Mason County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Mason County covers 564 square miles around Havana. Hunters took 1,071 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 1,320 (2004). That is up 2% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 6% of Mason County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (12,403 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 landMason CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 360,674 acres (564 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 1,071 (ten-year average 922) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 1,320 in 2004 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 6% (21,781 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 7 (12,401 acres inside Mason County) |
| Towns in and near it | Havana, Manito, Mason City, Liverpool, Browning and Chandlerville |
How many deer are harvested in Mason County?
Hunters took 1,071 deer in Mason County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 922. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 700 and its muzzleloader quota 200.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,071 | 922 | 700 / 700 | 200 / 200 | No |
| 2024-25 | 1,052 | 903 | 600 / 600 | 175 / 175 | No |
| 2023-24 | 1,007 | 875 | 600 / 600 | 175 / 175 | No |
| 2022-23 | 935 | 852 | 600 / 600 | 165 / 165 | No |
| 2021-22 | 882 | 863 | 600 / 600 | 150 / 150 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Mason County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Mason County?
21,781 of Mason County's 360,674 acres are public land open to the public (6%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 12,403 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Mason County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 12,403 | 3.4% |
| National wildlife refuges | 4,814 | 1.3% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 3,558 | 1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 933 | 0.3% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 73 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 21,781 | 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 Mason County
IDNR hunting sites in Mason County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Sand Ridge State Forest: 7,271 acres
- Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area: 3,758 acres
- Revis Hill Prairie State Natural Area: 421 acres
- Clear Lake SWMA: 417 acres
- Sparks Pond State Natural Area: 375 acres
- Henry Allan Gleason State Natural Area: 112 acres
- Oakford State Natural Area: 47 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge (4,814 acres).
How do you get to Mason County?
Highways through it: US 136 (about 29 miles inside), IL 78 (about 18 miles inside), IL 10 (about 18 miles inside), IL 29 (about 17 miles inside) and IL 97 (about 14 miles inside). Towns inside: Havana, Manito, Mason City, Kilbourne, Forest City and San Jose. Nearby: Liverpool (on the line), Browning (on the line), Chandlerville (on the line) and New Holland (on the line).
Which counties border Mason County?
Mason County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cass County | 1,475 | 2025 | 10.8% |
| Logan County | 855 | 2025 | 0.3% |
| Fulton County | 4,267 | 2025 | 5.7% |
| Menard County | 891 | 2025 | 0.4% |
| Schuyler County | 2,784 | 2025 | 0.7% |
| Tazewell County | 1,548 | 2025 | 3.1% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Mason County in 2025-26?
1,071, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 1,052. The county record is 1,320, set in 2004.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Mason County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Mason County?
21,781 acres, 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 (12,403 acres). IDNR's records show 7 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 Cass County Logan County Fulton County Menard County Schuyler County Tazewell County