Location: Jo Daviess County, 10.2 miles NW of Stockton on Scout Camp Rd. Property in 3 locations: a 384.7 acre parcel, a 332.9 acre parcel, and a 772.5 acre parcel.
Description: Total Acres: 1,489.9; The vegetative cover is a mixture of steep timbered slopes and bluffs with grassland, row crops and hayfields predominate on ridge tops. The topography can be severe especially bordering the Apple River. This habitat should provide good hunting for squirrel, rabbit, turkey, and deer. Habitat restoration consisting of hardwood and prairie plantings will be ongoing and should enhance future wildlife populations.
Hunting: No hunting in Apple River Canyon State Park. Hunting is allowed in the Salem Unit on either side of Salem Road within DNR boundaries. Within the Thompson Unit is a Nature Preserve where only deer hunting is allowed. No hunting allowed within Thompson Cemetery boundaries. Both sites are owned and managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Active habitat management will be occurring throughout the year on the site.
Available Game Species:
Species | Dates | Hours | Bag limits | Special regulations |
Squirrel and Rabbit | Statewide | Statewide | Statewide | Shotgun or Bow and Arrow. See #5 and 8. |
Turkey (Youth) | Statewide | Statewide | Statewide | Quota of 7 hunters. See #4, 5 and 7. |
Turkey (Spring) | Statewide | Statewide | Statewide | Quota of 7 hunters per seasons. See #4, 5, and 6. |
Turkey (Fall Shotgun) | Statewide | Statewide | Statewide | Quota of 7 hunters. See #5 and 6. |
Turkey (Fall Archery) | Statewide | Statewide | Statewide | No hunter quota. See #5 and 8. |
Deer (Archery) | Statewide | Statewide | Statewide | No hunter quota. See #5, 8, and 9. |
Deer (Youth) | Statewide | Statewide | Statewide | Quota of 20 hunters. See #4, 5, 7, 8 and 9. |
Deer (Firearm) | First or Second Season | Statewide | Statewide | Quota of 20 hunters per season. See #4, 5, 6, 8, and 9. |
Deer (CWD) | Statewide | Statewide | Statewide | Quota of 20 hunters. See #4, 5, 6, 8, and 9. |
Deer (Muzzleloader) | 2nd portion of muzzleloader season | Statewide | Statewide | Quota of 20 hunters. See #4, 5, 6, 8, and 9. Muzzleloader permit only. Invalid during 2nd portion of the firearm deer season. |
Raccoon, Opossum | Statewide | Sunset to Sunrise | Statewide | Shotguns and .22ca Rimfire Rifles allowed. See #5. |
Fox, Coyote, Skunk | Statewide Fox Season | Sunset to Sunrise | Statewide | Shotguns and .22ca Rimfire Rifles allowed. See #5. |
Area Regulations:
- All statewide regulations apply.
- It shall be unlawful for any person to possess or to consume beer, wine, or intoxicating liquors while hunting on the area.
- No ground fires or camping allowed.
- Area closed to non-hunters during deer firearm seasons (Youth, Firearm, CWD, and Muzzleloader) and until 1 pm during turkey firearm seasons (Youth and Spring). Exception: supervising adult during youth seasons.
- Hunters must obtain a Windshield Card online at the IDNR website, dnr2.illinois.gov/windshieldcard/. This permit must be displayed and visible under the vehicle windshield and the pocket portion in possession while hunting at the site. Hunters must report their annual harvest online by February 15 (even if the hunter did not hunt) or they forfeit hunting privileges at the site for the following year.
- All turkey and firearm deer hunters must obtain a Special Hunt Area permit. Special Hunt Area permits are not valid anywhere else in the county. County permits are not valid for the Special Hunt Area.
- For Youth Turkey and Deer seasons, only Jo Daviess County permit holders that contact the site office will be issued a youth season Windshield Card until quotas are reached.
- All other hunting is closed during firearm deer seasons (Youth, Firearm, CWD, and Muzzleloader). Exception: coyote may be taken by firearm deer hunters with Special Hunt Area permit.
- It shall be unlawful to construct or to use any tree stand that utilizes nails, screws, or wire or any device which pierces or cuts the bark of the tree on which it is installed. Any tree stand must be portable and removed from the tree at the end of each days hunt.
For further information contact: Apple River Canyon State Park 8763 E. Canyon Rd. Apple River, IL 61001 (815)745-3302
For Tourism Information contact: Galena Country Welcome Center, 123 N. Commerce St., Galena, IL 61036 (815)776-9200, galena@visitgalena.org
