Hunters kill 145,804 deer during 2014-15 seasons
<p class="p1">Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 145,804 deer during all 2014-15 seasons, which concluded Jan. 18. </p><p class="p1">The Illinois Department of Natural Resources, IDNR, reported that the total preliminary deer harvest for all seasons of 145,804 compared with a total harvest for all seasons of 148,614 in 2013-14. </p><p class="p1">During this year’s deer seasons, hunters took 47 percent does and 53 percent males. </p><p class="p1">A breakdown of Illinois deer hunting seasons are as follows:</p><p class="p1"><strong>Archery:</strong> Archery deer hunters in Illinois took a preliminary total of 56,083 deer during the archery season (Oct. 1, 2014-Jan. 18, 2015), compared with the archery deer harvest of 57,364 in the 2013-14 archery season. </p><p class="p1"><strong>Youth:</strong> Young deer hunters harvested 2,768 deer during the 2014 Illinois youth deer season (Oct. 11-13, 2014), compared with 3,016 deer in 2013. </p><p class="p1"><strong>Traditional Firearm Season:</strong> Hunters took a preliminary total of 76,729 deer during the 2014 Illinois firearm deer season (Nov. 21-23 and Dec. 4-7, 2014), compared with 74,318 taken during the 2013 season. </p><p class="p1"><strong>Muzzleloader:</strong> Hunters using muzzleloading rifles harvested 3,478 deer during the 2014 muzzleloader-only deer season (Dec. 12-14, 2014), compared with 3,536 in 2013.</p><p class="p1"><strong>Late-Winter Seasons:</strong> The 2014-15 late-winter antlerless only and special CWD deer seasons concluded on Jan. 18, with a combined preliminary harvest total for both seasons of 6,746 deer, compared with a harvest of 10,380 deer taken during those seasons in 2013-14. Season dates for the late-winter and CWD seasons were Jan. 1-4, and 16-18, 2015. With the addition of Will County this year, 12 Northern Illinois counties were open to the special CWD season, compared to 11 in 2013-14. </p><p class="p1">The special CWD season is used to assist in slowing the spread of chronic wasting disease in the Illinois deer herd.</p><p class="p1">Twenty fewer counties were open for the late winter antlerless season in 2014 because they had reached deer population goals. </p><p class="p1">The number of open counties went from 55 to 35 this year. </p><p class="p1">Counties that are at or below their individual goal for two consecutive years may be removed from the late-winter season.</p><p class="p1"><strong>County Totals</strong></p><p class="p1">Preliminary harvest totals for all the 2014-15 Illinois deer seasons follow for area counties:</p><p class="p1"><strong>Union County:</strong> Archery 907. Youth 65. Firearm 1,626. Muzzleloader 86. Total 2,684.</p><p class="p1"><strong>Alexander County:</strong> Archery 202. Youth 16. Firearm 398. Muzzleloader 32. Total 648.</p><p class="p1"><strong>Jackson County:</strong> Archery 1,080. Youth 64. Firearm 2,118. Muzzleloader 71. Total 3,333.</p><p class="p1"><strong>Johnson County:</strong> Archery 784. Youth 48. Firearm 1,539. Muzzleloader 59. Total 2,430.</p><p class="p1"><strong>Massac County:</strong> Archery 395. Youth 17. Firearm 557. Muzzleloader 29. Total 998.</p><p class="p1"><strong>Pulaski County:</strong> Archery 272. Youth 21. Firearm 497. Muzzleloader 42. Total 832.</p><p class="p1"><strong>Williamson County:</strong> Archery 1,097. Youth 41. Firearm 1,630. Muzzleloader 58. Total 2,826.</p>