,466 / 4,200 | 473 / 700 | No |
| 2024-25 | 2,206 | 2,334 | 3,422 / 4,200 | 483 / 700 | No |
| 2023-24 | 2,437 | 2,359 | 3,495 / 4,150 | 512 / 700 | No |
| 2022-23 | 2,310 | 2,341 | 3,273 / 3,900 | 500 / 700 | No |
| 2021-22 | 2,237 | 2,410 | 3,275 / 3,900 | 527 / 700 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Knox County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Knox County?
5,895 of Knox County's 460,710 acres are public land open to the public (1.3%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 4,536 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Knox County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 4,536 | 1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 515 | 0.1% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 454 | 0.1% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 390 | 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 5,895 | 1.3% |
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 Knox County
IDNR hunting sites in Knox County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Snakeden Hollow State Fish and Wildlife Area: 2,704 acres
- Spoon River State Forest: 1,588 acres
- Victoria State Habitat Area: 244 acres
How do you get to Knox County?
Highways through it: I-74 (about 68 miles inside), US 150 (about 60 miles inside), US 34 (about 32 miles inside), IL 41 (about 17 miles inside) and IL 180 (about 16 miles inside). Towns inside: Galesburg, Knoxville, Abingdon, East Galesburg, Williamsfield and Altona. Nearby: London Mills (on the line), La Fayette (on the line), Elmwood (on the line) and Farmington (on the line).
Which counties border Knox County?
Knox County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henry County | 1,233 | 2025 | 0.8% |
| Stark County | 395 | 2025 | 0.1% |
| Fulton County | 4,267 | 2025 | 5.7% |
| Mercer County | 1,716 | 2025 | 1.8% |
| Peoria County | 2,141 | 2025 | 4.8% |
| Warren County | 954 | 2025 | 0.1% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Knox County in 2025-26?
2,339, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 2,206. The county record is 3,000, set in 2012.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Knox County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Knox County?
5,895 acres, 1.3% 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 IDNR sites open to hunting (4,536 acres). IDNR's records show 3 sites 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 Henry County Stark County Fulton County Mercer County Peoria County Warren County