Pike County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Pike County covers 849 square miles around Pittsfield. Hunters took 4,724 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 9,033 (2006). That is up 4% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 1.6% of Pike County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (5,496 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 refugesFederal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakesOther IDNR and state landForest preserves, county and city landLand trusts and other open landPike CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 543,305 acres (849 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 4,724 (ten-year average 4,433) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 9,033 in 2006 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 1.6% (8,710 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 3 (5,497 acres inside Pike County) |
| Towns in and near it | Pittsfield, Hull, Pearl, Naples, Meredosia and Plainville |
How many deer are harvested in Pike County?
Hunters took 4,724 deer in Pike County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 4,433. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 4,500 and its muzzleloader quota 900.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 4,724 | 4,433 | 4,500 / 4,500 | 882 / 900 | No |
| 2024-25 | 4,555 | 4,459 | 4,500 / 4,500 | 900 / 900 | No |
| 2023-24 | 4,306 | 4,521 | 4,500 / 4,500 | 849 / 900 | No |
| 2022-23 | 4,333 | 4,655 | 4,500 / 4,500 | 890 / 900 | No |
| 2021-22 | 4,081 | 4,946 | 4,800 / 4,800 | 881 / 885 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Pike County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Pike County?
8,710 of Pike County's 543,305 acres are public land open to the public (1.6%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 5,496 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Pike County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 5,496 | 1% |
| National wildlife refuges | 1,707 | 0.3% |
| Federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes | 1,046 | 0.2% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 225 | under 0.1% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 204 | under 0.1% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 32 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 8,710 | 1.6% |
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 Pike County
IDNR hunting sites in Pike County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Mississippi River Pool #24: 3,010 acres
- Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife Area: 1,728 acres
- Mississippi River Pool #22: 759 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Great River National Wildlife Refuge (1,712 acres) and Ms Rv Pools 11-22 Recreation Area (1,518 acres).
How do you get to Pike County?
Highways through it: US 36 (about 84 miles inside), I-72 (about 84 miles inside), IL 106 (about 44 miles inside), IL 96 (about 34 miles inside) and US 54 (about 24 miles inside). Towns inside: Pittsfield, Hull, Pearl, Barry, Griggsville and New Salem. Nearby: Naples (on the line), Meredosia (on the line), Plainville (2 miles) and Versailles (3 miles).
Which counties border Pike County?
Pike County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County | 4,249 | 2025 | 3% |
| Brown County | 2,183 | 2025 | 2.5% |
| Scott County | 707 | 2025 | 0% |
| Greene County | 2,177 | 2025 | 0.5% |
| Morgan County | 1,483 | 2025 | 0.9% |
| Calhoun County | 1,696 | 2025 | 10.4% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Pike County in 2025-26?
4,724, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 4,555. The county record is 9,033, set in 2006.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Pike County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Pike County?
8,710 acres, 1.6% 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 (5,496 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 Adams County Brown County Scott County Greene County Morgan County Calhoun County