"If we didn't have hunters out there, the deer population(ILLINOIS) would definitely be a problem. So we thank the hunters"--Tim Schweizer Illinois Dept Ntl Resources...............Hunters just took 12%(98,000 of the 800,000 herd over the just completed 7 day firearms season...........Mr. Tim,,,,,you need Wolves and Cougars back on the ground in Illinois......You need at least twice that 80,000 culled deer and perhaps 3 times to keep your woodland and prairie habitat regenerating properly

Managing Illinois'deer population

It surprises some newcomers to Illinois to learn that for much of the first half of the century, whitetail numbers were so low that the state prohibited deer hunting. It wasn't until 1957, they learn, that Illinois reopened its deer hunting season.

Since then, Illinois' deer population has increased to its current level, which is estimated to be about 800,000

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Preliminary totals announced this week for the recent seven-day firearm deer season show that Jo Daviess County had the fifth highest harvest number in the state, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).

The seven-day firearm deer season in Illinois ran from Nov. 18 to 20, and from Dec. 1 to 4. During that time, Illinois hunters took a preliminary total of 97,760 deer, which is a slight decrease from last year's total of 98,944, states an IDNR news release.

Reports show that the top five county harvest totals this year were Pike (2,958), Fulton (2,581), Adams (2,393), Jefferson (2,314), and Jo Daviess (2,267). In Stephenson County, hunters took a total of 980 deer during this year's season, compared to 1,093 in 2010, the release states.

Tim Schweizer, a spokesman for IDNR, said it's normal for the harvest numbers to fluctuate from year to year, and that overall the 2011 firearm deer season was successful.
"It's typical for what they expect to see in the firearm harvest, given the current size of the deer herd," Schweizer said of this year's totals. "It's right in line with expectations."

Paul Shelton, IDNR Forest Wildlife Program Manager, said in the release that weather may have been a factor in this year's totals. The first two days of the second part of this year's season (Dec. 1 and 2) provided "excellent hunting conditions," Shelton said. However, there was steady rain on Dec. 3 and 4, which had an impact on the harvest for those days, he said.

Schweizer pointed out that there are still plenty of opportunities for Illinois hunters to harvest deer. The Archery Deer Season, which began on Oct. 1, continues through Jan. 15, 2012. Also, the three-day Illinois Muzzleloader-only Deer Season runs from Dec. 9 to 11.

In addition, the seven-day split Late-Winter Firearm Antlerless-only Deer Season and Special CWD Deer Season are held from Dec. 29 to Jan. 1, and from Jan. 13 to 15.

"Deer hunting is the most important component in deer management," Schweizer said. "If we (didn't have) hunters out there, the deer population would definitely be a problem. So we thank the hunters."