The counts are in for another successful Lake Springfield area archery deer hunting season, thanks to a partnership with CWLP and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to address overpopulation on City of Springfield-owned property. In 2024, 65 deer were harvested from nine selected hunting sites. There were 63 in 2023.
Made possible through IDNR’s Illinois Recreational Access Program (IRAP), 2024’s harvest seeks to help lower the population of the white-tailed deer herd around Lake Springfield. IRAP selects experienced archery deer hunters and assigns them to one of the designated sites for the program to hunt during the fall and winter months.
On January 7, 2025, CWLP’s aerial deer population survey of the lake’s marginal properties counted 557 over approximately 5,500 total acres (or 8.6 sq mi) or about 64 deer per square mile. There were 677 total deer counted in the 2022 survey. The 65 harvested in 2024 reached the program’s goal of harvesting at least 10% of the deer population.
Deer population research shows that a lower density of 15 to 20 deer per square mile is consistent with maintaining healthy native plant communities. After working with wildlife professionals from the IDNR to review options, controlled archery deer hunting in specific areas was determined to be the best course of action to decrease the population over a period of time.
“On the 4,300 acres of marginal land around Lake Springfield the utility not only strives to take steps to protect our water supply and natural wildlife areas, but to also to balance the needs for public use as a regional recreational destination with the residential use of our properties,” said CWLP Water Division Manager Todd LaFountain. “With the deer population high and over the recommended density, we’re pleased to be able to have this partnership with IDNR to make seasonal hunting available through the Illinois Recreational Access Program.”
This season was the fourth year that CWLP and IDNR has offered this program at Lake Springfield.
CWLP encourages hunters to donate their harvested deer to the Central Illinois Foodbank. “We’re pleased to work with Illinois hunters, Turasky Meats, and the Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry program to cover the processing fee for the first 60 deer donated each season,” LaFountain said. “Just one deer can provide up to 200 meals for families in need.”
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