Scott County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Scott County covers 253 square miles around Winchester. Hunters took 707 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 1,214 (2005). That is down 1% from 2024. Almost none of Scott County is public land (USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records), so most hunting here is on private land with permission.
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 landLand trusts and other open landScott CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 161,716 acres (253 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 707 (ten-year average 676) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 1,214 in 2005 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | Yes |
| Public land | 0% (1 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | None mapped |
| Towns in and near it | Winchester, Manchester, Glasgow, Valley City, Florence and Chapin |
How many deer are harvested in Scott County?
Hunters took 707 deer in Scott County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 676. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 600 and its muzzleloader quota 125. 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 | 707 | 676 | 600 / 600 | 125 / 125 | Yes |
| 2024-25 | 717 | 676 | 600 / 600 | 125 / 125 | No |
| 2023-24 | 765 | 669 | 600 / 600 | 125 / 125 | No |
| 2022-23 | 698 | 661 | 600 / 600 | 110 / 110 | No |
| 2021-22 | 680 | 685 | 700 / 700 | 105 / 105 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Scott County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Scott County?
1 of Scott County's 161,716 acres are public land open to the public (0%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 1 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Scott County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 1 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 1 | under 0.1% |
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.
How do you get to Scott County?
Highways through it: US 36 (about 29 miles inside), I-72 (about 29 miles inside), IL 106 (about 17 miles inside), IL 100 (about 14 miles inside) and US 67 (about 8 miles inside). Towns inside: Winchester, Manchester, Glasgow, Bluffs, Exeter and Naples. Nearby: Valley City (on the line), Florence (on the line), Chapin (on the line) and Lynnville (on the line).
Which counties border Scott County?
Scott County touches 3 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pike County | 4,724 | 2025 | 1.6% |
| Greene County | 2,177 | 2025 | 0.5% |
| Morgan County | 1,483 | 2025 | 0.9% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Scott County in 2025-26?
707, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 717. The county record is 1,214, set in 2005.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Scott 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 Scott County?
1 acres, 0% 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 IDNR sites open to hunting (1 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.