Lake DePue State Fish & Wildlife Area

2022-2023 Season

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Location: Bureau County, adjacent to the town of DePue, off Illinois Route 29.


Description: Total area is approximately 2,351 acres. Blind sites are located on Lake DePue as well as Spring Lake. Both are backwater lakes in the Illinois River Valley. Active habitat management will be occurring throughout the year on the site.


Species

Season

Hunting Hours

Bag Limits

Waterfowl

North Zone, See #1

Legal opening until 1:00pm

Statewide

​Youth Waterfowl

​North Zone, Federal Season

​Legal opening until 1:00pm

​Statewide​


All regulations found in the Illinois Wildlife Code, Federal Regulations, and Administrative Rules will apply unless area regulations are more restrictive.

Trapping Regulations:

  • In accordance with the Lake DePue trapping program, trapping on designated areas with water sets only will be permitted after the end of the duck season.

Special Area Regulations:

  1. No teal or early Canada goose seasons. Open for goose hunting during Canada goose season after the regular duck season closes.
  2. Blind sites on Lake DePue and Spring Lake are allocated by an annual draw.
  3. Registered blind builders or partners desiring to claim their blinds must report to the check station at least one (1) hour before opening shooting hour each day. Blinds not claimed will be available for assignment to other hunters by a public draw.
  4. All hunting from registered blinds only. No more than four (4) persons shall occupy a blind.
  5. For the purpose of hunting, no person will move from his assigned blind site to another unless reassigned by an authorized Department of Natural Resources representative.
  6. All hunters using these areas must report to the check station before entering the hunting area.
  7. All parties are required to report to the check station within one (1) hour after termination of the hunt or no later than 2:00pm.

Hunting Regulations - General

  • All parties must hunt over a minimum of twelve (12) decoys.
  • Severe weather and safety conditions may result in closing all or part of the site.
  • Hunters under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
  • Any special or extended waterfowl seasons will be announced.

It Shall Be Unlawful:

  • For any person to consume any alcoholic beverage or illegal drugs or to be under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs while on the area for the purpose of hunting.
  • To perform any weed and/or brush control around any blind without prior approval from an authorized Department of Natural Resources representative.
  • To enter any waterfowl refuge unless given permission from an authorized Department of Natural Resources representative.
  • While attempting to take migratory waterfowl or coots to have in possession any shotgun shells not approved as non-toxic by federal regulations.
  • To possess any shotgun shell loaded with a shot size larger than steel T or BBB in other kinds of non-toxic shot while attempting to take waterfowl in Illinois.

For further information contact: Site Superintendent - Lake DePue SFWA, P.O. Box 52, DePue, IL 61322

Phone: (815) 447-2353​

Equal opportunity to participate in programs of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and those funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies is available to all individuals regardless of race, sex, national origin, disability, age, religion, or other non-merit factors. If you believe you have been discriminated against, contact the funding source’s civil rights office and/or the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, IDNR, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702; (217)785-0067; TTY (217)782-9175.