SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Hunters took more than 75,000 deer during Illinois’ seven-day firearm hunting season this fall, according to preliminary totals compiled by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

That number represents a 7% drop in the number of deer harvested from 2018, when nearly 81,000 deer were taken.

But the second part of this year’s season, from Dec. 5-8, saw an uptick over last year. More than 25,000 deer were harvested during the second season, a 14% increase from 2018.

That more than made up the difference from the first weekend of firearm deer season last month, which saw a drop of nearly 9,000 deer taken compared with 2018.

State wildlife officials say there are other hunting opportunities under way or approaching. Those include archery hunting and hunting with muzzleloaders, late-winter antlerless-only deer hunting and Chronic Wasting Disease hunting in certain counties.