SPRINGFIELD – Firearm deer hunters in Illinois took a preliminary total of 99,324 deer during the seven-day firearm deer season on Nov. 16-18 and Nov. 29-Dec. 2, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) announced Thursday. This year’s preliminary firearm season harvest total compares with the 97,820 deer taken during the 2011 firearm season.

The preliminary second-season (Nov. 29-Dec. 2) harvest total was 27,213, compared with the 31,259 deer taken by hunters during the second segment of the 2011 season. This year’s preliminary first-season (Nov. 18-20) deer harvest was 72,111, compared with a first-season harvest of 66,501 in 2011.

The preliminary harvest totals include deer taken in all counties in which firearm deer hunting is permitted, as well as at Chain O’Lakes State Park in Lake County.