Putting It Together
Taking the top 25 counties in the 2006 second shotgun season and the January 2007 late-winter season, we gave a mark for all counties that fell into either category. Muzzleloader harvest, unfortunately, is not reported per county; rather, it's tallied as a continuance of the second shotgun total, and the state keeps no records beyond a comprehensive season total for specific December and January bowhunting harvests.

Overall, 19 counties tallied deer kills in the top 25 for both the December shotgun harvest and the January late-winter season harvest. A number of counties had marks in one category, and there are a few lesser-known hotspots that went unnoticed after the formula was applied.

Here's what each of the Illinois deer-hunting regions has to offer this winter, based on last winter's late-season harvest numbers.

Region 1
Three counties in Region 1 made it into the top 25 for both categories. Leading the pack was Jo Daviess County. With a second place finish in the second season shotgun harvest for the state, and a seventh place finish for the late-winter season harvest, Jo Daviess County is a very high-percentage winter deer-hunting yard for any Prairie State hunter to consider.

"The Driftless Region in the northwest sector of the county is a classic (deer) wintering area, complete with bluff and ravine topography," said IDNR wildlife biologist Doug Dufford. "And thick maple bottoms adjacent to lowland agricultural fields along the Mississippi River create a superb situation for winter whitetails."

Fulton County likewise scored in both categories.

"The Spoon River basin, along with her main tributaries, provide excellent cover for winter whitetails," said IDNR wildlife biologist Kevin Oller. "The Illinois River corridor, on the county's southeast border, and the strip mines around Canton and Cuba are other prime (deer) wintering areas."

Ogle County was an eye-popper among the 2006 late-season deer harvest totals, scoring in both categories. A third place finish for overall late-winter season harvest totals demonstrates the concentration of cold-weather deer to be found here. Primary areas lie in the Rock River basin, but the Kyte River corridor and Kilbuck Creek are both brushy areas with nearby farm fields, holding excellent numbers of deer.

Other areas in Region 1 where late-season deer-hunting prospects are good include Knox County, which marked among the top finishers for the 2006 late-winter harvest. Oller suggested area hunters should focus their efforts on the deer food resources at Spoon River State Forest and the hill-and-ravine district south of Snakeden Hollow State Fish and Wildlife Area.

Peoria County similarly scored for harvest totals during the late-winter season. The outer bluff region west of Chillicothe, patch forest around Jubilee College State Park, and the southwestern corner around Banner Marsh combine to form a natural winter deer yard.

Bureau County also marked high among the late-season harvest totals. Big Bureau Creek, the hill country north of DePue, and south of Tiskilwa are areas where hunters are expected to do well.

Finally, La Salle County deer hunters should find the late-winter season fruitful. The county frequently stands atop all counties in the total harvest numbers. It was also poised among the top 25 in the January 2007 late-season harvest totals. The bulk of the local herd resides during wintertime in the Illinois River and Vermilion corridors.

Region 2
Chicagoland didn't see a single county make the cut for either harvest tab, but deer are thick in some areas here.

McHenry and Lake counties are phenomenal bow destinations for hunters who can get in amid the region's urban sprawl. And savvy hunters who find a place to hunt between forest preserves and municipal parks find both these counties rival any county in Illinois for overall whitetail density.

The Fox River bottom and the surrounding area in Kendall County concentrate numbers of cold-weather deer well into the town of Dayton, where some public access is found at Silver Springs State Park. It's not uncommon for a number of hunters to fill their last tag with a bruiser buck from this region.