Woodford County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Woodford County covers 543 square miles around Eureka. Hunters took 1,722 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 2,035 (2007). That is down 3% from 2024. 1.6% of Woodford County is public land open to the public, the largest share land trusts and other open land (2,691 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 huntingFederal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakesOther IDNR and state landForest preserves, county and city landLand trusts and other open landWoodford CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 347,456 acres (543 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 1,722 (ten-year average 1,436) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 2,035 in 2007 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 1.6% (5,562 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 1 (2,075 acres inside Woodford County) |
| Towns in and near it | Eureka, Minonk, Metamora, Deer Creek, Peoria Heights and Carlock |
How many deer are harvested in Woodford County?
Hunters took 1,722 deer in Woodford County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 1,436. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 2,250 and its muzzleloader quota 450.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,722 | 1,436 | 2,113 / 2,250 | 425 / 450 | No |
| 2024-25 | 1,782 | 1,395 | 1,950 / 1,950 | 401 / 450 | No |
| 2023-24 | 1,660 | 1,327 | 1,500 / 1,500 | 325 / 325 | No |
| 2022-23 | 1,544 | 1,286 | 1,300 / 1,300 | 260 / 260 | No |
| 2021-22 | 1,385 | 1,315 | 1,300 / 1,300 | 240 / 240 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Woodford County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Woodford County?
5,562 of Woodford County's 347,456 acres are public land open to the public (1.6%). The biggest share is land trusts and other open land: 2,691 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Woodford County |
|---|---|---|
| Land trusts and other open land | 2,691 | 0.8% |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 2,075 | 0.6% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 521 | 0.1% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 275 | 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 5,562 | 1.6% |
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 Woodford County
IDNR hunting sites in Woodford County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area: 2,075 acres
How do you get to Woodford County?
Highways through it: IL 116 (about 44 miles inside), I-39 (about 39 miles inside), US 51 (about 38 miles inside), IL 117 (about 27 miles inside) and IL 251 (about 21 miles inside). Towns inside: Eureka, Minonk, Metamora, El Paso, Germantown Hills and Goodfield. Nearby: Deer Creek (on the line), Peoria Heights (on the line), Carlock (on the line) and Chillicothe (on the line).
Which counties border Woodford County?
Woodford County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| McLean County | 1,396 | 2025 | 1.3% |
| Peoria County | 2,141 | 2025 | 4.8% |
| LaSalle County | 1,561 | 2025 | 1.7% |
| Marshall County | 1,167 | 2025 | 3.6% |
| Tazewell County | 1,548 | 2025 | 3.1% |
| Livingston County | 775 | 2025 | 0.2% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Woodford County in 2025-26?
1,722, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 1,782. The county record is 2,035, set in 2007.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Woodford County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Woodford County?
5,562 acres, 1.6% 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 (2,691 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 McLean County Peoria County LaSalle County Marshall County Tazewell County Livingston County