A New Look at White-tailed Deer Illinois

What comes to mind when you hear the word deer? Spotting a doe while walking through the woods with your children? Early mornings sitting quietly while freezing in a deer stand? The adrenaline rush of watching a deer race towards you as you’re driving down the road? Capturing the perfect photo of a buck silhouetted by a sunset?

There are so many ways that people relate to deer. So, it is not surprising that they have different values and expectations when it comes to how deer are managed in Illinois. And they each have different questions, which is why the White-tailed Deer Illinois website was created. The goal of the site is to educate people about deer ecology and management—now with a brand-new look.

Two new features on the site are the quick links bar which helps people quickly report sick or dead deer, claim a road-killed deer, or report poachers; and the announcements bar which provides breaking news and alerts.

The Deer Ecology section was designed for anyone who wants to learn more about deer. In this section you can find information about distribution, reproduction, mortality, behavior and food habits of white-tailed deer. This section also provides information about diseases that can impact people, livestock or deer. The site has a wealth of information about Chronic Wasting Disease and Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease. The deer signs page describes ways that you can tell deer are using an area, even if you haven’t seen any deer. Youth will enjoy the video about how to find deer antler sheds. And the landscapes and habitats page describes the habitat conditions that deer favor and explains some of the issues that can arise when deer become over-abundant.

The Management section is tailored by audience. The basics of management are covered for anyone who has questions about why or how deer are managed in Illinois. This section covers who is responsible for managing deer in Illinois, how population objectives are set, the role of disease management and prevention, and more.

Hunters play a critical role in maintaining a healthy deer population in the state. In Illinois, with insufficient numbers of large carnivores, such as wolves or mountain lions, to naturally regulate the number of deer, hunting has long been the primary tool for safely and ethically managing deer. While hunters will find plenty of useful information on the website, this section was designed for non-hunters as well. This section provides information about the important role hunting plays in managing the carry capacity of deer, the impacts that an overabundance of deer have on natural areas and other wildlife, and the positive economic benefits hunting provides to Illinois business owners. There’s also information there for the local foods enthusiasts, as deer can provide a source of lean, locally-sourced meat.

Landowners play a role in managing deer whether they allow hunting on their property or not. They will find information about issues such as land access, trespass markings, hunting leases and the Illinois Recreational Access Program.

Motorists will find information about what they can do to prevent deer-vehicle accidents. They can also learn about the strategy the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) uses to meet the management goal of reducing deer-vehicle accidents in Illinois.

Homeowners and farmers can find tips on how to prevent and stop deer damage on the Control Damage page. Municipalities, homeowners’ associations, homeowners and crop producers can have different needs when it comes to protecting vegetation in their neighborhoods or on their property. In this section they can find strategies to minimize impacts to their parks, landscaping, and agricultural crops as well as find contact information for IDNR deer biologists.

The foundation of good deer management is solid research. The Research page documents past and current research projects that have guided deer management in Illinois. The Wildlife Laws page provides an overview of the current laws and policies guiding deer management. And for history buffs, the History of Management page details important events and legislation that has impacted deer in Illinois.

White-tailed Illinois was developed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center with assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, APHIS-Wildlife Services under a project funded by a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Federal Wildlife Restoration Grant.

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Laura Kammin is an Educational Programming Specialist with National Great Rivers Research and Education Center. She formerly held positions at Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, University of Illinois Extension, Prairie Rivers Network and the Illinois Natural History Survey. She received her master’s degree in wildlife ecology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.