Vermilion County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Vermilion County covers 901 square miles around Danville. Hunters took 1,938 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 2,353 (2009). That is up 8% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 2% of Vermilion County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (6,679 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 landVermilion CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 576,797 acres (901 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 1,938 (ten-year average 1,670) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 2,353 in 2009 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 2% (11,349 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 4 (6,679 acres inside Vermilion County) |
| Towns in and near it | Danville, Tilton, Hoopeston, Ogden, Homer and Royal |
How many deer are harvested in Vermilion County?
Hunters took 1,938 deer in Vermilion County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 1,670. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 2,250 and its muzzleloader quota 425.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,938 | 1,670 | 2,060 / 2,250 | 394 / 425 | No |
| 2024-25 | 1,791 | 1,644 | 1,933 / 2,250 | 384 / 425 | No |
| 2023-24 | 1,822 | 1,617 | 1,800 / 1,800 | 407 / 425 | No |
| 2022-23 | 1,788 | 1,601 | 1,500 / 1,500 | 375 / 375 | No |
| 2021-22 | 1,729 | 1,640 | 335 / 335 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Vermilion County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Vermilion County?
11,349 of Vermilion County's 576,797 acres are public land open to the public (2%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 6,679 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Vermilion County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 6,679 | 1.2% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 2,425 | 0.4% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 1,630 | 0.3% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 615 | 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 11,349 | 2% |
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 Vermilion County
IDNR hunting sites in Vermilion County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Middle Fork State Fish and Wildlife Area: 2,665 acres
- Kickapoo State Recreation Area: 2,555 acres
- Harry Babe Woodyard State Natural Area: 1,324 acres
- Herschel Workman State Habitat Area: 135 acres
How do you get to Vermilion County?
Highways through it: I-74 (about 44 miles inside), IL 1 (about 43 miles inside), US 150 (about 37 miles inside), US 136 (about 33 miles inside) and IL 49 (about 30 miles inside). Towns inside: Danville, Tilton, Hoopeston, Ridge Farm, Westville and Georgetown. Nearby: Ogden (on the line), Homer (on the line), Royal (2 miles) and Broadlands (3 miles).
Which counties border Vermilion County?
Vermilion County touches 5 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford County | 227 | 2025 | 0.3% |
| Edgar County | 1,248 | 2025 | 0.1% |
| Douglas County | 467 | 2025 | 0.4% |
| Iroquois County | 1,323 | 2025 | 0.5% |
| Champaign County | 678 | 2025 | 0.7% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Vermilion County in 2025-26?
1,938, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 1,791. The county record is 2,353, set in 2009.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Vermilion County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Vermilion County?
11,349 acres, 2% 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 (6,679 acres). IDNR's records show 4 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 Ford County Edgar County Douglas County Iroquois County Champaign County