History of Regulated Deer Hunting

Why Regulated Hunting is Important

Regulated hunting is an important tool for managing wildlife populations in North America. Besides funding conservation projects for both game and non-game species through the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration (Pittman-Robertson) Act of 1937, providing an excellent source of protein, and giving people an excuse to spend time outdoors, regulated hunting is also important for managing the health of game species populations and the impact they have on their environment.

For example, regulated harvests help:

• Reduce overabundant populations
• Control disease risk, such as Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) or Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD), in deer
• Reduce human-wildlife conflicts, such as deer-vehicle collisions
• Help reduce the damage that overly large populations can inflict on forests and other vegetation 

Deer can reduce plant diversity and alter local plant communities, which can eventually lead to insufficient food and habitat for both deer and other wildlife. Hunting is especially important for management in Illinois because the state lacks large carnivore populations that would affect deer abundance.

Stable harvest data is a good indication that the harvest quota falls within the portion of the population that is known as “harvestable surplus.” This management strategy maintains current population levels.

Illinois has maintained relatively stable deer harvest rates over the past decade. For more information, check out IDNR’s Annual Deer Harvest Reports.

Recommended Reading

• 4 Strategies for Talking About Deer Hunting to Non-Hunters by Cory Gurman
• Hunters and the conservation and management of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) by David J. Hewitt
• 4 Ways Deer Carry Wildlife Conservation on Their Backs by Ben Westfall
• Why Are Deer So Successful in Illinois? by Jameson Mori and Nelda A. Rivera

Deer Hunting in Illinois from the 1700s to the 1950s

European settlers found that what is now Illinois had abundant game, including deer, elk, and bears. However, unmanaged hunting for food and fur led to a massive decline in all three species. Habitat changes in the 1850s, driven by the development of Illinois railroads, hastened the population declines. By 1890, deer numbers in both the Midwest and in North America more broadly were at their lowest ever, with Illinois herds considered to be “near zero” in number.

Although conservation measures began in the early 1900s with bag limits and season lengths, numbers continued to plummet, in part due to agricultural and land-use practices, and Illinois suspended white-tailed deer hunting. This suspension was supposed to last only five years, with the goal of allowing the deer population to recover, but it lasted until 1957.

This attempt ultimately failed, as deer had to be reintroduced into the state. Repopulation and habitat creation efforts began in the 1930s. The reintroduced deer not only survived but also thrived to the point that white-tailed deer were opened for harvest in the late 1950s.

Regulated Deer Hunting in Illinois (1957–Present)

What we think of as “deer season” is a relatively new addition in Illinois, as regulated white-tailed deer hunting was established only after a change to the game code in 1957. It was widely reported that John Force of Chandlerville was the first person to legally harvest a deer in 57 years when he used a bow and arrow to harvest a 200 lb buck at 7 am on October 1, 1957.

Since then, there have been many changes to the regulations governing white-tailed deer hunting, including the number of permits available, the types of hunting allowed, and the season types and lengths. These changes reflect a better understanding of deer management practices, the needs of specific deer and human populations, habitat availability, and public attitudes surrounding hunting. A recent example of this is the introduction of a Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) season in Illinois in 2005, which has since expanded to include more counties and a longer season length.

As of 2024, the Illinois deer population is estimated at around 730,000.

Learn More About Illinois Deer Hunting and Deer Management

To learn more about the history of deer hunting in Illinois, regulated deer hunting as a management tool in Illinois, and how harvest quotas are determined, check out these resources!

• History of Management by White-tailed Deer Illinois (IDNR)
• How Deer Are Managed by White-tailed Deer Illinois (IDNR)
• Illinois Deer Management by Tom Micetich
• History-making Chicago Deer Hunt by Kathy Andrews Wright
• Restricted Archery Zones a Deer Management Tool by Peter Schlichting