Putnam County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Putnam County covers 172 square miles around Hennepin. Hunters took 763 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 1,146 (2009). That is up 3% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 7.5% of Putnam County is public land open to the public, the largest share land trusts and other open land (6,737 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 refugesOther IDNR and state landForest preserves, county and city landLand trusts and other open landPutnam CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 110,136 acres (172 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 763 (ten-year average 691) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 1,146 in 2009 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | Yes |
| Public land | 7.5% (8,257 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 5 (776 acres inside Putnam County) |
| Towns in and near it | Hennepin, Granville, Mark, Henry, Spring Valley and Bureau Junction |
How many deer are harvested in Putnam County?
Hunters took 763 deer in Putnam County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 691. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 1,275 and its muzzleloader quota 195. 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 | 763 | 691 | 1,105 / 1,275 | 158 / 195 | Yes |
| 2024-25 | 739 | 689 | 1,116 / 1,275 | 175 / 195 | Yes |
| 2023-24 | 704 | 684 | 1,000 / 1,000 | 175 / 195 | No |
| 2022-23 | 719 | 685 | 1,000 / 1,000 | 177 / 195 | No |
| 2021-22 | 650 | 705 | 1,000 / 1,000 | 170 / 195 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Putnam County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Putnam County?
8,257 of Putnam County's 110,136 acres are public land open to the public (7.5%). The biggest share is land trusts and other open land: 6,737 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Putnam County |
|---|---|---|
| Land trusts and other open land | 6,737 | 6.1% |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 776 | 0.7% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 444 | 0.4% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 300 | 0.3% |
| All public land open to the public | 8,257 | 7.5% |
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 Putnam County
IDNR hunting sites in Putnam County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Donnelley State Fish and Wildlife Area: 323 acres
- Putnam County: 234 acres
- Miller-Anderson Woods State Natural Area: 101 acres
- George S. Park Memorial Woods State Natural Area: 82 acres
- Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area: 36 acres
How do you get to Putnam County?
Highways through it: IL 89 (about 15 miles inside), IL 26 (about 14 miles inside), IL 18 (about 10 miles inside), IL 71 (about 9 miles inside) and IL 29 (about 6 miles inside). Towns inside: Hennepin, Granville, Mark, Standard, Magnolia and McNabb. Nearby: Henry (on the line), Spring Valley (on the line), Bureau Junction (on the line) and De Pue (on the line).
Which counties border Putnam County?
Putnam County touches 3 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bureau County | 1,848 | 2025 | 1.6% |
| LaSalle County | 1,561 | 2025 | 1.7% |
| Marshall County | 1,167 | 2025 | 3.6% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Putnam County in 2025-26?
763, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 739. The county record is 1,146, set in 2009.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Putnam 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 Putnam County?
8,257 acres, 7.5% 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 land trusts and other open land (6,737 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 Bureau County LaSalle County Marshall County