ILLINOIS, LOCAL COUNTIES ENJOY GOOD DEER HARVEST

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- A preliminary total of 96,230 whitetailed deer were taken during the 1994 firearm deer season in Illinois, conservation officials in that state reported.

The 1994 tally is 4,675 higher than the total harvest of 91,555 deer taken during the 1993 firearm season, representing less than a 5 percent increase from last year.

Pike County led the state with a total harvest of 4,020.

Locally, the number of deer taken was up from 1993.

In Alexander Country, 315 deer were taken, an increase of seven over 1993. Kills were up 56 in Massac County where 447 were reported. Pulaski County hunters bagged 806 deer, an increase of 39.

Totals were down slightly in Union County were 2,086 deer were taken, a decrease of 17 from 1993. However, Union County still ranked eighth in total harvest out of Illinois' 98 counties.

Paul Shelton, forest wildlife program manager for the Illinois Department of Conservation, said near-perfect weather conditions and a near-total crop harvest contributed to the good numbers.

"The proportion of deer taken ... is what we would consider a more normal distribution than last year, with about 66 percent of the deer taken during the first part of the 1994 season," Shelton said. The first part of Illinois season ran from November 18-20, while the second portion was from Dec. 1-4.

More than 263,000 firearm permits were issued for the 1994 white-tailed deer season, compared to 240,000 issued in 1993.