Washington County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Washington County covers 564 square miles around Nashville. Hunters took 2,439 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 2,439 (2025). That is up 7% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 0.5% of Washington County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (888 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 landWashington CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 360,914 acres (564 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 2,439 (ten-year average 1,790) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 2,439 in 2025 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 0.5% (1,835 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 1 (888 acres inside Washington County) |
| Towns in and near it | Nashville, Okawville, Oakdale, Tilden, St. Libory and Centralia |
How many deer are harvested in Washington County?
Hunters took 2,439 deer in Washington County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 1,790. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 2,700 and its muzzleloader quota 500.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2,439 | 1,790 | 2,700 / 2,700 | 500 / 500 | No |
| 2024-25 | 2,274 | 1,709 | 2,100 / 2,100 | 350 / 350 | No |
| 2023-24 | 1,860 | 1,624 | 1,900 / 1,900 | 350 / 350 | No |
| 2022-23 | 1,818 | 1,579 | 1,900 / 1,900 | 285 / 285 | No |
| 2021-22 | 1,620 | 1,550 | 1,900 / 1,900 | 270 / 270 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Washington County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Washington County?
1,835 of Washington County's 360,914 acres are public land open to the public (0.5%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 888 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Washington County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 888 | 0.2% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 638 | 0.2% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 258 | 0.1% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 51 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 1,835 | 0.5% |
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 Washington County
IDNR hunting sites in Washington County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Washington County State Recreation Area: 888 acres
How do you get to Washington County?
Highways through it: I-64 (about 51 miles inside), IL 15 (about 31 miles inside), US 51 (about 27 miles inside), IL 177 (about 27 miles inside) and IL 127 (about 22 miles inside). Towns inside: Nashville, Okawville, Oakdale, Wamac, Richview and Ashley. Nearby: Tilden (on the line), St. Libory (on the line), Centralia (2 miles) and Hoffman (2 miles).
Which counties border Washington County?
Washington County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perry County | 2,993 | 2025 | 6.7% |
| Marion County | 3,885 | 2025 | 1.1% |
| Clinton County | 1,748 | 2025 | 1.1% |
| Randolph County | 4,148 | 2025 | 5.8% |
| Jefferson County | 5,124 | 2025 | 4.8% |
| St. Clair County | 1,928 | 2025 | 4.2% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Washington County in 2025-26?
2,439, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 2,274. The county record is 2,439, set in 2025.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Washington County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Washington County?
1,835 acres, 0.5% 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 (888 acres). IDNR's records show 1 site 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 Perry County Marion County Clinton County Randolph County Jefferson County St. Clair County