Rock Island County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Rock Island County covers 451 square miles around Rock Island. Hunters took 1,618 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 1,926 (2009). That is up 7% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 4.1% of Rock Island County is public land open to the public, the largest share federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes (6,680 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 landRock Island CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 288,755 acres (451 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 1,618 (ten-year average 1,494) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 1,926 in 2009 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 4.1% (11,840 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 1 (70 acres inside Rock Island County) |
| Towns in and near it | Rock Island, Moline, East Moline, Cleveland, Sherrard and Albany |
How many deer are harvested in Rock Island County?
Hunters took 1,618 deer in Rock Island County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 1,494. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 2,700 and its muzzleloader quota 550.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,618 | 1,494 | 2,304 / 2,700 | 285 / 550 | No |
| 2024-25 | 1,513 | 1,502 | 2,181 / 2,700 | 303 / 550 | No |
| 2023-24 | 1,419 | 1,512 | 21,290 / 3,000 | 330 / 550 | No |
| 2022-23 | 1,362 | 1,531 | 2,145 / 3,000 | 340 / 550 | No |
| 2021-22 | 1,310 | 1,633 | 2,208 / 3,000 | 361 / 550 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Rock Island County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Rock Island County?
11,840 of Rock Island County's 288,755 acres are public land open to the public (4.1%). The biggest share is federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes: 6,680 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Rock Island County |
|---|---|---|
| Federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes | 6,680 | 2.3% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 2,428 | 0.8% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 1,956 | 0.7% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 563 | 0.2% |
| National wildlife refuges | 143 | under 0.1% |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 70 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 11,840 | 4.1% |
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 Rock Island County
IDNR hunting sites in Rock Island County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Andalusia Slough State Natural Area: 70 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Ms Rv Pools 11-22 Recreation Area (6,656 acres) and Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife And Fish Refuge (143 acres).
How do you get to Rock Island County?
Highways through it: IL 92 (about 72 miles inside), IL 84 (about 31 miles inside), IL 5 (about 28 miles inside), I-88 (about 27 miles inside) and I-280 (about 23 miles inside). Towns inside: Rock Island, Moline, East Moline, Milan, Silvis and Coal Valley. Nearby: Cleveland (on the line), Sherrard (on the line), Albany (on the line) and Colona (2 miles).
Which counties border Rock Island County?
Rock Island County touches 3 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henry County | 1,233 | 2025 | 0.8% |
| Mercer County | 1,716 | 2025 | 1.8% |
| Whiteside County | 1,496 | 2025 | 2.1% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Rock Island County in 2025-26?
1,618, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 1,513. The county record is 1,926, set in 2009.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Rock Island County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Rock Island County?
11,840 acres, 4.1% 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 federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes (6,680 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 Henry County Mercer County Whiteside County