Published: November 27, 2009 09:36 pm      

Numbers in for first weekend of firearm deer season in state

By TESA CULLI

tesa.culli@register-news.com

SPRINGFIELD — Preliminary numbers of deer harvested during the first weekend of the firearm deer season show hunters in Jefferson County took 1,606 deer.

Jefferson County reported the third highest deer harvest for the weekend, with Fulton County having 1,725 deer taken and Adams County having 1,614 deer taken. Randolph County came in with the fourth-highest harvest at 1,576 deer.

Statewide, there were 66,126 deer taken during the opening weekend, compared to 71,894 deer during the 2008 opening weekend of the firearm season.

“Standing corn was a significant factor affecting hunter access for the first weekend of firearm deer hunting this year,” Illinois Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Program Manager Paul Shelton stated. “The wet weather this fall has delayed corn harvest in many locations, and that makes it tougher for hunters to find deer. Only 60 percent of corn has been harvested statewide during the gun season, while the five-year average is 98 percent harvested at that time. The good news is that there is still a lot of deer hunting left, so loads of opportunities remain for Illinois hunters.”

While Jefferson County remains one of the highest deer harvest counties in the state, there was a slight reduction in the number of deer taken by hunters compared to last year. During the first firearm weekend in 2008, Jefferson County hunters took 1,650 deer and this year 1,606 deer.

According to IDNR, 60 percent of the deer taken during the first weekend of firearm season were bucks, compared to 59 percent last year.

Other preliminary deer harvest numbers for surrounding counties are Marion County at 1,374 deer; Wayne County at 1,247 deer; Hamilton County at 872 deer; Washington County at 839 deer; and Franklin County at 779 deer.

More than 360,000 firearm deer hunting permits were issued by IDNR for the 2009 season. The firearm deer season concludes Dec. 3 through Dec. 6. The muzzleloader-only season will be Dec. 11 through Dec. 13. The 2009-10 archery deer season will continue through Jan. 17, except for the second firearm season.