Madison County, Illinois
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
- 2,051
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
AI-compiled · sourcedMadison County in southwestern Illinois sits along the Mississippi River in the American Bottom, one of the most historically significant waterfowl corridors in North America, where flooded agricultural fields and river backwaters attract massive concentrations of mallards and other waterfowl during migration. The county also produces quality whitetails in the river bottom timber and agricultural edges of the Mississippi floodplain. Despite metro-east urbanization, pockets of exceptional hunting remain in the river bottoms.
Mississippi River floodplain with backwater lakes and sloughs, American Bottom agricultural fields, limestone bluffs overlooking the river corridor
High near metro areas; moderate in river bottom agricultural ground; high at Horseshoe Lake during waterfowl season
Lottery firearm permits; archery OTC
Waterfowl hunting is a major tradition with mallard concentrations at Horseshoe Lake; wild turkey present in river bottom and bluff timber
Horseshoe Lake mallard hunting - one of the iconic Illinois waterfowl destinations; Mississippi River corridor whitetails in the American Bottom
Questions, tips & discussion
Ask anything about Madison 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 Madison 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.