Moultrie County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Moultrie County covers 344 square miles around Sullivan. Hunters took 900 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 900 (2025). That is up 12% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 2.8% of Moultrie County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (6,041 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 landMoultrie CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 220,478 acres (344 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 900 (ten-year average 686) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 900 in 2025 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 2.8% (6,230 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 1 (6,041 acres inside Moultrie County) |
| Towns in and near it | Sullivan, Bethany, Allenville, Arthur, Atwood and Hammond |
How many deer are harvested in Moultrie County?
Hunters took 900 deer in Moultrie County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 686. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 400 and its muzzleloader quota 125.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 900 | 686 | 400 / 400 | 125 / 125 | No |
| 2024-25 | 806 | 655 | 375 / 375 | 125 / 125 | No |
| 2023-24 | 769 | 630 | 325 / 325 | 100 / 100 | No |
| 2022-23 | 705 | 603 | 325 / 325 | 80 / 80 | No |
| 2021-22 | 650 | 594 | 325 / 325 | 80 / 80 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Moultrie County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Moultrie County?
6,230 of Moultrie County's 220,478 acres are public land open to the public (2.8%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 6,041 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Moultrie County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 6,041 | 2.7% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 96 | under 0.1% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 89 | under 0.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 4 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 6,230 | 2.8% |
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.
IDNR hunting sites in Moultrie County
IDNR hunting sites in Moultrie County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Shelbyville State Fish and Wildlife Area: 6,041 acres
How do you get to Moultrie County?
Highways through it: IL 121 (about 25 miles inside), IL 32 (about 25 miles inside), IL 133 (about 9 miles inside), IL 128 (about 8 miles inside) and US 36 (about 6 miles inside). Towns inside: Sullivan, Bethany, Allenville, Lovington, Dalton City and Gays. Nearby: Arthur (on the line), Atwood (on the line), Hammond (on the line) and Windsor (on the line).
Which counties border Moultrie County?
Moultrie County touches 5 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coles County | 1,671 | 2025 | 1.2% |
| Macon County | 699 | 2025 | 1.7% |
| Piatt County | 450 | 2025 | 1.5% |
| Shelby County | 2,769 | 2025 | 1% |
| Douglas County | 467 | 2025 | 0.4% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Moultrie County in 2025-26?
900, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 806. The county record is 900, set in 2025.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Moultrie County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Moultrie County?
6,230 acres, 2.8% 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 IDNR sites open to hunting (6,041 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 Coles County Macon County Piatt County Shelby County Douglas County