Mercer County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Mercer County covers 569 square miles around Keithsburg. Hunters took 1,716 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 1,716 (2025). That is up 9% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 1.8% of Mercer County is public land open to the public, the largest share federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes (4,439 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 huntingFederal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakesOther IDNR and state landForest preserves, county and city landLand trusts and other open landMercer CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 364,023 acres (569 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 1,716 (ten-year average 1,527) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 1,716 in 2025 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 1.8% (6,444 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | None mapped |
| Towns in and near it | Keithsburg, Aledo, Seaton, Alexis, Reynolds and Rio |
How many deer are harvested in Mercer County?
Hunters took 1,716 deer in Mercer County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 1,527. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 3,000 and its muzzleloader quota 500.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,716 | 1,527 | 2,575 / 3,000 | 373 / 500 | No |
| 2024-25 | 1,579 | 1,518 | 2,564 / 3,000 | 390 / 500 | No |
| 2023-24 | 1,550 | 1,496 | 2,503 / 2,900 | 393 / 500 | No |
| 2022-23 | 1,469 | 1,478 | 2,425 / 2,900 | 393 / 500 | No |
| 2021-22 | 1,388 | 1,490 | 2,429 / 2,900 | 412 / 500 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Mercer County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Mercer County?
6,444 of Mercer County's 364,023 acres are public land open to the public (1.8%). The biggest share is federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes: 4,439 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Mercer County |
|---|---|---|
| Federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes | 4,439 | 1.2% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 1,972 | 0.5% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 20 | under 0.1% |
| National wildlife refuges | 11 | under 0.1% |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 1 | under 0.1% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 1 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 6,444 | 1.8% |
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.
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Ms Rv Pools 11-22 Recreation Area (4,441 acres).
How do you get to Mercer County?
Highways through it: IL 17 (about 31 miles inside), IL 94 (about 22 miles inside), US 67 (about 20 miles inside) and IL 135 (about 6 miles inside). Towns inside: Keithsburg, Aledo, Seaton, New Boston, Sherrard and Viola. Nearby: Alexis (on the line), Reynolds (on the line), Rio (2 miles) and Alpha (3 miles).
Which counties border Mercer County?
Mercer County touches 5 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knox County | 2,339 | 2025 | 1.3% |
| Henry County | 1,233 | 2025 | 0.8% |
| Warren County | 954 | 2025 | 0.1% |
| Henderson County | 1,063 | 2025 | 3.7% |
| Rock Island County | 1,618 | 2025 | 4.1% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Mercer County in 2025-26?
1,716, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 1,579. The county record is 1,716, set in 2025.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Mercer County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Mercer County?
6,444 acres, 1.8% 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 federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes (4,439 acres).
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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 Knox County Henry County Warren County Henderson County Rock Island County