Richland County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Richland County covers 362 square miles around Olney. Hunters took 1,415 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 1,852 (2005). That is up 1% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 0.8% of Richland County is public land open to the public, the largest share other IDNR and state land (1,548 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 landRichland CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 231,612 acres (362 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 1,415 (ten-year average 1,268) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 1,852 in 2005 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 0.8% (1,744 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | None mapped |
| Towns in and near it | Olney, Noble, Calhoun, Sumner, Clay City and West Salem |
How many deer are harvested in Richland County?
Hunters took 1,415 deer in Richland County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 1,268. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 1,500 and its muzzleloader quota 225.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,415 | 1,268 | 1,500 / 1,500 | 201 / 225 | No |
| 2024-25 | 1,399 | 1,247 | 1,350 / 1,350 | 149 / 150 | No |
| 2023-24 | 1,311 | 1,217 | 1,300 / 1,300 | 138 / 150 | No |
| 2022-23 | 1,272 | 1,197 | 1,277 / 1,300 | 150 / 150 | No |
| 2021-22 | 1,228 | 1,203 | 1,300 / 1,300 | 130 / 140 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Richland County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Richland County?
1,744 of Richland County's 231,612 acres are public land open to the public (0.8%). The biggest share is other IDNR and state land: 1,548 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Richland County |
|---|---|---|
| Other IDNR and state land | 1,548 | 0.7% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 162 | 0.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 34 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 1,744 | 0.8% |
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.
How do you get to Richland County?
Highways through it: IL 250 (about 21 miles inside), US 50 (about 21 miles inside) and IL 130 (about 20 miles inside). Towns inside: Olney, Noble, Calhoun, Parkersburg, Claremont and Dundas. Nearby: Sumner (2 miles), Clay City (3 miles), West Salem (4 miles) and Sailor Springs (5 miles).
Which counties border Richland County?
Richland County touches 7 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | 2,752 | 2025 | 0.1% |
| Wayne County | 3,288 | 2025 | 0.5% |
| Jasper County | 2,531 | 2025 | 2.9% |
| Wabash County | 624 | 2025 | 1.2% |
| Edwards County | 854 | 2025 | 0.1% |
| Crawford County | 2,426 | 2025 | 1% |
| Lawrence County | 1,404 | 2025 | 2% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Richland County in 2025-26?
1,415, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 1,399. The county record is 1,852, set in 2005.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Richland County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Richland County?
1,744 acres, 0.8% 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 other IDNR and state land (1,548 acres).
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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 Clay County Wayne County Jasper County Wabash County Edwards County Crawford County Lawrence County