Analysis
In review of the most prominent descriptors of the Illinois deer harvest, we considered four statistics to isolate which counties are best for deer hunting: 1) harvest, 2) harvest/kill density, 3) percent of harvest increase, and 4) the percentage of successful shotgun hunters.

All harvest numbers were the aggregate of all seasons, and harvest density was calculated as deer harvested per square mile. The greatest emphasis was given to overall harvest and harvest/kill density. Secondary considerations were given to hunter success and percentage of harvest increase.

Top Harvest
As to be expected, the western and southern portions of Illinois had good representation last season for overall deer harvested.

Pike County -- the "Whitetail Capital of the World" -- demonstrated a commanding lead on the rest of the state, bringing in 8,602 deer last year for all seasons. Jefferson County was a distant second, where hunters killed 4,557 animals. Adams County wasn't far behind with 4,478 deer harvested, and hunters in Fulton County posted 4,355 deer kills. Other counties rounding out the top 10 included Jo Daviess -- 3,793 deer, Marion -- 3,587, Jackson -- 3,472, Randolph -- 3,398, Hancock -- 3,382, and Macoupin County -- 3,361.

And more than 3,000 deer were collectively posted by hunters in Fayette, Peoria, Wayne, Calhoun, Union and Pope counties.

Top Harvest Densities
Hunters looking to see plenty of deer don't overlook Calhoun County, which gained top billing again this year for harvest/kill density. At nearly 12 deer harvested per square mile, the whole county offers superb chances for success.

Pike County took second here, with 10.3 whitetails killed per square mile. Brown County deer hunters collected an average of nine deer per square mile. Counties that rounded out the top 10 list in harvest density included Pope -- 8.0, Jefferson -- 7.9, Hardin -- 7.8, Johnson -- 7.5, Union -- 7.3, Williamson -- 6.9, and Randolph -- 6.7.

Review indicates that the absolute highest concentration of deer kills lies in the western triangle of Calhoun, Pike and Brown counties.

Percentage of Increase
Although an increase in harvest can demonstrate increased potential for success, counties with lower harvests are more apt to show significant increase over counties that have exceptional harvest totals.

Keep a close eye on the following top 10 counties and cross-reference the areas that demonstrate both increased and significant harvest totals. Combined descriptors may indicate an insurgence in regional deer populations:

• Will and Moultrie counties showed the greatest percentage of increase -- 16 percent -- from 2005 to 2006.
• Alexander County jumped up 15 percent, marking the third year this county has seen an increase.
• Gallatin and Pulaski counties bumped up 14 percent. • The perennial whitetail factories of Calhoun and Jo Daviess counties increased by 13 percent.
• Union and Jackson counties both jumped 12 percent.
• Rock Island and Jasper counties bettered last year's harvests by 11 percent.

Hunter Success
Each year, there's always one county where hunter success sails far above the average for the state. Last year that area was Piatt County, which posted a phenomenal 84 percent hunter success rate! This year, Piatt didn't make the top 10 in this category, but its next-door neighbor, Moultrie County, did -- leading the pack in 2006 with a 79.9 percent hunter success rate.

The top 10 counties for hunter success rates are rounded out by percent of all issued shotgun tags being filled: Wayne -- 61.4 percent, Clay -- 60.8 percent, Edwards -- 60.7 percent, Hamilton -- 60.5 percent, Monroe and White -- 60.1 percent, Jefferson -- 58.9 percent, Hancock -- 58.8 percent, and Jasper -- 58.7 percent.