White County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
White County covers 502 square miles around Carmi. Hunters took 1,790 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 2,299 (2005). That is up 7% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 0.4% of White County is public land open to the public, the largest share land trusts and other open land (1,139 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 landWhite CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 321,202 acres (502 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 1,790 (ten-year average 1,552) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 2,299 in 2005 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 0.4% (1,202 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 1 (36 acres inside White County) |
| Towns in and near it | Carmi, Grayville, Norris City, New Haven, Omaha and Broughton |
How many deer are harvested in White County?
Hunters took 1,790 deer in White County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 1,552. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 1,800 and its muzzleloader quota 300.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,790 | 1,552 | 1,800 / 1,800 | 290 / 300 | No |
| 2024-25 | 1,668 | 1,546 | 1,797 / 1,800 | 250 / 250 | No |
| 2023-24 | 1,588 | 1,556 | 1,800 / 1,800 | 250 / 250 | No |
| 2022-23 | 1,625 | 1,568 | 1,900 / 1,900 | 250 / 250 | No |
| 2021-22 | 1,408 | 1,586 | 1,877 / 1,900 | 250 / 250 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), White County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in White County?
1,202 of White County's 321,202 acres are public land open to the public (0.4%). The biggest share is land trusts and other open land: 1,139 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of White County |
|---|---|---|
| Land trusts and other open land | 1,139 | 0.4% |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 36 | under 0.1% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 27 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 1,202 | 0.4% |
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 White County
IDNR hunting sites in White County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
How do you get to White County?
Highways through it: IL 1 (about 35 miles inside), I-64 (about 29 miles inside), IL 14 (about 26 miles inside), US 45 (about 25 miles inside) and IL 8 (about 13 miles inside). Towns inside: Carmi, Grayville, Norris City, Enfield, Mill Shoals and Crossville. Nearby: New Haven (on the line), Omaha (on the line), Broughton (5 miles) and Golden Gate (7 miles).
Which counties border White County?
White County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County | 3,288 | 2025 | 0.5% |
| Saline County | 1,814 | 2025 | 12.3% |
| Wabash County | 624 | 2025 | 1.2% |
| Edwards County | 854 | 2025 | 0.1% |
| Gallatin County | 734 | 2025 | 5.8% |
| Hamilton County | 2,671 | 2025 | 1.8% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in White County in 2025-26?
1,790, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 1,668. The county record is 2,299, set in 2005.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in White County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in White County?
1,202 acres, 0.4% 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 land trusts and other open land (1,139 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 Wayne County Saline County Wabash County Edwards County Gallatin County Hamilton County