Peoria County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Peoria County covers 630 square miles around Peoria. Hunters took 2,141 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 3,366 (2009). That is up 14% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 4.8% of Peoria County is public land open to the public, the largest share forest preserves, county and city land (7,558 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 landPeoria CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 403,341 acres (630 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 2,141 (ten-year average 1,920) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 3,366 in 2009 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | Yes |
| Public land | 4.8% (19,541 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 3 (6,181 acres inside Peoria County) |
| Towns in and near it | Peoria, Bartonville, Chillicothe, Spring Bay, Hopewell and Creve Coeur |
How many deer are harvested in Peoria County?
Hunters took 2,141 deer in Peoria County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 1,920. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 3,000 and its muzzleloader quota 425. 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 | 2,141 | 1,920 | 2,998 / 3,000 | 401 / 425 | Yes |
| 2024-25 | 1,871 | 1,909 | 2,400 / 2,400 | 360 / 360 | Yes |
| 2023-24 | 1,960 | 1,927 | 2,400 / 2,400 | 360 / 360 | No |
| 2022-23 | 1,968 | 1,945 | 2,600 / 2,600 | 360 / 360 | No |
| 2021-22 | 1,900 | 2,052 | 2,600 / 2,600 | 360 / 360 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Peoria County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Peoria County?
19,541 of Peoria County's 403,341 acres are public land open to the public (4.8%). The biggest share is forest preserves, county and city land: 7,558 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Peoria County |
|---|---|---|
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 7,558 | 1.9% |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 6,184 | 1.5% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 4,058 | 1% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 1,741 | 0.4% |
| All public land open to the public | 19,541 | 4.8% |
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 Peoria County
IDNR hunting sites in Peoria County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Jubilee College State Park: 3,032 acres
- Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area: 2,189 acres
- Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area: 960 acres
How do you get to Peoria County?
Highways through it: I-74 (about 51 miles inside), IL 29 (about 36 miles inside), US 150 (about 35 miles inside), US 24 (about 32 miles inside) and IL 8 (about 25 miles inside). Towns inside: Peoria, Bartonville, Chillicothe, Dunlap, Peoria Heights and Bellevue. Nearby: Spring Bay (on the line), Hopewell (on the line), Creve Coeur (on the line) and Farmington (on the line).
Which counties border Peoria County?
Peoria County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knox County | 2,339 | 2025 | 1.3% |
| Stark County | 395 | 2025 | 0.1% |
| Fulton County | 4,267 | 2025 | 5.7% |
| Marshall County | 1,167 | 2025 | 3.6% |
| Tazewell County | 1,548 | 2025 | 3.1% |
| Woodford County | 1,722 | 2025 | 1.6% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Peoria County in 2025-26?
2,141, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 1,871. The county record is 3,366, set in 2009.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Peoria 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 Peoria County?
19,541 acres, 4.8% 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 forest preserves, county and city land (7,558 acres). IDNR's records show 3 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 Knox County Stark County Fulton County Marshall County Tazewell County Woodford County