Madison County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Madison County covers 740 square miles around Godfrey. Hunters took 2,051 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 2,544 (2007). That is up 4% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 2.8% of Madison County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (5,779 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 landMadison CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 473,631 acres (740 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 2,051 (ten-year average 1,799) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 2,544 in 2007 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 2.8% (13,212 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 4 (5,779 acres inside Madison County) |
| Towns in and near it | Godfrey, Edwardsville, Granite City, Pierron, Brooklyn and Staunton |
How many deer are harvested in Madison County?
Hunters took 2,051 deer in Madison County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 1,799. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 2,500 and its muzzleloader quota 310.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2,051 | 1,799 | 2,500 / 2,500 | 300 / 310 | No |
| 2024-25 | 1,972 | 1,769 | 2,300 / 2,300 | 289 / 310 | No |
| 2023-24 | 1,875 | 1,731 | 2,300 / 2,300 | 255 / 310 | No |
| 2022-23 | 1,883 | 1,711 | 2,293 / 2,300 | 300 / 310 | No |
| 2021-22 | 1,782 | 1,747 | 2,300 / 2,300 | 276 / 310 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Madison County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Madison County?
13,212 of Madison County's 473,631 acres are public land open to the public (2.8%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 5,779 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Madison County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 5,779 | 1.2% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 4,105 | 0.9% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 1,877 | 0.4% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 1,451 | 0.3% |
| All public land open to the public | 13,212 | 2.8% |
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 Madison County
IDNR hunting sites in Madison County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Horseshoe Lake-Madison State Park: 3,205 acres
- Chouteau Island State Fish and Wildlife Area: 2,183 acres
- Cahokia Mounds: 274 acres
- Mississippi River Area - Piasa Island: 117 acres
How do you get to Madison County?
Highways through it: I-55 (about 67 miles inside), I-270 (about 64 miles inside), I-70 (about 62 miles inside), US 40 (about 45 miles inside) and IL 3 (about 45 miles inside). Towns inside: Godfrey, Edwardsville, Granite City, Alton, Collinsville and Madison. Nearby: Pierron (on the line), Brooklyn (on the line), Staunton (on the line) and Fairmont City (on the line).
Which counties border Madison County?
Madison County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bond County | 1,490 | 2025 | 0.1% |
| Jersey County | 1,498 | 2025 | 6.1% |
| Clinton County | 1,748 | 2025 | 1.1% |
| Macoupin County | 3,533 | 2025 | 0.3% |
| St. Clair County | 1,928 | 2025 | 4.2% |
| Montgomery County | 2,228 | 2025 | 0.6% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Madison County in 2025-26?
2,051, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 1,972. The county record is 2,544, set in 2007.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Madison County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Madison County?
13,212 acres, 2.8% 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 (5,779 acres). IDNR's records show 4 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 Bond County Jersey County Clinton County Macoupin County St. Clair County Montgomery County