SPRINGFIELD — Deer season, for those who hunt with a bow and arrow, is in full swing. The Illinois Department of Natural

Resources says the deer kill for the first twelve days of the new season is 8868, up 186 from the same period in 2014.

Archery deer hunting is growing in popularity, based on its growing share of total deer harvested.

“The season is quite a bit longer,” says Chris Young, Illinois DNR spokesman, noting the 3 ½ months archery deer hunting is in season. “There’s opportunities for hunters who knock off work an hour or two early and go out and hunt in the last hours of daylight.”

The firearm deer season is the weekend before and the weekend after Thanksgiving.

Top counties for archery so far are Pike, Jefferson, Fulton, Williamson, and Randolph.