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Apple River Canyon State Park (Salem and Thompson Units)

Huntable acres: 1,052
Habitat: Limestone bluffs, deep ravines, springs and streams characterize this area. Vegetation is predominantly a mix of wooded slopes and grassland, row crops and hayfields dominant on ridge tops. Habitat restoration consisting of hardwood and prairie plantings will be ongoing and should enhance future wildlife populations.
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Active habitat management will be occurring throughout the year on the site.
All statewide hunting regulations apply at site unless noted hereafter.
Site is closed to all non-hunting activities during firearm, youth, CWD, and muzzleloader deer seasons
Site requires use of windshield card, displayed on vehicle dashboard, to report hunting effort and harvest by 15 February. This site requires a windshield card for the hunting of all game species.
Use Hunt Planner to find hunting seasons open at this site.
Hunting is allowed in the Salem Unit on either side of Salem Road within IDNR boundaries. Only deer hunting is allowed in the Thompson Unit, which is a nature preserve.
- No hunting is allowed within Thompson Cemetery boundaries and within the Apple River Canyon State Park.
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.
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.

Archery
- State Regulations, but closed during firearm deer seasons.
Firearm
- Hunters must obtain a site-specific (special-hunt-area) permit issued through the statewide lottery system.
  - Site-specific permits are not valid anywhere else in the county.
  - County permits are not valid for the special hunt area.
- Firearm deer hunting is allowed during first and second firearm seasons.
- Muzzleloader hunting is allowed during the second portion of muzzleloader season.
- Muzzleloader permit is invalid during second portion of firearm deer season.
- CWD deer hunting follows statewide regulations.
Deer Firearm Youth:
- During youth deer hunting seasons, only Jo Daviess County permit holders who contact the site office will be issued a youth season.
- A non-hunter may not enter the hunting area during deer firearm seasons (youth, firearm, CWD, and muzzleloader), except a supervising non-hunting adult who is accompanying a youth hunter during youth deer hunting season.
- Only 1 portable tree stand is allowed per hunter and must be removed from the area at the end of each day’s hunt.

Spring Turkey
- Shotgun and archery equipment permitted.
- All turkey hunters must obtain a site-specific (special-hunt-area) permit issued through the statewide lottery system.
- Site-specific permits are not valid anywhere else in the county. County permits are not valid for this area.
Turkey Spring Youth
- Youth hunters who hold Jo Daviess County permit and who contact the site office will be issued a youth season windshield card, until quotas are reached.
- Non-hunters must not enter the hunt area during the time preceding 1 pm daily during turkey shotgun seasons (youth and spring seasons), except a supervising adult who is required to accompany a youth during youth turkey hunting.
Fall Turkey
- Archery
  - Statewide regulations apply, but hunting is closed during all firearm deer hunting seasons.
- Firearm
  - All turkey hunters must obtain a site-specific (special-hunt-area) permit issued through the Springfield lottery system.Site-specific permits are not valid anywhere else in the county.
  - County permits are not valid for this area.
  - Hunting is closed during all firearm deer seasons.

Field hunting of waterfowl is permitted
- Hunting parties must hunt with a minimum of 6 decoys.

Squirrels
- Statewide regulations apply, but hunting must be done with a shotgun or archery equipment.
- Closed during firearm deer seasons.

Rabbits
- Statewide regulations apply, but hunting must be done with a shotgun or archery equipment.
- Closed during firearm deer seasons.

Hunting
- Statewide regulations
- Rimfire rifles .22 caliber and smaller may be used from sunset to sunrise.
- Furbearer hunting closed during Firearm Deer Season
  - Hunters with a valid, unfilled firearm deer permit for the hunt area may take coyotes during legal hours of the firearm deer season. Otherwise, the use of shotgun slugs to take furbearing mammals is prohibited on state sites.
- Coyote and striped skunk season coincides with the statewide fox season.
- Windshield Card required