Union County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Union County covers 422 square miles around Anna. Hunters took 2,109 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 3,213 (2007). That is down 2% from 2024. 21.3% of Union County is public land open to the public, the largest share national forest (38,354 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 forestNational wildlife refugesOther IDNR and state landForest preserves, county and city landLand trusts and other open landUnion CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 270,131 acres (422 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 2,109 (ten-year average 2,266) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 3,213 in 2007 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 21.3% (57,424 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 7 (14,412 acres inside Union County) |
| Towns in and near it | Anna, Jonesboro, Alto Pass, Cypress, Makanda and McClure |
How many deer are harvested in Union County?
Hunters took 2,109 deer in Union County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 2,266. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 2,500 and its muzzleloader quota 450.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2,109 | 2,266 | 2,500 / 2,500 | 450 / 450 | No |
| 2024-25 | 2,162 | 2,332 | 2,497 / 2,500 | 379 / 380 | No |
| 2023-24 | 2,098 | 2,384 | 2,500 / 2,500 | 355 / 355 | No |
| 2022-23 | 2,212 | 2,448 | 2,493 / 2,500 | 355 / 355 | No |
| 2021-22 | 2,064 | 2,492 | 2,700 / 2,700 | 320 / 320 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Union County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Union County?
57,424 of Union County's 270,131 acres are public land open to the public (21.3%). The biggest share is national forest: 38,354 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Union County |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 38,354 | 14.2% |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 14,411 | 5.3% |
| National wildlife refuges | 3,953 | 1.5% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 484 | 0.2% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 173 | 0.1% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 49 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 57,424 | 21.3% |
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 Union County
IDNR hunting sites in Union County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Union County State Fish and Wildlife Area: 6,095 acres
- Trail of Tears State Forest: 4,566 acres
- Giant City State Park: 1,684 acres
- Devil's Island State Fish and Wildlife Area: 1,188 acres
- Cypress Pond State Natural Area: 427 acres
- Ferne Clyffe State Park: 371 acres
- Guthrie Cave State Natural Area: 81 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Shawnee National Forest (37,106 acres), Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge (2,782 acres), Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge (1,183 acres), Middle Mississippi Purchase Unit (1,091 acres) and Shawnee Purchase Unit (169 acres).
How do you get to Union County?
Highways through it: IL 146 (about 46 miles inside), US 51 (about 42 miles inside), IL 3 (about 34 miles inside), I-57 (about 34 miles inside) and IL 127 (about 21 miles inside). Towns inside: Anna, Jonesboro, Alto Pass, Cobden, Dongola and Mill Creek. Nearby: Cypress (on the line), Makanda (2 miles), McClure (2 miles) and East Cape Girardeau (3 miles).
Which counties border Union County?
Union County touches 5 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 3,340 | 2025 | 17.2% |
| Johnson County | 1,993 | 2025 | 44.7% |
| Pulaski County | 588 | 2025 | 10.4% |
| Alexander County | 602 | 2025 | 27.4% |
| Williamson County | 3,400 | 2025 | 32.1% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Union County in 2025-26?
2,109, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 2,162. The county record is 3,213, set in 2007.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Union County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Union County?
57,424 acres, 21.3% 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 (38,354 acres). IDNR's records show 7 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 Jackson County Johnson County Pulaski County Alexander County Williamson County