Morgan County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Morgan County covers 572 square miles around Jacksonville. Hunters took 1,483 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 2,222 (2005). That is down 1% from 2024. 0.9% of Morgan County is public land open to the public, the largest share national wildlife refuges (2,237 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 landMorgan CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 366,353 acres (572 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 1,483 (ten-year average 1,381) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 2,222 in 2005 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 0.9% (3,131 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 1 (656 acres inside Morgan County) |
| Towns in and near it | Jacksonville, South Jacksonville, Waverly, Arenzville, Ashland and Manchester |
How many deer are harvested in Morgan County?
Hunters took 1,483 deer in Morgan County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 1,381. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 1,300 and its muzzleloader quota 225.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,483 | 1,381 | 1,300 / 1,300 | 225 / 225 | No |
| 2024-25 | 1,493 | 1,370 | 1,300 / 1,300 | 225 / 225 | No |
| 2023-24 | 1,431 | 1,344 | 1,300 / 1,300 | 200 / 200 | No |
| 2022-23 | 1,387 | 1,331 | 1,500 / 1,500 | 210 / 210 | No |
| 2021-22 | 1,292 | 1,351 | 1,500 / 1,500 | 190 / 190 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Morgan County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Morgan County?
3,131 of Morgan County's 366,353 acres are public land open to the public (0.9%). The biggest share is national wildlife refuges: 2,237 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Morgan County |
|---|---|---|
| National wildlife refuges | 2,237 | 0.6% |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 656 | 0.2% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 176 | under 0.1% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 35 | under 0.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 27 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 3,131 | 0.9% |
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 Morgan County
IDNR hunting sites in Morgan County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Meredosia Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: 656 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Meredosia National Wildlife Refuge (2,346 acres).
How do you get to Morgan County?
Highways through it: US 67 (about 55 miles inside), IL 104 (about 53 miles inside), I-72 (about 44 miles inside), US 36 (about 44 miles inside) and IL 267 (about 16 miles inside). Towns inside: Jacksonville, South Jacksonville, Waverly, Chapin, Meredosia and Franklin. Nearby: Arenzville (on the line), Ashland (on the line), Manchester (2 miles) and Exeter (2 miles).
Which counties border Morgan County?
Morgan County touches 7 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cass County | 1,475 | 2025 | 10.8% |
| Pike County | 4,724 | 2025 | 1.6% |
| Brown County | 2,183 | 2025 | 2.5% |
| Scott County | 707 | 2025 | 0% |
| Greene County | 2,177 | 2025 | 0.5% |
| Macoupin County | 3,533 | 2025 | 0.3% |
| Sangamon County | 1,743 | 2025 | 0.7% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Morgan County in 2025-26?
1,483, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 1,493. The county record is 2,222, set in 2005.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Morgan County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Morgan County?
3,131 acres, 0.9% 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 national wildlife refuges (2,237 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 Pike County Brown County Scott County Greene County Macoupin County Sangamon County