Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area - Upland and Forest Game

Location: Marshall County; Headquarters located 5 miles south of Lacon on State Rt. 26, or 30 miles north of Peoria on Route 26.

Description: Total Area: Almost 6,700 acres, of which one-half is water.

Huntable Acres for Upland and Forest species: Approximately 1,100 acres, consisting of mostly timber, with small shrubby openings, and adjacent private row crop fields. Hunting success for squirrel, deer, dove, furbearers, and turkey is average to excellent; whereas, rabbit is poor and quail and pheasant are very poor. Active habitat management will be occurring throughout the year on the site.

Available Game Species:

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

Area Regulations:

1. Hunting is restricted to those areas posted as open to hunting.

2. Hunters must obtain a windshield card online from dnr2.illinois.gov/Windshieldcard. This windshield card must be displayed in your windshield and the pocket card portion in your possession while hunting at the site. Hunters must report their annual harvest online (even if you did not hunt) by February 15th. Hunters shall forfeit their hunting privileges at the site for the following year if they fail to report by the prescribed deadline.

3. Hunting with .22 caliber or smaller rimfire firearms, .25 caliber or smaller air rifles, or muzzleloading black powder rifles is allowed for squirrel hunting.
   

4. .22 caliber or smaller rimfire firearms may be used to take raccoon and opossum from sunset to sunrise.​

5. Only one non-piercing tree stand or ground blind is allowed per deer permit holder. Tree stands and ground blinds may be left unattended from September 15 through January 31. Any tree stand or ground blind left unattended must be legibly marked with the owner's name, address, and telephone number, or site assigned identification number.

6. It shall be unlawful for any person to construct or to use any tree stand using nails, screws, or wire, or any device which pierces or cuts the bark of the tree.

7. It shall be unlawful to possess or consume alcoholic beverages while hunting on the area.

Special Area Regulations:

Firearm Deer:

Statewide regulations shall apply, except hunting allowed by permit only. Each permit will be valid for both of the firearm deer season, and permits will be allocated through the regular statewide drawing. Permit holders must check in at the site by 5:00am each day of deer season to validate their permit; at this time, there will also be a drawing for standby hunters for any available vacan​cies. Vacancies may be filled by any person holding a valid Hunting License, Habitat Stamp, and FOID card, unless exempt. Standby hunters will be issued a one-day site-specific deer permit at the check station, and charged a permit fee of $5.00. No standby deer permits will be sold after 1:00 PM. Hunters must register the results at the sign-out box provided at each parking area at the conclusion of each days hunt.

Youth, Late Firearm, and Muzzleloader Deer Season:

Hunters are required to possess a county specific deer permit (Zone 1, 2, 3 - Marshall County Permit, Zone 4 - Peoria County). For the exception that an unfilled Springfield issued Marshall SFWA full season firearm permit can be used in the late firearm antlerless season.

Spring Turkey:

Hunting is restricted to five designated zones (1, 2, 3, 4 & Duck Ranch), indicated on the area map. Duck Ranch area is not included on this map. See site headquarters to obtain a Duck Ranch map.

Trapping:

Drawing to allocate site specific trapping permits is held at the Marshall SFWA office on December 1^st at 10:00 am every year. Trappers must stay within assigned areas.​

Other facilities available: Camping, Picnicking, Hiking, and Fishing.

For further information, contact: Marshall State Fish & Wildlife Area, 236 State Route 26, Lacon, IL 61540; Phone: 309/246-8351.​​​