Williamson County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Williamson County covers 444 square miles around Marion. Hunters took 3,400 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 3,517 (2022). That is down 2% from 2024. 32.1% of Williamson County is public land open to the public, the largest share land trusts and other open land (46,871 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 landWilliamson CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 284,378 acres (444 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 3,400 (ten-year average 3,228) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 3,517 in 2022 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 32.1% (91,316 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | None mapped |
| Towns in and near it | Marion, Herrin, Carterville, Stonefort, Royalton and New Burnside |
How many deer are harvested in Williamson County?
Hunters took 3,400 deer in Williamson County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 3,228. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 4,200 and its muzzleloader quota 395.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 3,400 | 3,228 | 4,200 / 4,200 | 363 / 395 | No |
| 2024-25 | 3,458 | 3,206 | 4,200 / 4,200 | 352 / 395 | No |
| 2023-24 | 3,324 | 3,143 | 4,200 / 4,200 | 345 / 395 | No |
| 2022-23 | 3,517 | 3,074 | 4,175 / 4,200 | 332 / 395 | No |
| 2021-22 | 3,033 | 2,984 | 4,029 / 4,200 | 325 / 395 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Williamson County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Williamson County?
91,316 of Williamson County's 284,378 acres are public land open to the public (32.1%). The biggest share is land trusts and other open land: 46,871 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Williamson County |
|---|---|---|
| Land trusts and other open land | 46,871 | 16.5% |
| National wildlife refuges | 43,670 | 15.4% |
| National forest | 329 | 0.1% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 276 | 0.1% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 169 | 0.1% |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 1 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 91,316 | 32.1% |
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.
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge (43,670 acres) and Shawnee Purchase Unit (328 acres).
How do you get to Williamson County?
Highways through it: IL 13 (about 48 miles inside), I-57 (about 38 miles inside), IL 37 (about 19 miles inside), IL 148 (about 19 miles inside) and IL 166 (about 16 miles inside). Towns inside: Marion, Herrin, Carterville, Johnston City, Pittsburg and Crainville. Nearby: Stonefort (on the line), Royalton (on the line), New Burnside (2 miles) and West Frankfort (3 miles).
Which counties border Williamson County?
Williamson County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pope County | 2,070 | 2025 | 39.8% |
| Union County | 2,109 | 2025 | 21.3% |
| Saline County | 1,814 | 2025 | 12.3% |
| Jackson County | 3,340 | 2025 | 17.2% |
| Johnson County | 1,993 | 2025 | 44.7% |
| Franklin County | 2,638 | 2025 | 1.1% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Williamson County in 2025-26?
3,400, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 3,458. The county record is 3,517, set in 2022.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Williamson County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Williamson County?
91,316 acres, 32.1% 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 land trusts and other open land (46,871 acres).
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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 Pope County Union County Saline County Jackson County Johnson County Franklin County