Menard County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Menard County covers 315 square miles around Athens. Hunters took 891 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 1,035 (2005). That is down 2% from 2024. 0.4% of Menard County is public land open to the public, the largest share other IDNR and state land (749 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 landMenard CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 201,895 acres (315 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 891 (ten-year average 834) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 1,035 in 2005 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 0.4% (900 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 1 (63 acres inside Menard County) |
| Towns in and near it | Athens, Petersburg, Greenview, Middletown, Cantrall and Ashland |
How many deer are harvested in Menard County?
Hunters took 891 deer in Menard County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 834. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 1,000 and its muzzleloader quota 160.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 891 | 834 | 1,000 / 1,000 | 160 / 160 | No |
| 2024-25 | 906 | 823 | 1,000 / 1,000 | 160 / 160 | No |
| 2023-24 | 874 | 799 | 1,000 / 1,000 | 160 / 160 | No |
| 2022-23 | 834 | 778 | 990 / 1,000 | 160 / 160 | No |
| 2021-22 | 761 | 789 | 993 / 1,000 | 160 / 160 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Menard County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Menard County?
900 of Menard County's 201,895 acres are public land open to the public (0.4%). The biggest share is other IDNR and state land: 749 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Menard County |
|---|---|---|
| Other IDNR and state land | 749 | 0.4% |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 63 | under 0.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 63 | under 0.1% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 25 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 900 | 0.4% |
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 Menard County
IDNR hunting sites in Menard County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Oakford State Natural Area: 63 acres
How do you get to Menard County?
Highways through it: IL 123 (about 25 miles inside), IL 97 (about 21 miles inside) and IL 29 (about 13 miles inside). Towns inside: Athens, Petersburg, Greenview, Tallula, Oakford and Lake Petersburg. Nearby: Middletown (on the line), Cantrall (on the line), Ashland (on the line) and Pleasant Plains (2 miles).
Which counties border Menard County?
Menard County touches 4 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% |
| Mason County | 1,071 | 2025 | 6% |
| Sangamon County | 1,743 | 2025 | 0.7% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Menard County in 2025-26?
891, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 906. The county record is 1,035, set in 2005.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Menard County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Menard County?
900 acres, 0.4% 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 other IDNR and state land (749 acres). IDNR's records show 1 site 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 Mason County Sangamon County