Tazewell County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Tazewell County covers 658 square miles around East Peoria. Hunters took 1,548 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 1,750 (2005). That is down 3% from 2024. 3.1% of Tazewell County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (4,667 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 landTazewell CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 421,056 acres (658 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 1,548 (ten-year average 1,293) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 1,750 in 2005 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 3.1% (13,154 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 5 (4,662 acres inside Tazewell County) |
| Towns in and near it | East Peoria, Pekin, Morton, Kingston Mines, Peoria Heights and San Jose |
How many deer are harvested in Tazewell County?
Hunters took 1,548 deer in Tazewell County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 1,293. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 1,200 and its muzzleloader quota 225.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,548 | 1,293 | 1,200 / 1,200 | 225 / 225 | No |
| 2024-25 | 1,598 | 1,258 | 1,200 / 1,200 | 200 / 200 | No |
| 2023-24 | 1,398 | 1,202 | 1,200 / 1,200 | 200 / 200 | No |
| 2022-23 | 1,400 | 1,175 | 1,275 / 1,275 | 190 / 190 | No |
| 2021-22 | 1,210 | 1,197 | 1,275 / 1,275 | 160 / 160 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Tazewell County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Tazewell County?
13,154 of Tazewell County's 421,056 acres are public land open to the public (3.1%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 4,667 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Tazewell County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 4,667 | 1.1% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 3,853 | 0.9% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 2,275 | 0.5% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 1,656 | 0.4% |
| Federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes | 703 | 0.2% |
| All public land open to the public | 13,154 | 3.1% |
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 Tazewell County
IDNR hunting sites in Tazewell County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Mackinaw River: 1,490 acres
- Spring Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: 1,455 acres
- Powerton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: 850 acres
- Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: 788 acres
- Manito State Habitat Area: 79 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Farmdale Dam Recreation Area (703 acres).
How do you get to Tazewell County?
Highways through it: I-155 (about 42 miles inside), IL 29 (about 31 miles inside), I-74 (about 31 miles inside), IL 122 (about 27 miles inside) and US 150 (about 24 miles inside). Towns inside: East Peoria, Pekin, Morton, Washington, Creve Coeur and Delavan. Nearby: Kingston Mines (on the line), Peoria Heights (on the line), San Jose (on the line) and Manito (on the line).
Which counties border Tazewell County?
Tazewell County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Logan County | 855 | 2025 | 0.3% |
| Mason County | 1,071 | 2025 | 6% |
| Fulton County | 4,267 | 2025 | 5.7% |
| McLean County | 1,396 | 2025 | 1.3% |
| Peoria County | 2,141 | 2025 | 4.8% |
| Woodford County | 1,722 | 2025 | 1.6% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Tazewell County in 2025-26?
1,548, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 1,598. The county record is 1,750, set in 2005.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Tazewell County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Tazewell County?
13,154 acres, 3.1% 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 (4,667 acres). IDNR's records show 5 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 Logan County Mason County Fulton County McLean County Peoria County Woodford County