Marion County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Marion County covers 576 square miles around Centralia. Hunters took 3,885 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 3,897 (2007). That is up 1% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 1.1% of Marion County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (2,491 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 landMarion CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 368,733 acres (576 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 3,885 (ten-year average 3,141) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 3,897 in 2007 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 1.1% (3,887 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 2 (2,492 acres inside Marion County) |
| Towns in and near it | Centralia, Salem, Kinmundy, Wamac, Farina and Dix |
How many deer are harvested in Marion County?
Hunters took 3,885 deer in Marion County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 3,141. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 4,500 and its muzzleloader quota 645.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 3,885 | 3,141 | 4,500 / 4,500 | 590 / 645 | No |
| 2024-25 | 3,832 | 3,036 | 4,200 / 4,200 | 581 / 645 | No |
| 2023-24 | 3,517 | 2,912 | 4,100 / 4,100 | 511 / 645 | No |
| 2022-23 | 3,264 | 2,826 | 4,080 / 4,100 | 561 / 645 | No |
| 2021-22 | 2,953 | 2,825 | 3,986 / 4,100 | 554 / 645 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Marion County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Marion County?
3,887 of Marion County's 368,733 acres are public land open to the public (1.1%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 2,491 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Marion County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 2,491 | 0.7% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 1,007 | 0.3% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 306 | 0.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 83 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 3,887 | 1.1% |
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 Marion County
IDNR hunting sites in Marion County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Stephen A. Forbes State Park: 2,279 acres
- Prairie Ridge-Marion State Natural Area: 213 acres
How do you get to Marion County?
Highways through it: I-57 (about 56 miles inside), US 51 (about 30 miles inside), IL 37 (about 28 miles inside), US 50 (about 24 miles inside) and IL 161 (about 12 miles inside). Towns inside: Centralia, Salem, Kinmundy, Alma, Patoka and Odin. Nearby: Wamac (on the line), Farina (on the line), Dix (2 miles) and Irvington (3 miles).
Which counties border Marion County?
Marion County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | 2,752 | 2025 | 0.1% |
| Wayne County | 3,288 | 2025 | 0.5% |
| Clinton County | 1,748 | 2025 | 1.1% |
| Fayette County | 4,025 | 2025 | 2% |
| Jefferson County | 5,124 | 2025 | 4.8% |
| Washington County | 2,439 | 2025 | 0.5% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Marion County in 2025-26?
3,885, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 3,832. The county record is 3,897, set in 2007.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Marion County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Marion County?
3,887 acres, 1.1% 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 (2,491 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 Clay County Wayne County Clinton County Fayette County Jefferson County Washington County