Marshall County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Marshall County covers 399 square miles around Henry. Hunters took 1,167 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 1,387 (2007). That is up 4% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 3.6% of Marshall County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (4,583 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 huntingNational wildlife refugesOther IDNR and state landForest preserves, county and city landLand trusts and other open landMarshall CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 255,095 acres (399 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 1,167 (ten-year average 1,031) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 1,387 in 2007 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | Yes |
| Public land | 3.6% (9,158 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 2 (4,584 acres inside Marshall County) |
| Towns in and near it | Henry, Lacon, Hopewell, Washburn, Rutland and Magnolia |
How many deer are harvested in Marshall County?
Hunters took 1,167 deer in Marshall County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 1,031. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 2,250 and its muzzleloader quota 315. 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 | 1,167 | 1,031 | 1,744 / 2,250 | 245 / 315 | Yes |
| 2024-25 | 1,123 | 1,020 | 1,681 / 1,800 | 258 / 315 | Yes |
| 2023-24 | 1,106 | 1,007 | 1,500 / 1,500 | 258 / 315 | No |
| 2022-23 | 1,005 | 999 | 1,500 / 1,500 | 270 / 315 | No |
| 2021-22 | 955 | 1,023 | 1,500 / 1,500 | 261 / 315 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Marshall County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Marshall County?
9,158 of Marshall County's 255,095 acres are public land open to the public (3.6%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 4,583 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Marshall County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 4,583 | 1.8% |
| National wildlife refuges | 1,805 | 0.7% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 1,326 | 0.5% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 1,324 | 0.5% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 120 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 9,158 | 3.6% |
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 Marshall County
IDNR hunting sites in Marshall County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area: 4,465 acres
- Whitefield State Habitat Area: 119 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge (1,817 acres).
How do you get to Marshall County?
Highways through it: IL 17 (about 37 miles inside), US 51 (about 25 miles inside), I-39 (about 25 miles inside), IL 89 (about 14 miles inside) and IL 26 (about 14 miles inside). Towns inside: Henry, Lacon, Hopewell, Toluca, Wenona and Sparland. Nearby: Washburn (on the line), Rutland (on the line), Magnolia (on the line) and Minonk (on the line).
Which counties border Marshall County?
Marshall County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stark County | 395 | 2025 | 0.1% |
| Bureau County | 1,848 | 2025 | 1.6% |
| Peoria County | 2,141 | 2025 | 4.8% |
| Putnam County | 763 | 2025 | 7.5% |
| LaSalle County | 1,561 | 2025 | 1.7% |
| Woodford County | 1,722 | 2025 | 1.6% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Marshall County in 2025-26?
1,167, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 1,123. The county record is 1,387, set in 2007.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Marshall 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 Marshall County?
9,158 acres, 3.6% 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 (4,583 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 Stark County Bureau County Peoria County Putnam County LaSalle County Woodford County