Hunters in Knox County had a very successful first weekend of the firearm deer hunting season. According to preliminary numbers released by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources this week, Knox County hunters bagged 737 head of deer in the first three days of the firearm season. That's up from 720 last year and 686 in 2020. Hunters in Warren County were fairly flat over the last three years, bringing in 290 deer. Last year, Warren County hunters harvested 288 deer and in 2020 they harvested 294. Fulton County hunters had the highest count in the area, bringing in 1,249 deer – up from 1,154 last year and 1,202 in 2020. The first weekend totals were up in McDonough, Peoria, and Henry counties but down in Mercer County. Illinois' seven-day firearm deer season will conclude Dec. 1-4. Archery season continues through Jan. 15, except during the last four days of the firearm season.