Firearm deer season preliminary totals

Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 52,354 deer during the first weekend of the Illinois firearm deer season Nov. 18-20. Comparatively, hunters took 48,964 deer during the first firearm weekend in 2021.

Illinois’ seven-day firearm deer season will conclude Dec. 1-4. Other deer hunting opportunities in the weeks ahead include:

• Muzzleloader-only deer season Dec. 9-11

• Late-winter antlerless-only and Chronic Wasting Disease deer seasons (in select counties only) Dec. 29-Jan. 1 and Jan.13-15

• Archery deer season continues through Jan. 15. (Note: archery deer hunting is closed...