Saline County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Saline County covers 387 square miles around Harrisburg. Hunters took 1,814 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 1,913 (2010). That is up 2% from 2024. 12.3% of Saline County is public land open to the public, the largest share national forest (14,492 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 forestOther IDNR and state landForest preserves, county and city landLand trusts and other open landSaline CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 247,666 acres (387 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 1,814 (ten-year average 1,705) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 1,913 in 2010 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 12.3% (30,565 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 2 (3,129 acres inside Saline County) |
| Towns in and near it | Harrisburg, Eldorado, Raleigh, Equality, Broughton and Thompsonville |
How many deer are harvested in Saline County?
Hunters took 1,814 deer in Saline County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 1,705. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 2,800 and its muzzleloader quota 300.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,814 | 1,705 | 2,800 / 2,800 | 267 / 300 | No |
| 2024-25 | 1,785 | 1,697 | 2,730 / 2,800 | 271 / 300 | No |
| 2023-24 | 1,723 | 1,670 | 2,700 / 2,800 | 271 / 300 | No |
| 2022-23 | 1,840 | 1,644 | 2,486 / 2,800 | 271 / 300 | No |
| 2021-22 | 1,571 | 1,633 | 2,468 / 2,800 | 287 / 300 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Saline County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Saline County?
30,565 of Saline County's 247,666 acres are public land open to the public (12.3%). The biggest share is national forest: 14,492 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Saline County |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 14,492 | 5.9% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 10,676 | 4.3% |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 3,129 | 1.3% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 2,177 | 0.9% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 91 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 30,565 | 12.3% |
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 Saline County
IDNR hunting sites in Saline County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Sahara Woods State Recreation Area: 2,420 acres
- Saline County State Fish and Wildlife Area: 709 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Shawnee National Forest (14,406 acres).
How do you get to Saline County?
Highways through it: US 45 (about 50 miles inside), IL 34 (about 35 miles inside), IL 13 (about 27 miles inside) and IL 142 (about 24 miles inside). Towns inside: Harrisburg, Eldorado, Raleigh, Galatia, Stonefort and Carrier Mills. Nearby: Equality (2 miles), Broughton (2 miles), Thompsonville (3 miles) and Omaha (4 miles).
Which counties border Saline County?
Saline County touches 8 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pope County | 2,070 | 2025 | 39.8% |
| White County | 1,790 | 2025 | 0.4% |
| Hardin County | 902 | 2025 | 25% |
| Johnson County | 1,993 | 2025 | 44.7% |
| Franklin County | 2,638 | 2025 | 1.1% |
| Gallatin County | 734 | 2025 | 5.8% |
| Hamilton County | 2,671 | 2025 | 1.8% |
| Williamson County | 3,400 | 2025 | 32.1% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Saline County in 2025-26?
1,814, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 1,785. The county record is 1,913, set in 2010.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Saline County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Saline County?
30,565 acres, 12.3% 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 forest (14,492 acres). IDNR's records show 2 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 Pope County White County Hardin County Johnson County Franklin County Gallatin County Hamilton County Williamson County