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States / IL / Washington County

Washington 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
2,439

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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Washington County in south-central Illinois sits in the Kaskaskia River drainage, a transitional zone between the flat agricultural plains of central Illinois and the hillier country of the Shawnee Hills to the south. Whitetails are plentiful and benefit from a mix of row-crop agriculture and wooded river-bottom cover. The county sees below-average hunting pressure given its distance from major population centers.

Terrain & elevation

Flat to gently rolling agricultural land with Kaskaskia River bottomland corridors; some upland timber in the southern portions as terrain transitions toward Shawnee Hills influence; typical Illinois row-crop landscape with wooded drainages.

Hunting pressure

Low to moderate — distance from Chicago and St. Louis metro areas keeps overall hunter numbers manageable; solid deer numbers with below-average pressure defines the experience here.

Tags & permits

Illinois zone-based OTC firearm permits; the agricultural setting produces consistent antler growth and the county sees strong success rates during firearm seasons.

Species & seasons

Wild turkey use the wooded drainages and respond well to spring calling; dove hunting on harvested grain fields is a popular early-season pursuit throughout the county.

Highlights

Below-average hunting pressure relative to deer density — the rural character and central-south location provide quality hunting without the crowd pressure of better-known counties.

Questions, tips & discussion

Ask anything about Washington 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 Washington 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.