SPRINGFIELD, IL — Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 54,452 deer during the first weekend of the Illinois Firearm Deer Season on Nov. 18-20.  Hunters took 57,870 deer during the first firearm weekend in 2015. Illinois’ seven-day Firearm Deer Season will conclude on Dec. 1-4.  Even though Jefferson County had the most deer harvested in the immediate area with 1,276, it was a decrease from 1,404 in opening weekend 2015. Marion County saw the first weekend numbers drop from 1,093 to 1,051. In Clinton County, hunters harvested 457 deer, up 30 from a year ago. Wayne County also saw an increase from 1,022 in 2015 to 1,035 in 2016. Hamilton County saw numbers drop from 807 last year to 786 this year. Franklin County was also down from 910 last year to 807 this year. Finally, Washington County had the fewest in the area in the first weekend with 672 deer harvested, down from 722 last year.