Macoupin County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Macoupin County covers 868 square miles around Staunton. Hunters took 3,533 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 3,860 (2005). That is down 2% from 2024. 0.3% of Macoupin County is public land open to the public, the largest share forest preserves, county and city land (562 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 landMacoupin CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 555,288 acres (868 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 3,533 (ten-year average 3,013) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 3,860 in 2005 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 0.3% (1,888 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 2 (398 acres inside Macoupin County) |
| Towns in and near it | Staunton, Carlinville, Brighton, Fidelity, Williamson and Thayer |
How many deer are harvested in Macoupin County?
Hunters took 3,533 deer in Macoupin County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 3,013. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 5,500 and its muzzleloader quota 600.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 3,533 | 3,013 | 5,387 / 5,500 | 538 / 600 | No |
| 2024-25 | 3,611 | 2,927 | 5,289 / 5,500 | 533 / 600 | No |
| 2023-24 | 3,115 | 2,791 | 4,916 / 5,000 | 471 / 600 | No |
| 2022-23 | 3,072 | 2,713 | 4,792 / 5,000 | 518 / 600 | No |
| 2021-22 | 2,924 | 2,710 | 4,729 / 4,950 | 522 / 600 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Macoupin County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Macoupin County?
1,888 of Macoupin County's 555,288 acres are public land open to the public (0.3%). The biggest share is forest preserves, county and city land: 562 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Macoupin County |
|---|---|---|
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 562 | 0.1% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 555 | 0.1% |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 399 | 0.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 372 | 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 1,888 | 0.3% |
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 Macoupin County
IDNR hunting sites in Macoupin County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Beaver Dam State Park: 358 acres
- Goode's Woods State Natural Area: 40 acres
How do you get to Macoupin County?
Highways through it: IL 4 (about 44 miles inside), IL 111 (about 42 miles inside), IL 16 (about 26 miles inside), IL 108 (about 25 miles inside) and I-55 (about 23 miles inside). Towns inside: Staunton, Carlinville, Brighton, Virden, Mount Clare and Gillespie. Nearby: Fidelity (on the line), Williamson (on the line), Thayer (on the line) and Litchfield (2 miles).
Which counties border Macoupin County?
Macoupin County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greene County | 2,177 | 2025 | 0.5% |
| Jersey County | 1,498 | 2025 | 6.1% |
| Morgan County | 1,483 | 2025 | 0.9% |
| Madison County | 2,051 | 2025 | 2.8% |
| Sangamon County | 1,743 | 2025 | 0.7% |
| Montgomery County | 2,228 | 2025 | 0.6% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Macoupin County in 2025-26?
3,533, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 3,611. The county record is 3,860, set in 2005.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Macoupin County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Macoupin County?
1,888 acres, 0.3% 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 (562 acres). IDNR's records show 2 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 Greene County Jersey County Morgan County Madison County Sangamon County Montgomery County