Illinois hunting: First fiream season, up big

Illinois hunters, despite the big snowstorm in the northern portions, harvested significantly more deer  in the first firearm season, Friday through Sunday, than first season last year.

Hunters in Illinois Harvested 57,968 Deer

During First Weekend of Firearm Season

SPRINGFIELD, IL — Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 57,968 deer during the first weekend of the Illinois Firearm Deer Season, Nov. 20-22.  Hunters took 51,830 deer during the first firearm weekend in 2014.

The second segment of the Illinois Firearm Deer Season is Dec. 3-6.

Other deer hunting opportunities in the weeks ahead include:

• Muzzleloader-Only Deer Season on Dec. 11-13;
• Late-Winter Antlerless-Only and CWD Deer Seasons (first segment) in select counties only on Dec. 31, 2015-Jan. 3, 2016;
• Late-Winter Antlerless-Only and CWD Deer Seasons (second segment) in select counties only on Jan. 15-17, 2016;
• Archery Deer Season continues through Jan. 17, 2016 (closed Dec. 3-6 in counties open for Firearm Deer Season)

  For details on deer hunting, open counties, and other information, check the IDNR website at www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/deer

  A table of preliminary Illinois firearm deer harvest totals by county for the first weekend of the season is below:

Here is the county-by-county breakdown: