Sangamon County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Sangamon County covers 877 square miles around Springfield. Hunters took 1,743 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 1,980 (2006). That is up 2% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 0.7% of Sangamon County is public land open to the public, the largest share forest preserves, county and city land (2,530 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 landSangamon CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 561,301 acres (877 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 1,743 (ten-year average 1,546) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 1,980 in 2006 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 0.7% (3,985 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 2 (888 acres inside Sangamon County) |
| Towns in and near it | Springfield, Chatham, Auburn, Ashland, Waverly and Virden |
How many deer are harvested in Sangamon County?
Hunters took 1,743 deer in Sangamon County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 1,546. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 1,450 and its muzzleloader quota 425.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,743 | 1,546 | 1,450 / 1,450 | 425 / 425 | No |
| 2024-25 | 1,707 | 1,528 | 1,250 / 1,250 | 375 / 375 | No |
| 2023-24 | 1,541 | 1,499 | 1,250 / 1,250 | 375 / 375 | No |
| 2022-23 | 1,488 | 1,486 | 1,350 / 1,350 | 335 / 335 | No |
| 2021-22 | 1,450 | 1,523 | 1,350 / 1,350 | 290 / 290 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Sangamon County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Sangamon County?
3,985 of Sangamon County's 561,301 acres are public land open to the public (0.7%). The biggest share is forest preserves, county and city land: 2,530 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Sangamon County |
|---|---|---|
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 2,530 | 0.5% |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 888 | 0.2% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 494 | 0.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 60 | under 0.1% |
| Federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes | 13 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 3,985 | 0.7% |
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 Sangamon County
IDNR hunting sites in Sangamon County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Sangchris Lake State Park: 707 acres
- Sangamon River State Fish and Wildlife Area: 181 acres
How do you get to Sangamon County?
Highways through it: I-72 (about 89 miles inside), US 36 (about 89 miles inside), I-55 (about 69 miles inside), IL 29 (about 43 miles inside) and IL 4 (about 39 miles inside). Towns inside: Springfield, Chatham, Auburn, Riverton, Sherman and Rochester. Nearby: Ashland (on the line), Waverly (on the line), Virden (on the line) and Athens (on the line).
Which counties border Sangamon County?
Sangamon County touches 8 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cass County | 1,475 | 2025 | 10.8% |
| Logan County | 855 | 2025 | 0.3% |
| Macon County | 699 | 2025 | 1.7% |
| Menard County | 891 | 2025 | 0.4% |
| Morgan County | 1,483 | 2025 | 0.9% |
| Macoupin County | 3,533 | 2025 | 0.3% |
| Christian County | 1,244 | 2025 | 1% |
| Montgomery County | 2,228 | 2025 | 0.6% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Sangamon County in 2025-26?
1,743, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 1,707. The county record is 1,980, set in 2006.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Sangamon County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Sangamon County?
3,985 acres, 0.7% 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 forest preserves, county and city land (2,530 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 Cass County Logan County Macon County Menard County Morgan County Macoupin County Christian County Montgomery County