Young deer hunters continue to set a challenging pace for their elders, with Illinois DNR reporting another record youth-season harvest.
DNR reported that a total of 4,852 deer were taken, 110 more than the 4,742 taken last year. The 2025 harvest had also broken the state record. Cheyenne Cavanagh, a 9-year-old hunter from Chatsworth, serves as a perfect example of the upward trend. She took her first deer on the first shot of her first hunt.
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Illinois’ youth deer season harvest sets new record
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