The state's Department of Natural Resources said the preliminary total is 51,830 deer for the November 21-23 weekend. That's down from nearly 56,000 during the first weekend of the 2013 firearm season.
Cold and windy weather was cited by many hunters as the reason deer were "hunkered down" and less visible for hunting this season.
Numbers were also reported down this season in Wisconsin and other neighboring states.
This continues a trend of declining Illinois deer harvest totals for at least the past five seasons. In 2009, nearly 190,000 deer were harvested statewide; in 2010, the number was reduced to 182,000; in 2011 and 2012 the numbers held steady around 181,000; but 2013 shrank to less than 149,000 deer.
Jackson County had the largest harvest last weekend with about 1,500 deer.
Harvest in other southern Illinois counties includes: Alexander 256 (down 63 from last season), Gallatin 320 (-3), Hardin 628 (-91), Jackson 1,534 (+8), Johnson 1,096 (-38), Massac 344 (-78), Pope 1,178 (+70), Pulaski 350 (-59), Saline 555 (-14), Union 1,143 (-154), and Williamson 1,090 (-117).
The second segment of the 2014 season will take place December 4-7. The DNR reminds hunters that an additional 20 counties have been closed to the antlerless-only seasons from January 1-4 and January 16-18. The muzzleloader season is Dec. 12-14 and archery deer season continues through January 18, 2015.
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