SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Illinois hunters bested last year’s total of deer harvested during the first weekend of the state’s firearm season by more than 6,000.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources says hunters took nearly 58,000 deer from Nov. 20-22. Hunters took nearly 52,000 deer during the first Illinois Firearm Deer Season weekend last year. The second segment of this year’s season is Thursday through Sunday and the muzzleloader season is Dec. 11-13.
The most deer were taken in Randolph County at 1,619 deer. The fewest were in Lake County where four deer were taken.