Ogle County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Ogle County covers 763 square miles around Rochelle. Hunters took 1,620 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 2,488 (2006). That is up 5% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 1.4% of Ogle County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (4,324 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 landOgle CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 488,568 acres (763 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 1,620 (ten-year average 1,540) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 2,488 in 2006 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | Yes |
| Public land | 1.4% (7,077 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 5 (4,324 acres inside Ogle County) |
| Towns in and near it | Rochelle, Byron, Davis Junction, German Valley, New Milford and Ashton |
How many deer are harvested in Ogle County?
Hunters took 1,620 deer in Ogle County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 1,540. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 3,900 and its muzzleloader quota 675. Chronic wasting disease has been detected in the county.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,620 | 1,540 | 2,570 / 3,900 | 2,452 / 675 | Yes |
| 2024-25 | 1,544 | 1,569 | 2,535 / 3,900 | 249 / 675 | Yes |
| 2023-24 | 1,457 | 1,592 | 2,516 / 3,850 | 244 / 675 | Yes |
| 2022-23 | 1,366 | 1,634 | 2,434 / 3,850 | 264 / 675 | Yes |
| 2021-22 | 1,317 | 1,705 | 2,537 / 3,850 | 303 / 675 | Yes |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Ogle County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Ogle County?
7,077 of Ogle County's 488,568 acres are public land open to the public (1.4%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 4,324 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Ogle County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 4,324 | 0.9% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 1,529 | 0.3% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 805 | 0.2% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 419 | 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 7,077 | 1.4% |
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 Ogle County
IDNR hunting sites in Ogle County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Lowden-Miller State Forest: 2,206 acres
- Castle Rock State Park: 1,645 acres
- White Pines Forest: 321 acres
- Lowden State Park: 80 acres
- Nachusa Prairie State Natural Area: 72 acres
How do you get to Ogle County?
Highways through it: IL 72 (about 46 miles inside), IL 64 (about 40 miles inside), US 51 (about 36 miles inside), I-39 (about 36 miles inside) and IL 2 (about 28 miles inside). Towns inside: Rochelle, Byron, Davis Junction, Hillcrest, Oregon and Mount Morris. Nearby: German Valley (on the line), New Milford (on the line), Ashton (on the line) and Shannon (3 miles).
Which counties border Ogle County?
Ogle County touches 7 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County | 1,404 | 2025 | 1.3% |
| Boone County | 413 | 2025 | 1.7% |
| DeKalb County | 413 | 2025 | 1.2% |
| Carroll County | 1,282 | 2025 | 5.6% |
| Whiteside County | 1,496 | 2025 | 2.1% |
| Winnebago County | 997 | 2025 | 5% |
| Stephenson County | 1,133 | 2025 | 0.5% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Ogle County in 2025-26?
1,620, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 1,544. The county record is 2,488, set in 2006.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Ogle County?
Yes, by IDNR's 2025-26 county summary. Counties where CWD is found are usually open to IDNR's CWD deer season; IDNR's deer pages list the counties each year.
Is there public hunting land in Ogle County?
7,077 acres, 1.4% 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 IDNR sites open to hunting (4,324 acres). IDNR's records show 5 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 Lee County Boone County DeKalb County Carroll County Whiteside County Winnebago County Stephenson County