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Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area

Site Contact Info

Office phone: 309-647-9184

Office address:  19721 N U.S. 24, Canton, IL 61520

Site coordinates: 40.53749 -89.8622

County: Fulton and Peoria

Site Superintendent

District Wildlife Biologist

Conservation Police

Site Closures List

Site Maps

Digital Map

Printable Map

Site Characteristics

Huntable acres: 3,000

Habitat: Area is predominantly a freshwater marsh with several water bodies and patches of grassland and shrubland. Active habitat management will be occurring throughout the year on the site, including prescribed burning.

Site/Species Specific Regulations

Statewide and associated species regulations in accordance with the Illinois Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations apply at site unless noted hereafter.

Primarily a waterfowl hunting area, Banner Marsh allows hunters with permit reservations to hunt waterfowl from registered blind sites.

The lake will be closed to boating and boat fishing 10 days prior to the start of the waterfowl season.

All hunters are required to check-in and out at the sign-in box of check station.

No wake with an outboard motor over 25 horsepower applies on this area.

Deer

Archery

Follows statewide season except during the Central Zone Duck Season when the archery hours are 1 pm to ½ hour after sunset. 

Open to archery deer hunting without regard to firearm deer season. 

Only one 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, but must be legibly marked with the owner’s name, address, and telephone number, or site assigned identification number. 

Firearm

Not available at this site.

Late Winter Antlerless

Not available at this site.

Muzzleloader

Not available at this site.

Special CWD

Not available at this site.

Youth Firearm

Not available at this site.

Turkey

Not available at this site.

Waterfowl

Ducks/Coots/Mergansers

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply. See further site-specific regulations below:

  • Duck permits are allocated by drawing. Applicants must apply online. 25 permits available per day during the Central Zone Duck Season. See the Permits & Lotteries section on the Waterfowl Hunting page for more information.
  • Hunters with permit reservations are required to check in at the check station between 4:30 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. Permits are void after 5:00 a.m. A drawing shall be held to allocate blind sites. 
  • It shall be the responsibility of the permit holder to bring no more than 3 partners (hunters or non-hunters; 4 persons per blind or staked site/area) 
  • A $10.00 daily usage stamp must be purchased at the site. Permit fees are payable at the public hunting area only. (Fee should not be sent to the permit office.) 
  • Non-hunting partners between 16 and 20 years of age must pay daily usage stamp fee. All partners under 16 are not required to purchase a daily usage stamp. 
  • One blind will be allocated each day of the hunting season to a disabled person. Successful applicants must present a State Disabled person I.D. card showing a P2, P2A, H2 or H2A disability, along with their permit, at the check station when they check in. 
  • All hunting will cease at 1:00 p.m. and all hunters must report to the check station within 1 hour. 
  • Blinds, boats and decoys available. 
  • Based on individual blind location, hunters may have the option to access their assigned blind by foot, bicycle, or personal boat. All blinds will be provided with a boat, oars, life jackets, and 24 decoys. 

Goose

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply. See further site-specific regulations below:

Late Goose Hunting is available at this site. Statewide hours; opens the day after the close of Central Zone Duck season to end of Canada goose season.

Hunting from a completed blind or staked site is waived after duck season.  

Please check in and out at the check station. 

Snipe/Rail

Not available at this site.

Youth Waterfowl

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply. See further site-specific regulations below:

  • Youth duck permits are allocated by drawing. Applicants must apply online. See the Permits & Lotteries section on the Waterfowl Hunting page for more information.
  • Applicants must be between the ages of 10 and 17 at the time of the hunt 
  • Each permit holder is required to be accompanied by a parent/guardian or responsible adult, who may not hunt 
  • Youth hunters with permit reservations are required to check in at the check station between 4:30 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. Permits are void after 5:00 a.m. A drawing shall be held to allocate blind sites. 
  • All hunting from registered blind sites only. 
  • All hunting will cease at 1:00 p.m. and all hunters must report to the check station within 1 hour. 
  • Blinds, boats and decoys available. 
  • Based on individual blind location, hunters may have the option to access their assigned blind by foot, bicycle, or personal boat. All blinds will be provided with a boat, oars, life jackets, and 24 decoys. 
  • Each youth and supervising adult may be accompanied by a non-hunting guide. The maximum number of people in a blind is 2 hunting youth, 2 non-hunting adults and a non-hunting guide. 
  • No fee is required for the Illinois Youth Waterfowl Hunting Permit. 

Upland/Small Game

Controlled Pheasant Hunting

Not available at this site.

Crow

Not available at this site.

Dove

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:

  • Non-toxic shot only
  • Sunrise to noon daily from September 1-5 with a drawing at the check station one hour before sunrise.
  • Statewide hours from September 6-30, no drawing.

Pheasant/Quail/Partridge

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:

  • Opens after the close of Central Zone duck season.
  • Non-toxic shot only

Rabbits

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:

  • Opens after the close of Central Zone duck season.
  • Non-toxic shot only

Squirrels

Not available at this site.

Woodcock

Not available at this site.

Furbearers

Furbearer Hunting

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:

  • Coyote hunting only
  • Coyotes can be taken with archery equipment when site is open to archery deer hunting.
  • Coyotes can be taken with shotguns on days when the site is open to upland hunting. Use of a shotgun with slugs is prohibited.

Furbearer Trapping

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:

  • A site permit is required and must be in possession while trapping on the area.
  • Trappers must stay within assigned areas.
  • No trapping is permitted in sub-impoundments or designated waterfowl management units during duck season.
  • A drawing shall be held prior to the opening of the season. The date of the drawing shall be announced by the Department by public announcement here and the drawing shall be held at the site. Persons participating in the drawing must have either a current or previous year trapping license. The number of permits per site shall be determined pursuant to 17 Ill. Adm. Code 510.20. Permit applicants must submit name and address to the site prior to drawing.
  • 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 4.5 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 .22 caliber or smaller rimfire firearms permitted.

Amenities

Boat access

Fishing

Hunting

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