Whiteside County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Whiteside County covers 696 square miles around Sterling. Hunters took 1,496 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 1,704 (2005). That is up 7% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 2.1% of Whiteside County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (4,056 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 landWhiteside CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 445,691 acres (696 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 1,496 (ten-year average 1,209) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 1,704 in 2005 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 2.1% (9,318 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 4 (4,055 acres inside Whiteside County) |
| Towns in and near it | Sterling, Rock Falls, Morrison, Hillsdale, Nelson and Milledgeville |
How many deer are harvested in Whiteside County?
Hunters took 1,496 deer in Whiteside County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 1,209. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 2,250 and its muzzleloader quota 260.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,496 | 1,209 | 2,120 / 2,250 | 249 / 260 | No |
| 2024-25 | 1,394 | 1,186 | 2,110 / 2,250 | 245 / 260 | No |
| 2023-24 | 1,293 | 1,156 | 1,800 / 1,800 | 248 / 260 | No |
| 2022-23 | 1,178 | 1,153 | 1,877 / 2,025 | 246 / 260 | No |
| 2021-22 | 1,055 | 1,189 | 1,877 / 1,900 | 250 / 250 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Whiteside County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Whiteside County?
9,318 of Whiteside County's 445,691 acres are public land open to the public (2.1%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 4,056 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Whiteside County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 4,056 | 0.9% |
| Federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes | 2,867 | 0.6% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 914 | 0.2% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 577 | 0.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 571 | 0.1% |
| National wildlife refuges | 333 | 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 9,318 | 2.1% |
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 Whiteside County
IDNR hunting sites in Whiteside County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Big Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area: 2,655 acres
- Morrison-Rockwood State Park: 1,069 acres
- Sinnissippi Lake: 319 acres
- Coleta Ponds State Fish and Wildlife Area: 12 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Ms Rv Pools 11-22 Recreation Area (2,884 acres) and Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife And Fish Refuge (333 acres).
How do you get to Whiteside County?
Highways through it: I-88 (about 62 miles inside), IL 5 (about 62 miles inside), US 30 (about 32 miles inside), IL 40 (about 28 miles inside) and IL 78 (about 27 miles inside). Towns inside: Sterling, Rock Falls, Morrison, Fulton, Erie and Prophetstown. Nearby: Hillsdale (on the line), Nelson (on the line), Milledgeville (2 miles) and Walnut (3 miles).
Which counties border Whiteside County?
Whiteside County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County | 1,404 | 2025 | 1.3% |
| Ogle County | 1,620 | 2025 | 1.4% |
| Henry County | 1,233 | 2025 | 0.8% |
| Bureau County | 1,848 | 2025 | 1.6% |
| Carroll County | 1,282 | 2025 | 5.6% |
| Rock Island County | 1,618 | 2025 | 4.1% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Whiteside County in 2025-26?
1,496, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 1,394. The county record is 1,704, set in 2005.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Whiteside County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Whiteside County?
9,318 acres, 2.1% 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 (4,056 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 Lee County Ogle County Henry County Bureau County Carroll County Rock Island County