HUNTERS IN ILLINOIS HARVESTED MORE THAN 181 THOUSAND DEER DURING THE FIREARM…ARCHERY…AND OTHER SEASONS.

THE PRELIMINARY TOTAL IS 181 THOUSAND 411 DEER. THAT COMPARES TO MORE THAN 182 THOUSAND TAKEN LAST YEAR SAYS STATE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES SPOKESPERSON CHRIS MCCLOUD. HE ADDS ARCHERY AND FIREARM SEASONS WERE DOWN A BIT THIS PAST YEAR…BUT THAT WAS OFFSET BY INCREASES IN YOUTH…MUZZLELOADER…AND SPECIAL C-W-D SEASONS.

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MCCLOUD SAYS D-N-R BIOLOGISTS WILL STUDY THE DATA TO SEE IF ANY CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE FOR THE 2012-2013 SEASONS.

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The state's record deer harvest, during the 2005-2006 season, totaled more than 200,000.