Illinois Deer Population
 

The herd is estimated at 800,000 but who is doing the counting I have never seen anyone out counting the deer so how can we come up with an estimate on the herd? I am curious if this estimate will be 800,000 again in 2010,in my opinion we are headed for disater with these unlimited permits and no check stations,I talked to a guy the other night who has killed 6 deer and only tagged 2 this is only one guy out of close to 300,000 deer hunters in Illinois,in my opinion this is all motivated by money and the dnr is willing to wipe out the herd to get paid.I dont know where we will be in 10-15 years if we keep going at this rate.I have never in 20 years of hunting seen them increase the amount of firearms permits in certain counties to unlimited until there was a shortage of money for the dnr.I also can say that I certanly have not seen any over populated deer in my hunting area I wish it were the case but it isnt.

I dont think that there are the deer numbers they say there are.
In the area I hunt the last few years the numbers of deer seen have been dropping. Evryone in the area says this aswell.

I also think deer hunting in Illinois is headed for a turn for the worse. I think alot of areas are way over hunted

lots of areas may over hunted, however, there are a lot more places that are untouched..I hunt in southern Illinois and i havent seen a noticable change in how many deer i have seen this year than in years past, if anything I have seen more, and have definitely harvested more this year...just my opinion though

Well if you are really concerned about our deer population, call the DNR and nail that guy. I agree there are alot of hunters here abusing this call in system. And until people are caught and made an example out of, it's going to continue.

The deer herd estimate comes from helicopter surveys donre by the IDNR, as far as less deer being seen, in Putnam and Buearu counties where I hunt, I am seeing more deer than I ever have.

RE:
 

Licenses are expensive, but it worth it for this out-of-stater. Every place I hunted in Illinois is covered with deer (Scott, Morgan, Union, Johnson counties). You Illinois residents have got it made. I'm coming back next week, so save one for me.

Oh, and every deer I have ever killed in IL has been reported.

Same thing is going on here in WV. Our DNR insists that we have to many does so instead of making it more affordable for people to shoot them they charge $20 a tag. Selling our herd is really reducing the numbers and making them good money. I don't see near as many deer as I did 10 years ago.