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Mercer County, Illinois
Mercer County Hunting Overview
Mercer County for 2026-27: firearm deer is open, 1,812 permits were still unsold after Lottery 3, and 3 public sites lie inside the line.
Photo: David Wilson (CC BY 2.0)
Mercer County basics for hunters
The Northwest region that holds Mercer County runs across the Rock River valley, the Driftless hills around Galena, the Quad Cities and the Illinois River corridor. About 15,292 people called the county home in 2024 (2.6% down from the 2020 base of 15,696), and Aledo is where the offices sit. Ground inside the county line adds up to 561 square miles, near 359,194 acres; 44 counties are larger.
Next door sit Henderson County, Henry County, Knox County, Rock Island County and Warren County plus Des Moines County (IA) and Louisa County (IA) on the far side of the border. A vacancy covers the district around Mercer County; regional staff answer in the meantime.
County facts from the Census Bureau (2024 estimates and Gazetteer), IDNR wildlife districts and the 2026-27 Illinois Hunting and Trapping Digest (Illinois Department of Natural Resources); key dates for this county, checked November 13, 2026.
; biologist contacts https://wildlifeillinois.org/idnr-district-wildlife-biologist/){kind=link}
Permits and rules for Mercer County deer hunters
Every firearm county shares the same two gun seasons, so in Mercer County the dates to circle are November 20 through November 22 and December 3 through December 6. Archery deer is split around the gun seasons: October 1 to November 19, November 23 to December 2, then December 7 to January 17. Leftover firearm permits for Mercer County total 1,812, split 801 either-sex and 1,011 antlerless.
| Permit type | Either-sex left | Antlerless left | Total left |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firearm | 801 | 1,011 | 1,812 |
| Muzzleloader | 109 | 124 | 233 |
That ranks the county 21st of 99 firearm counties for leftover permits, where first place has the most. Leftover muzzleloader stock stands at 233: 109 either-sex and 124 antlerless. From October 20 the leftovers can be bought at license vendors or online, and the numbers above are the counts after Lottery 3. No hunter may take more than two antlered deer a year across youth, archery, muzzleloader and firearm seasons; the Special CWD season is exempt, and each permit covers one deer.
Mercer County deer rules at a glance
| Rule | In this county |
|---|---|
| Firearm deer | Open |
| Archery deer | Split season |
| Check station | Not required |
| Leftover permits | 1,812 |
| Hunter orange | Gun seasons |
| Bait or feed deer | Illegal |
| Antlered limit | Two per year |
| Harvest report | By 10 p.m. |
Firearm and archery rules from the 2026-27 Digest (Illinois Department of Natural Resources); Restricted Archery Zone from IDNR; leftover permits from the IDNR deer permit inquiry system (counts after Lottery 3, checked November 13, 2026); hunter orange from the Digest; baiting from the Digest.
Mercer County zone flags and CWD rules
Hunters here are outside the confirmed CWD list, but deer move across county lines, so check the neighbours before hauling a carcass. Private-land hunters can take antlerless deer in Mercer County during the late-winter season, one of 31 counties. Expect five spring segments in the North Zone, starting April 12 and finishing May 13, 2027. The 2027 youth weekends fall on March 27 and 28 and April 3 and 4; adults wait for segment one.
| Flag | Status |
|---|---|
| Confirmed CWD | No |
| Special CWD season | No |
| Late-winter antlerless | Yes |
| Firearm check station | Not required |
| Spring turkey zone | North |
| Restricted Archery Zone | No |
| Segment | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|
| Spring turkey 1 | Apr 12, 2027 | Apr 16, 2027 |
| Spring turkey 2 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 22, 2027 |
| Spring turkey 3 | Apr 23, 2027 | Apr 28, 2027 |
| Spring turkey 4 | Apr 29, 2027 | May 5, 2027 |
| Spring turkey 5 | May 6, 2027 | May 13, 2027 |
| Youth weekends | Mar 27, 2027 | Apr 4, 2027 |
CWD head drop-off stations near Mercer County
Jubilee College State Park
Green River State Wildlife…
IDNR lists 38 voluntary head drop-off sites, and these are the two closest to the county center.
From the 2026-27 Digest CWD section, confirmed county list, Special CWD information, late-winter information, check station counties, the CWD annual report and 17 IAC 710.10 (LII mirror, unofficial) (Illinois Department of Natural Resources); checked November 13, 2026.
Mercer County deer and turkey harvest figures
County harvest tables for the 2025-26 seasons credit Mercer with 1,716 deer, including 780 does. The total sits 43rd in the state and equals about 3.1 deer taken per square mile. One deer in every 101 taken in Illinois came from Mercer, a 1.0% share of 174,006.
| Season | Deer taken | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | 646 | 38% |
| Firearm | 873 | 51% |
| Muzzleloader | 31 | 2% |
| Youth | 20 | 1% |
| Late-winter and Special CWD | 146 | 9% |
The newest season is above the earlier average of 1,508 for 2016 to 2024. Weapons split the harvest unevenly; firearm topped the list with 873 deer.
194 gobblers and bearded hens were reported on county permits in spring 2026, a 29.4% rate of success. Of the total, 12 came during youth weekends and 53 in the first regular segment.
IDNR county deer harvest report (harvest by county), spring turkey county tables (turkey harvest by county) and the CWD annual report (Illinois Department of Natural Resources). Figures are county totals as reported, not public-land results; checked November 13, 2026.
Mercer County first and last days
Archery deer, spring turkey and furbearer dates run far past the November gun weekends, which means most of the calendar for Mercer County falls outside the firearm seasons.
| Game | Season name | Permit kind | Zone | From | To | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Deer permit | Firearm counties | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth Firearm | Deer permit | Youth counties | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearm – first season | Deer permit | Firearm counties | Nov 20, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearm – second season | Deer permit | Firearm counties | Dec 3, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Muzzleloader | Deer permit | Firearm counties | Dec 11, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late-Winter Antlerless | Late-winter permit | Late-winter counties | Dec 31, 2026 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall archery | Archery turkey permit | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall shotgun | Turkey permit | Map counties | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth | Turkey permit | Statewide | Mar 27, 2027 | Apr 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey 1 | Turkey permit | North Zone | Apr 12, 2027 | Apr 16, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey 2 | Turkey permit | North Zone | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 22, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey 3 | Turkey permit | North Zone | Apr 23, 2027 | Apr 28, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey 4 | Turkey permit | North Zone | Apr 29, 2027 | May 5, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey 5 | Turkey permit | North Zone | May 6, 2027 | May 13, 2027 | |
| Ring-necked pheasant | Upland bird | License | North Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 8, 2027 | |
| Ring-necked pheasant | Upland bird | License | South Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Upland bird | License | North Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 8, 2027 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Upland bird | License | South Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Hungarian partridge | Upland bird | License | North Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 8, 2027 | |
| Hungarian partridge | Upland bird | License | South Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Rabbit | Rabbit | License | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Gray and fox squirrel | Squirrel | License | Statewide | Aug 1, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Teal | Early teal | Waterfowl stamps | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | |
| Ducks, mergansers and coots | Regular duck season | Waterfowl stamps | North Zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Dec 27, 2026 | |
| Ducks, mergansers and coots | Regular duck season | Waterfowl stamps | Central Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Ducks, mergansers and coots | Regular duck season | Waterfowl stamps | South Zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Jan 24, 2027 | |
| Ducks, mergansers and coots | Scaup | Waterfowl stamps | North Zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Dec 27, 2026 | |
| Ducks, mergansers and coots | Scaup | Waterfowl stamps | Central Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Ducks, mergansers and coots | Scaup | Waterfowl stamps | South Zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Jan 24, 2027 | |
| Youth waterfowl days | Youth waterfowl | Waterfowl stamps | North Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Youth waterfowl days | Youth waterfowl | Waterfowl stamps | Central Zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Youth waterfowl days | Youth waterfowl | Waterfowl stamps | South Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 30, 2027 | |
| Canada goose | Early season | Waterfowl stamps | North and Central Zones | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Early season | Waterfowl stamps | South Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | Waterfowl stamps | North Zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Jan 26, 2027 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | Waterfowl stamps | Central Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | Waterfowl stamps | South Zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Light geese | Regular season | HIP and license | North Zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Jan 26, 2027 | |
| Light geese | Regular season | HIP and license | Central Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Light geese | Regular season | HIP and license | South Zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Light geese | Conservation Order | HIP and license | North Zone | Jan 27, 2027 | Apr 30, 2027 | |
| Light geese | Conservation Order | HIP and license | Central and South Zones | Feb 1, 2027 | Apr 30, 2027 | |
| White-fronted goose | Regular season | Waterfowl stamps | Central Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| White-fronted goose | Regular season | Waterfowl stamps | North Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Jan 26, 2027 | |
| White-fronted goose | Regular season | Waterfowl stamps | South Zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Brant | Regular season | HIP and license | All zones | Oct 24, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Rails | Rails | HIP and license | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 | |
| Wilson's snipe | Snipe | HIP and license | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | |
| Mourning and white-winged dove | Dove | HIP and license | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Jan 9, 2027 | |
| American woodcock | Woodcock | HIP and license | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 30, 2026 | |
| American crow | Crow | License | Statewide | Oct 28, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | License | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | License | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Hunting | License | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | License | Statewide (except closed zone) | Nov 10, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Woodchuck | Hunting | License | Statewide | Jun 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 |
From the 2026-27 Illinois Hunting and Trapping Digest (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), checked November 13, 2026.
Mercer County public sites and acres
Count 3 public hunting sites in Mercer County: 9,593 listed acres in total. Top of the list sits Mississippi River Pool 18: 5,173 acres classed as a fish and wildlife area.
| Site | Kind | Acres | Quota hunt | Trips 2025-26 | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi River Pool 18 | Fish and wildlife area | 5,173 | Yes | — | white-tailed deer, wild turkey, ducks |
| Mississippi River Pool 17 | Fish and wildlife area | 2,883 | Yes | — | white-tailed deer, wild turkey, ducks |
| Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge (Keithsburg Division, Illinois) | Wildlife refuge | 1,537 | No | — | white-tailed deer, wild turkey |
Site-specific rules matter: some areas limit shot type, close at set hours or require a permit drawn in advance.
More public acres within reach of Mercer
From Hunt Illinois site fact sheets, the 2025-26 Public Hunting Areas Report and IDNR and FWS pages (Illinois Department of Natural Resources); acres are fact-sheet huntable acres, not polygon areas; checked November 13, 2026.
Supplies, meat processing and contacts for Mercer County
Of 16 places in the county, Aledo, Viola and Matherville are the most populous.
| Town | Kind | People 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Aledo | City | 3,522 |
| Viola | Village | 843 |
| Matherville | Village | 690 |
| Sherrard | Village | 688 |
| Windsor | Village | 652 |
| New Boston | City | 605 |
| Keithsburg | City | 545 |
| Joy | Village | 359 |
| Seaton | Village | 206 |
| North Henderson | Village | 159 |
| Cable | Cdp | — |
| Eliza | Cdp | — |
Shops, processors, taxidermists and outfitters in the data: 2 here and more across the line.
Biologist and headquarters
Towns and population from the Census Bureau (2024); services from IDNR outfitter and CWD station lists, Hunters Feeding Illinois and Yellow Pages listings (not individually verified); biologist from the IDNR district biologist page; checked November 13, 2026.
Mercer County ranges: gun clubs, clays and bow lanes
Mercer County has no listed range of its own; the nearest three across the line are below, with miles.
Milan Rifle Club is the rifle range nearest Mercer County, 16 miles away; check its access line first.
Ranges from the IDNR archery and hand-trap page, the Sparta complex pages, club sites and directory listings, checked November 13, 2026.
Mercer County hunting hours by date
Regular duck and goose hours end at sunset, a full half hour earlier than deer hours, and the Mercer County columns show that gap on each date.
| Date | Marker | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer | Ducks, geese | Spring turkey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Bow season opens | 6:58 a.m. | 6:47 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 7:17 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 6:47 p.m. | Not in season |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Youth deer weekend | 7:08 a.m. | 6:32 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 7:02 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 6:32 p.m. | Not in season |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Pheasant and quail | 6:40 a.m. | 4:53 p.m. | 6:10 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. | 6:10 a.m. to 4:53 p.m. | Not in season |
| Nov 20, 2026 | Shotgun deer opens | 6:56 a.m. | 4:41 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 4:41 p.m. | Not in season |
| Dec 11, 2026 | Muzzleloader weekend | 7:18 a.m. | 4:34 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 4:34 p.m. | Not in season |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Year's shortest day | 7:25 a.m. | 4:37 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 4:37 p.m. | Not in season |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Late-winter days | 7:28 a.m. | 4:43 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 4:43 p.m. | Not in season |
| Apr 12, 2027 | Spring turkey opens | 6:30 a.m. | 7:38 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 8:08 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 7:38 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. |
Hours rules from the 2026-27 Illinois Hunting and Trapping Digest (Illinois Department of Natural Resources); sunrise and sunset worked out for this location with the NOAA solar formula on Central Time; checked November 13, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Load the truck for Mercer County
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Morning light reflecting on the Ohio River at Paducah, across from Massac CountyPhoto: jjmusgrove (CC BY 2.0)
Snow on the bank of the Ohio River at Locks and Dam 53 near Grand ChainPhoto: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District (CC BY 2.0)
Sunset over the Mississippi River with the St. Louis skyline, the Gateway Arch and the Eads BridgePhoto: Bryan Werner (CC BY 2.0)
Mercer County hunting questions
How many leftover deer permits does Mercer County have?
1,812 firearm and 233 muzzleloader permits remained after the third lottery, and the count falls as they sell.
Is there a CWD check station in Mercer County?
No, Mercer is not one of the 18 mandatory check-station counties.
Is there a late-winter deer season in Mercer County?
Yes. Mercer County is on the 2026-27 late-winter antlerless list for private land.
Is Mercer County in the North or South turkey zone?
IDNR lists it in the North Zone (66 counties), so the spring dates start April 12.
Are there closed public sites in Mercer County?
Our data shows no closed hunting sites inside the county.
Which season produces most of the Mercer deer harvest?
In 2025-26 the firearm seasons produced 873 deer and archery 646.
Do I have to report my deer in Mercer County?
Yes. Every deer must be reported by phone or online by 10 p.m. on harvest day.
How long after removing bait can I hunt in Mercer County?
An area is considered baited for 10 consecutive days after the bait is gone.
What license do I need to hunt in Mercer County?
A hunting license (resident $12.00 base price), the State Habitat Stamp ($5.00), the right permits, and waterfowl stamps if you hunt ducks or geese.
Do I need hunter safety to hunt in Mercer County?
Anyone born on or after January 1, 1980 must complete hunter safety education or show a prior-year hunting license before buying one.
Where can I confirm the Sunday rule for Mercer County?
Ask IDNR directly, because the Digest and IDNR pages we read are silent on the point.
What time is sunrise in Mercer County in November?
About 6:56 a.m. on November 20, 2026, with sunset at 4:41 p.m..
How do I know which duck zone covers Mercer County?
Read the road description in the Digest or the IDNR waterfowl zones PDF, since zone lines follow roads and not county borders.
Are there taxidermists in Mercer County?
No taxidermist is listed in Mercer County; check the services section for neighbours.
From the 2026-27 Digest (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), hunter orange, baiting, Sunday statement, harvest reporting, CWD rules, license fees and the county data above. Checked November 13, 2026.