Montgomery County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Montgomery County covers 710 square miles around Litchfield. Hunters took 2,228 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 2,424 (2005). That is up 1% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 0.6% of Montgomery County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (2,361 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 landMontgomery CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 454,216 acres (710 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 2,228 (ten-year average 1,785) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 2,424 in 2005 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 0.6% (2,807 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 2 (2,361 acres inside Montgomery County) |
| Towns in and near it | Litchfield, Hillsboro, Wenonah, Sorento, Mount Olive and Oconee |
How many deer are harvested in Montgomery County?
Hunters took 2,228 deer in Montgomery County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 1,785. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 2,250 and its muzzleloader quota 400.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2,228 | 1,785 | 2,250 / 2,250 | 377 / 400 | No |
| 2024-25 | 2,198 | 1,729 | 2,000 / 2,000 | 275 / 275 | No |
| 2023-24 | 1,946 | 1,664 | 1,900 / 1,900 | 249 / 250 | No |
| 2022-23 | 1,826 | 1,626 | 1,800 / 1,800 | 215 / 215 | No |
| 2021-22 | 1,738 | 1,639 | 1,800 / 1,800 | 200 / 200 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Montgomery County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Montgomery County?
2,807 of Montgomery County's 454,216 acres are public land open to the public (0.6%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 2,361 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Montgomery County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 2,361 | 0.5% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 218 | under 0.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 208 | under 0.1% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 20 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 2,807 | 0.6% |
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 Montgomery County
IDNR hunting sites in Montgomery County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Coffeen Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: 2,190 acres
- Freeman Mine State Habitat Area: 171 acres
How do you get to Montgomery County?
Highways through it: I-55 (about 54 miles inside), IL 16 (about 34 miles inside), IL 127 (about 27 miles inside), IL 185 (about 15 miles inside) and IL 48 (about 8 miles inside). Towns inside: Litchfield, Hillsboro, Wenonah, Nokomis, Raymond and Witt. Nearby: Sorento (on the line), Mount Olive (2 miles), Oconee (2 miles) and Bingham (2 miles).
Which counties border Montgomery County?
Montgomery County touches 7 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bond County | 1,490 | 2025 | 0.1% |
| Shelby County | 2,769 | 2025 | 1% |
| Fayette County | 4,025 | 2025 | 2% |
| Madison County | 2,051 | 2025 | 2.8% |
| Macoupin County | 3,533 | 2025 | 0.3% |
| Sangamon County | 1,743 | 2025 | 0.7% |
| Christian County | 1,244 | 2025 | 1% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Montgomery County in 2025-26?
2,228, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 2,198. The county record is 2,424, set in 2005.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Montgomery County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Montgomery County?
2,807 acres, 0.6% 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 (2,361 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 Bond County Shelby County Fayette County Madison County Macoupin County Sangamon County Christian County