Description: Total area: 1,181 acres. Huntable acres: 305. This area is a bottomland
of sloughs, lakes, and low timbered ridges. Practically all of the area is
subject to and conditioned by periodic flooding of the Illinois River. As
time and budget allow, this area is targeted for restoration activities and
enhancement of wildlife habitat.
Available
Game Species:
Species | Season | Special
Regulations |
Duck
Season | Central
Zone | Annual
blind drawing site. Windshield card required |
Youth
Waterfowl | Central
Zone | Youth
season is held the weekend preceding duck season |
Early
Goose | Central
Zone | Windshield
card required |
Teal | Statewide | Windshield
card required |
Late
Goose | Central
Zone | Windshield
card required |
Conservation
Order Light Goose | Statewide | Windshield
card required |
Archery
Deer | Statewide-and
during the firearm deer season. | Windshield card required |
Furbearer
Trapping | Statewide | Site
Permit, trapper quota |
All statewide regulations apply unless
there are more restrictive site-specific regulations.
All hunters must obtain
a windshield card available online at dnr2.illinois.gov/Windshieldcard. Hunters must report
their harvest and hunter trips online prior to February 15th each year. Failure
to report harvest will result in loss of hunting privileges at this site for
the following year.
Species Specific Regulations:
Waterfowl
- Duck Season
- Hunting sites are
awarded by annual draw.
- Staked blind sites not
legally occupied by blind builders or partners by 1/2 hour before legal
shooting time may be claimed on a first-come basis.
- Claiming or attempting
to claim a staked blind site which is legally occupied, and or harassing in any
manner the occupants of a blind site which has been legally claimed is
unlawful.
- All parties must hunt
over a minimum of twelve (12) decoys of a least standard size which must be
removed upon termination of the days hunt.
- All hunting will be
from portable boat blinds. No more than (3) persons may occupy a boat blind at
one time. Boat blinds must be anchored within 10 yards of a staked blind site.
- Due to geographical
limitations, use of boats on the area is usually restricted to portable type
with overland access from the Illinois River
- Windshield card
required
- Teal, Early, Late
Goose, and Conservation Order Light Goose
- Hunting from a staked
site is waived during seasons
- Windshield card
required
Archery Deer
- Archery deer hunting will be allowed only
in the area north of Lick Creek, south of the above ground water line, east of
the Illinois river and west of the railroad right of way
- Only
one tree stand or ground blind is allowed per deer permit holder. It is
unlawful to construct or use any tree stand using nails, screws or any device
which pierces or cuts the bark of the tree on which it is installed. Tree
stands and ground blinds must be portable and removed at the end of each day
with the exception that they 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.
- Open to archery deer hunting without
regard to firearm deer season
- Windshield card
required
Furbearer Trapping
- Allowed by site permit allocated at drawing
in October at Spring Lake SFWA.
- Only
Egg Traps®, D-P (Dog-Proof) Traps®, Lil Grizz Get'rz®, box traps, cage traps,
and traps of similar design may be used for land sets; only body-gripping traps
with a jaw spread of 5 inches or less, foothold traps with a jaw spread of 4½
inches or less and square body-gripping traps with a 10 inch jaw spread may be
used for water sets; snares may be used for water sets
- No trapping is permitted in
subimpoundments or designated waterfowl management units during duck season.
- .22 caliber or smaller rimfire firearms
permitted
Site Regulations:
- It is unlawful to ride
horses on this site or allow horses to enter this site.
- It
is unlawful for any person to trespass for any purpose upon areas posted as
Waterfowl Refuge or Waterfowl Rest Area.
- It
is unlawful to use any off-road vehicle of any type on this area unless given
specific permission by site personnel.
Active habitat management will be occurring throughout the year on the site.
For
further information contact: Site Superintendent, Spring Lake
State Fish & Wildlife Area, 7982 South Park Road, Manito, IL 61546.
Phone: 309-968-7135.