Adventure’s Calling: This Forest Preserve Is Ideal for Discovering Deer in Illinois

I still remember going on an elementary school field trip to learn about sap at Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve. As I got older, the forest was a place to meet friends after school for a picnic or even go on “walking dates” with some of my very first boyfriends. Today, when I’m in the area to visit my parents, my mom and I still take sunset walks to see the deer at Fullersburg Woods. On the hundreds of visits I’ve made to Fullerburg, I’ve almost always seen at least one deer.

Generally seen along the Fullersburg and Graue Mill Loop Trail, many deer call these 220-acre woods in Oak Brook, Illinois, home. A memory that sticks out is one from the summer of 2024. I was taking an evening stroll with my mother, and we were treated to a family of deer. A beautiful buck stood tall next to his partner and two spotted children. They saw us standing across the river, but didn’t seem to mind. My mom and I watched them for at least an hour. 

The two young deer began to play in the river. The fawns caught a glimpse of a sandhill crane and began to spiritedly charge it. A  family of ducklings swam by as if they were trying to see what all the excitement was about. Eventually, the parents joined their children in the river and began nibbling on the leaves of the trees that hung over the water.

Memories like these are common for many of the forest preserve’s visitors. I’ve found that if you visit during the early morning hours or near sunset, you’ll almost always be treated to a deer sighting. It’s not often you can count on a glimpse of wildlife, but here it feels nearly guaranteed.

 At the time of publication, Fullersburg Woods is in the midst of a $5 million restoration project. I’ve been visiting throughout this three to five-year project, and I’ve already noticed vast aesthetic improvements to the preserve. One of the stated goals of the restoration is to restore Salt Creek and diversify the aquatic and plant life. Even through renovations, I’ve continued to see deer on nearly every one of my visits.

In addition to deer watching, explorers can stop by the Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center. While I’ve been visiting the center since I was a young child, it’s continued to grow and modernize with the times. Since age five, my personal favorite part of the nature center was seeing the 3,000-year-old skeleton of a woolly mammoth. You should also swing by the historic Graue Mill & Museum. At the museum, visitors can learn about life in the late 1800s as well as the mill’s role in the Underground Railroad.

I don’t know where I’ll end up living over the next few decades. However, I know that as long as my parents are living in the area, I’ll continue to make my evening trips to Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve to see my old four-legged friends. What are some other great spots for discovering deer in Illinois? Let us know by filling out our nomination form.