Illinois deer hunting update: Archery harvest stays up, 1st late-winter/CWD down

Here’s an update on the 2017-18 Illinois Archery Deer Season and the 2017-18 Illinois Late Winter Antlerless-Only and Special CWD deer seasons from the Illinois DNR. LATE WINTER/SPECIAL CWD DEER SEASON During the first 4-day segment of the Late Winter and Special CWD Deer Seasons (Dec. 28-31),Illinois deer hunters harvested a preliminary total of1,714 deer, compared to2,654 in those same countiesin 2016. This year, 15 counties were open to the Special CWD Season, and 22 counties were open to Late Winter Deer Hunting. Top five counties wereJoDaviess (156), Perry (143), Fulton (134), Brown (94), and Schuyler (88). The Late Winter and Special CWD seasons will conclude onJan. 12-14. ARCHERY DEER SEASON ThroughTuesday, January 2, Illinois archery deer hunters harvested a preliminary total of55,724deer, compared to51,381for the same period in 2016. Total harvestto date hasconsisted of45% does and55% males (25107:30617). During the past 7 days, harvest sex ratios have been 58% female and 42% male. Top five counties werePike(1959),Fulton(1563), Jefferson (1316),Adams (1223),andWilliamson(1105). The archery season remains open throughJan. 14. County resultsfor each of the seasonsare included in the attached tables [below]. Up-to-date archery harvest figures (for either deer or turkey) by county/state sites can be tracked on the web athttp://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/Pages/IDNRHarvestQuery.aspx [Editorial note: The link above provides updated harvest data, but does not have comparison to the same time in the previous season.]