Livingston County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Livingston County covers 1,046 square miles around Pontiac. Hunters took 775 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 995 (2010). That is down 4% from 2024. 0.2% of Livingston County is public land open to the public, the largest share land trusts and other open land (793 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 huntingForest preserves, county and city landLand trusts and other open landLivingston CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 669,458 acres (1,046 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 775 (ten-year average 703) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 995 in 2010 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | Yes |
| Public land | 0.2% (1,628 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 1 (238 acres inside Livingston County) |
| Towns in and near it | Pontiac, Dwight, Chatsworth, Reddick, Kempton and Gridley |
How many deer are harvested in Livingston County?
Hunters took 775 deer in Livingston County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 703. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 2,025 and its muzzleloader quota 350. 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 | 775 | 703 | 1,418 / 2,025 | 151 / 350 | Yes |
| 2024-25 | 808 | 701 | 1,413 / 1,775 | 144 / 350 | Yes |
| 2023-24 | 751 | 691 | 1,360 / 1,775 | 155 / 350 | Yes |
| 2022-23 | 684 | 688 | 1,266 / 1,775 | 159 / 350 | Yes |
| 2021-22 | 680 | 716 | 1,250 / 1,775 | 149 / 350 | Yes |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Livingston County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Livingston County?
1,628 of Livingston County's 669,458 acres are public land open to the public (0.2%). The biggest share is land trusts and other open land: 793 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Livingston County |
|---|---|---|
| Land trusts and other open land | 793 | 0.1% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 591 | 0.1% |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 238 | under 0.1% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 6 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 1,628 | 0.2% |
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 Livingston County
IDNR hunting sites in Livingston County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Chatsworth State Habitat Area: 238 acres
How do you get to Livingston County?
Highways through it: I-55 (about 61 miles inside), IL 116 (about 38 miles inside), IL 17 (about 38 miles inside), IL 47 (about 35 miles inside) and IL 23 (about 26 miles inside). Towns inside: Pontiac, Dwight, Chatsworth, Fairbury, Odell and Cornell. Nearby: Reddick (on the line), Kempton (on the line), Gridley (on the line) and Dana (on the line).
Which counties border Livingston County?
Livingston County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford County | 227 | 2025 | 0.3% |
| Grundy County | 796 | 2025 | 3.1% |
| McLean County | 1,396 | 2025 | 1.3% |
| LaSalle County | 1,561 | 2025 | 1.7% |
| Kankakee County | 749 | 2025 | 1.5% |
| Woodford County | 1,722 | 2025 | 1.6% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Livingston County in 2025-26?
775, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 808. The county record is 995, set in 2010.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Livingston 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 Livingston County?
1,628 acres, 0.2% 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 land trusts and other open land (793 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 Ford County Grundy County McLean County LaSalle County Kankakee County Woodford County