Illinois' vast croplands ensure whitetails get plenty to eat in the winter months. Photo by Judd Cooney/Windigoimages.com

Mother Nature can be cruel in late winter. Take for instance the second firearms season in the Prairie State last year. What began as a balmy early December hunt quickly turned bitter cold with blizzard-like conditions in the north and driving sleet from mid-state south. The first muzzleloader season a week later wasn't much better as far as temperatures go, and hunters participating in the late-winter antlerless season and chronic wasting disease season in the north-central counties got a taste of near-record low temperatures.

The deer didn't seem to mind the conditions, however. Hefty late-season harvest totals were reported throughout the state, giving good credence to the theory that despite cold temperatures, there's still great hunting to be had. If you've found yourself with an unfilled tag, or just have a hard time saying goodbye to deer season, then get out your shotgun, muzzleloader or bow and head to some of the following hotspots. Late-winter whitetails are on the move and the opportunity to connect with one before the close of the season is excellent.

LATE-SEASON REVIEW AND ANALYSIS METHOD
The second shotgun season saw 31,218 whitetails harvested statewide, commensurate with 29,117 deer harvested in 2006. Muzzleloaders brought down 4,333 deer during the first season, considerably lower than the previous record-setting season of 20,881 set in 2006. The late-winter antlerless and CWD season saw another record harvest with 12,434 deer killed, considerably higher than the 2006 total of 9,700.

To arrive at the absolute best areas to hunt in each region, we investigated five harvest descriptors of winter whitetail harvest, harvest totals in the second firearms, muzzleloader and the late-winter/CWD season, the aggregate of all seasons, and harvest density, deer killed per square mile. A point was allotted to the top 25 counties in each category. Each county's respective marks were tallied to arrive at the best areas based upon the collection of marks respective counties received. Ten counties scored in all five areas. Many had marks in multiple descriptors. The analysis results are as follows.

SECOND FIREARMS SEASON TOP COUNTIES
Pike County was tabbed the highest count with 1,122 deer taken the first weekend in December. Jefferson County bagged 808. Randolph came in third with 708. Jackson brought in 699. Pope County had 670; Fulton chalked 668; Hancock was seventh with 660; Adams had 651; Wayne tabbed 640, and Marion County shot 618 whitetails during the second firearms season to round out the top 10 areas.

MUZZLELOADER-ONLY SEASON TOP COUNTIES
Pike County again led all areas with 199 deer taken during the muzzleloader-only season. Jo Daviess County wasn't far behind with 141. Fulton County blasted 115. Hancock County tabbed 110; LaSalle brought in 107; Jefferson shot 101; Bureau had 100; Schuyler brought down 85; Marion notched 82, and Brown County recorded 75 to round out the top 10 areas of 2007.

LATE-WINTER ANTLERLESS/CWD SEASON TOP COUNTIES
Late-season hunters from Pike County outpaced the rest of the state with a count of 712 whitetails taken Jan. 18-20. Jefferson County was a distant second with 431. Golden Triangle member Adams County bagged 371 for third place. Wayne County with 370 was a close fourth. Jo Daviess took fifth place with 355; Randolph chalked 343; Fulton shot 331; LaSalle had 322 to lead counties open for the CWD season. Marion tabbed 314, and Schuyler County bagged 300 deer to complete the top 10 areas statewide.

OVERALL HARVEST
The aggregate kill totals for all three late seasons were tabulated for each county. Pike County came out on top with 2,035 whitetails taken. Jefferson shot 1,340; Fulton had 1,114; Randolph chalked up 1,110; Jo Daviess killed 1,103; Wayne tabbed 1,079; Adams checked in 1,022; Jackson had 1,016; Marion recorded 1,014, and Hancock County hunters harvested 1,009 whitetails in December and January to complete the 10 best areas.