Not sure how much to read into the harvest downturn in the youth firearm deer hunt, held Saturday through Monday.
I think weather, especially on Saturday, probably contributed. Or maybe it was just a statistical anomaly.
I say that in part because the archery deer harvest through Monday is about what it was last year at the same point.
Here is the breakdown from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources:
ARCHERY DEER SEASON Through Monday, October 9, 2017, Illinois archery deer hunters harvested a preliminary total of 5,281 deer, compared to 5,413 for the same period in 2016. Harvest to date has consisted of 70% does and 30% males (3678:1603). Top five counties were Jefferson (150), Pike (127), Franklin (122), Fulton (118), and Jackson (104). YOUTH DEER SEASON Youth deer hunters harvested a preliminary total of 2,372 deer during the 3-day Youth Deer Season (October 7-9, 2017), compared to 3,259 in 016. Harvest sex ratios were 48.5% female to 51.5% male (1151:1221). Top five harvest counties were Pike (115), Adams (90), Randolph (88), Jefferson (76), and Jackson (67). County results for each season are included in the attached table.
County | 2016 | 2017 |
Adams | 143 | 83 |
Alexander | 11 | 11 |
Bond | 25 | 32 |
Boone | 12 | 9 |
Brown | 62 | 48 |
Bureau | 61 | 68 |
Calhoun | 66 | 34 |
Carroll | 81 | 75 |
Cass | 55 | 53 |
Champaign | 47 | 40 |
Christian | 51 | 51 |
Clark | 69 | 68 |
Clay | 52 | 35 |
Clinton | 20 | 39 |
Coles | 54 | 69 |
Cook | 10 | 10 |
Crawford | 76 | 93 |
Cumberland | 24 | 44 |
DeKalb | 18 | 28 |
DeWitt | 67 | 69 |
Douglas | 17 | 25 |
Dupage | 0 | 2 |
Edgar | 27 | 32 |
Edwards | 12 | 25 |
Effingham | 43 | 44 |
Fayette | 66 | 71 |
Ford | 10 | 5 |
Franklin | 105 | 122 |
Fulton | 147 | 118 |
Gallatin | 13 | 20 |
Greene | 63 | 64 |
Grundy | 32 | 26 |
Hamilton | 49 | 56 |
Hancock | 67 | 55 |
Hardin | 21 | 25 |
Henderson | 13 | 15 |
Henry | 55 | 59 |
Iroquois | 31 | 39 |
Jackson | 95 | 104 |
Jasper | 44 | 54 |
Jefferson | 133 | 150 |
Jersey | 43 | 35 |
JoDaviess | 121 | 65 |
Johnson | 72 | 64 |
Kane | 25 | 33 |
Kankakee | 31 | 32 |
Kendall | 20 | 16 |
Knox | 92 | 97 |
Lake | 21 | 30 |
LaSalle | 81 | 64 |
Lawrence | 28 | 43 |
Lee | 43 | 46 |
Livingston | 19 | 28 |
Logan | 27 | 27 |
Macon | 45 | 52 |
Macoupin | 76 | 81 |
Madison | 86 | 74 |
Marion | 74 | 99 |
Marshall | 41 | 36 |
Mason | 23 | 32 |
Massac | 20 | 22 |
McDonough | 52 | 34 |
McHenry | 70 | 35 |
McLean | 46 | 82 |
Menard | 27 | 36 |
Mercer | 45 | 52 |
Monroe | 30 | 38 |
Montgomery | 75 | 61 |
Morgan | 55 | 51 |
Moultrie | 38 | 32 |
Ogle | 90 | 68 |
Peoria | 109 | 77 |
Perry | 72 | 65 |
Piatt | 15 | 25 |
Pike | 206 | 127 |
Pope | 29 | 59 |
Pulaski | 18 | 17 |
Putnam | 31 | 19 |
Randolph | 110 | 96 |
Richland | 29 | 34 |
Rock Island | 85 | 68 |
Saline | 40 | 46 |
Sangamon | 67 | 77 |
Schuyler | 64 | 59 |
Scott | 12 | 10 |
Shelby | 85 | 81 |
St. Clair | 56 | 59 |
Stark | 12 | 9 |
Stephenson | 46 | 47 |
Tazewell | 58 | 62 |
Union | 72 | 71 |
Vermilion | 102 | 98 |
Wabash | 11 | 21 |
Warren | 30 | 20 |
Washington | 34 | 47 |
Wayne | 62 | 86 |
White | 28 | 28 |
Whiteside | 62 | 56 |
Will | 91 | 85 |
Williamson | 109 | 98 |
Winnebago | 50 | 44 |
Woodford | 55 | 55 |
Total | 5413 | 5281 |