CLINTON -- 2
A 4 percent drop marked 2003-'04 from the previous year but still was the second-best season in nine. Very limited public acreage.

COLES -- 2
Best season was 2001 with 506 deer. The next two were 466 and 478. Five-year average is 438.

COOK -- 3
The best season was 1995 with 159 deer tagged. Numbers up and down since. The five-year average is 133 but 2003-'04 finally climbed back up to 147.

CRAWFORD -- 4
A 19.5 percent increase marked the season when 674 killed deer. The five-year average is 543, and some public access is available.

CUMBERLAND -- 3
Finally seeing a growth trend with harvest climbing to 318 kills, a whopping 26.19 percent increase over previous year. No access.

DE KALB -- 4
Quite the rollercoaster, going from 292 in 1997 to 242 in 2002 then back to 279. The five-year average is 263. Limited access.

DE WITT -- 4
Harvest finally reached levels consistent with those of 1990s (it took six years). A total of 293 deer were tagged. Nearly 3,000 acres of access.

DOUGLAS -- 3
Harvest numbers still modest but increases are very impressive. An increase of 35.77 percent marked the 2003-'04 season when 186 were bagged compared with previous year's 137.

DU PAGE -- 2
Pretty stable, though slightly increasing, totals. Since 2000, harvests have been 95, 105, 106 and 113.

EDGAR -- 1
The 2003-'04 season was best yet with 332 going to the freezer, but numbers are unsteady. The five-year average is 303. No public access

EDWARDS -- 2
Best season was 2001 (228), and 2003 showed an 18.45 percent increase to bring them close (199). No access.

EFFINGHAM -- 4
Trend continues with record harvest in 2003-'04 of 463 deer, boldly representing a 23.47 percent rise over the previous year. Some access.

FAYETTE -- 5
Just keeps getting better. Another 14.7 percent rise in harvest brought the total to 749 happy hunters. More than 10,000 acres of access makes this a winner.

FORD -- 2
Earned an extra point this year with a county record of 73 filled tags. The five-year average is 57.

FRANKLIN -- 3
Still showing improvement (4.29 percent) but lower than statewide average (11.89 percent). Hunters killed 876 to mark a new high.

FULTON -- 4
Another strong year in 2003-'04 when 1,370 deer were bagged. That's a new county best and an increase of 14.84 percent. Over 5,000 acres of access.

GALLATIN -- 2
A 2 percent increase lands a new record harvest (261) but the five-year average is only 225.

GREENE -- 3
A 14.31 percent harvest increase earned another point. Hunters took home 695 in 2003-'04. The five-year average is 581.

GRUNDY -- 3
Banner year was 1996 (419) and hit bottom in 2000 (315) but have improved since. A harvest of 363 in 2003-'04, with over 4,000 acres open.

HAMILTON -- 5
Another increase of 18.16 percent continued the upward trend. The new record harvest for 2003-'04 was 553, and over 7,000 acres of access keeps them high on the list.

HANCOCK -- 3
Previous steady climb jumped 22.53 percent and landed a new record harvest of 669 deer. Lacks public access.

HARDIN -- 2
Broke the upward trend with a 5.34 percent drop in harvest for 2003-'04. The take of 337 is right at the five-year average of 335.

HENDERSON -- 4
Four years of good recovery from dip in 1999 (139) to the 2003-'04 high of 281. Access available on 8,000 acres.

HENRY -- 4
The 2002-'03 decline was apparently a fluke that was followed by a 21.39 percent increase and a new harvest record of 471. Some access.