Pulaski County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Pulaski County covers 203 square miles around Olmsted. Hunters took 588 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 1,171 (2007). That is down 6% from 2024. 10.4% of Pulaski County is public land open to the public, the largest share national wildlife refuges (10,602 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 forestNational wildlife refugesOther IDNR and state landLand trusts and other open landPulaski CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 129,966 acres (203 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 588 (ten-year average 609) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 1,171 in 2007 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 10.4% (13,529 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 1 (2,195 acres inside Pulaski County) |
| Towns in and near it | Olmsted, Ullin, Karnak, Mill Creek, Tamms and Belknap |
How many deer are harvested in Pulaski County?
Hunters took 588 deer in Pulaski County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 609. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 500 and its muzzleloader quota 100.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 588 | 609 | 500 / 500 | 100 / 100 | No |
| 2024-25 | 623 | 626 | 500 / 500 | 100 / 100 | No |
| 2023-24 | 602 | 647 | 500 / 500 | 100 / 100 | No |
| 2022-23 | 643 | 674 | 500 / 500 | 80 / 80 | No |
| 2021-22 | 567 | 707 | 500 / 500 | 80 / 80 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Pulaski County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Pulaski County?
13,529 of Pulaski County's 129,966 acres are public land open to the public (10.4%). The biggest share is national wildlife refuges: 10,602 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Pulaski County |
|---|---|---|
| National wildlife refuges | 10,602 | 8.2% |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 2,195 | 1.7% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 643 | 0.5% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 83 | 0.1% |
| National forest | 6 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 13,529 | 10.4% |
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 Pulaski County
IDNR hunting sites in Pulaski County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Cache River State Natural Area: 2,195 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge (10,612 acres).
How do you get to Pulaski County?
Highways through it: I-57 (about 36 miles inside), US 51 (about 35 miles inside), IL 37 (about 20 miles inside) and IL 169 (about 5 miles inside). Towns inside: Olmsted, Ullin, Karnak, Pulaski, Mounds and New Grand Chain. Nearby: Mill Creek (on the line), Tamms (on the line), Belknap (on the line) and Dongola (2 miles).
Which counties border Pulaski County?
Pulaski County touches 4 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Union County | 2,109 | 2025 | 21.3% |
| Massac County | 734 | 2025 | 6.1% |
| Johnson County | 1,993 | 2025 | 44.7% |
| Alexander County | 602 | 2025 | 27.4% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Pulaski County in 2025-26?
588, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 623. The county record is 1,171, set in 2007.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Pulaski County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Pulaski County?
13,529 acres, 10.4% 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 national wildlife refuges (10,602 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 Union County Massac County Johnson County Alexander County