Shelby County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Shelby County covers 768 square miles around Shelbyville. Hunters took 2,769 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 2,833 (2024). That is down 2% from 2024. 1% of Shelby County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (2,852 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 huntingFederal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakesOther IDNR and state landForest preserves, county and city landLand trusts and other open landShelby CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 491,523 acres (768 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 2,769 (ten-year average 2,388) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 2,833 in 2024 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 1% (5,152 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 3 (2,853 acres inside Shelby County) |
| Towns in and near it | Shelbyville, Moweaqua, Tower Hill, Gays, Neoga and Assumption |
How many deer are harvested in Shelby County?
Hunters took 2,769 deer in Shelby County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 2,388. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 3,300 and its muzzleloader quota 550.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2,769 | 2,388 | 3,300 / 3,300 | 495 / 550 | No |
| 2024-25 | 2,833 | 2,323 | 3,300 / 3,300 | 479 / 550 | No |
| 2023-24 | 2,607 | 2,212 | 3,300 / 3,300 | 472 / 550 | No |
| 2022-23 | 2,550 | 2,124 | 3,227 / 3,300 | 446 / 550 | No |
| 2021-22 | 2,442 | 2,088 | 3,130 / 3,300 | 421 / 550 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Shelby County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Shelby County?
5,152 of Shelby County's 491,523 acres are public land open to the public (1%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 2,852 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Shelby County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 2,852 | 0.6% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 1,920 | 0.4% |
| Federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes | 318 | 0.1% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 48 | under 0.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 14 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 5,152 | 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 Shelby County
IDNR hunting sites in Shelby County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Wolf Creek State Park: 1,161 acres
- Hidden Springs State Forest: 1,009 acres
- Eagle Creek State Park: 683 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Forest Park (115 acres) and Shelbyville Lake Park (108 acres).
How do you get to Shelby County?
Highways through it: IL 128 (about 30 miles inside), IL 16 (about 29 miles inside), IL 32 (about 20 miles inside), US 51 (about 17 miles inside) and I-57 (about 7 miles inside). Towns inside: Shelbyville, Moweaqua, Tower Hill, Findlay, Windsor and Stewardson. Nearby: Gays (on the line), Neoga (on the line), Assumption (on the line) and Beecher City (2 miles).
Which counties border Shelby County?
Shelby County touches 8 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coles County | 1,671 | 2025 | 1.2% |
| Macon County | 699 | 2025 | 1.7% |
| Fayette County | 4,025 | 2025 | 2% |
| Moultrie County | 900 | 2025 | 2.8% |
| Christian County | 1,244 | 2025 | 1% |
| Effingham County | 2,180 | 2025 | 0.4% |
| Cumberland County | 1,543 | 2025 | 0% |
| Montgomery County | 2,228 | 2025 | 0.6% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Shelby County in 2025-26?
2,769, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 2,833. The county record is 2,833, set in 2024.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Shelby County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Shelby County?
5,152 acres, 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 IDNR sites open to hunting (2,852 acres). IDNR's records show 3 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 Coles County Macon County Fayette County Moultrie County Christian County Effingham County Cumberland County Montgomery County