FYU
States / IL / Jefferson County

Jefferson County, Illinois

Game found here
White-tailed DeerWild TurkeyWaterfowl
Southern IllinoisSee on map →0 questions

Unit info

Game species
White-tailed Deer, Wild Turkey, Waterfowl
Group
Southern Illinois
Area
N/A
Public land
N/A
White-tailed Deer — season & harvest
Reported harvest
5,120

Draw odds for White-tailed Deeraren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.

Season & harvest data is published for White-tailed Deer so far. Wild Turkey, Waterfowl also occur here — that data can be added as the community contributes.

About this unit

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Jefferson County is anchored by Rend Lake, one of Illinois's premier waterfowl destinations and a significant public-land complex for deer hunters in the south-central part of the state. The surrounding timber and agricultural transition zones hold strong deer and turkey populations year-round. Rend Lake's expansive publicly accessible hunting area makes Jefferson one of the more open and accessible counties in downstate Illinois.

Terrain & elevation

Gently rolling south-central Illinois farmland anchored by the Rend Lake reservoir, with extensive timber and wetland habitat surrounding the impoundment and transitioning to row-crop agriculture

Hunting pressure

Moderate to high around Rend Lake public areas during peak waterfowl season; moderate on surrounding private agricultural ground

Tags & permits

OTC; Illinois statewide antler restrictions apply

Species & seasons

Rend Lake is among Illinois top waterfowl destinations for diving ducks and Canada geese; wild turkey populations solid in surrounding timber and brushy transition cover

Highlights

Rend Lake waterfowl hunting ranks among the best in the state; the large public land complex provides some of the most accessible and productive deer hunting in southern Illinois

Questions, tips & discussion

Ask anything about Jefferson County— or drop a tip or trick: access points, where game holds, glassing spots, conditions, crowding, gear that worked. This is where the unit's species-specific intel gets built, hunter by hunter.

Nothing posted yet about Jefferson County.

Be the first — ask a question (“Best public access on the north end?”) or share a tip (“Glass the burn scars off the main ridge at first light”).

Boundaries: IDNR county-based deer management units. Community info last updated 15d ago.