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States / IL / Monroe County

Monroe County, Illinois

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

Unit info

Game species
White-tailed Deer, Wild Turkey
Group
Southern Illinois
Area
N/A
Public land
N/A
White-tailed Deer — season & harvest
Reported harvest
1,995

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 also occur here — that data can be added as the community contributes.

About this unit

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Monroe County in southwest Illinois is defined by its dramatic Mississippi River bluff country, where steep timbered ridges, wooded hollows, and loess soil escarpments create some of the most visually striking and productive deer habitat in the state. Whitetails navigate a landscape sculpted by centuries of river erosion, and the county produces trophy-class bucks on a consistent basis. Wild turkey hunting in the bluff timber is equally strong, with birds using hollow draws and ridge-top oaks through spring and fall seasons.

Terrain & elevation

Steep loess bluffs and timbered hollows dropping from upland plateaus to the Mississippi River floodplain; rock outcroppings and cedar-draped ridge lines characterize the bluff faces; upland agriculture sits on flat to rolling plateau ground above the escarpment near Waterloo and Valmeyer.

Hunting pressure

moderate - bluff country geography limits road access and distributes hunters across steep terrain; the county draws serious trophy hunters but overall pressure remains manageable

Tags & permits

Over-the-counter archery, muzzleloader, and firearm tags; Zone 3 deer permits

Species & seasons

Wild turkey populations are strong in the bluff timber with birds using hollow draws and ridge-top oaks; Mississippi River access enables waterfowl hunting; squirrel hunting in mast-producing hardwood hollows is excellent through the fall season

Highlights

Mississippi River bluff terrain consistently produces trophy-class whitetails in one of the most visually striking hunting landscapes in Illinois; hollow and ridge hunting provides a physically demanding experience distinct from typical Illinois flat-farm deer hunting

Questions, tips & discussion

Ask anything about Monroe 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 Monroe 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.