Announcements
Big Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area
Site Contact Info
Office phone: 815-772-4708
Office address: c/o 18750 Lake Road, Morrison, IL 61270
Site coordinates: 41.64905 -90.0183
County: Whiteside
Site Map
Site Characteristics
Huntable acres: 2,338
Habitat: The majority of the area is bottomlands along the Rock River that are interspersed with native grasslands, tracts of woods, oxbow lakes, and several wetlands and marshes. A small portion of the site is uplands composed of sandy soil with fields bordered by tree lines. Active habitat management will be occurring throughout the year on the site, including prescribed burning.
Site Specific Regulations
Statewide and associated Species regulations in accordance with the Illinois Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations apply at site unless noted hereafter.
Hunters must register daily with name and date prior to hunting and must record visit and harvest once done, including 0 if nothing was harvested. Registration is at parking lots 1, 2, 3, or 4.
Deer
Archery
Statewide regulations
One portable tree stand or ground stand allowed per hunter. Stands may be left unattended from Sept 15 through Jan 31, but must be marked with owner’s name, address and telephone number.
Archery deer hunting will be allowed during all firearm deer seasons. An archery permit is needed to hunt during the firearm deer seasons. All hunters must wear a cap and upper outer garment of solid blaze orange or pink of at least 400 sq. inches
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
Fall Archery
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except closed during firearm deer season.
Fall Shotgun
Spring
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except site-specific permit required. County permits will not be valid at Big Bend SFWA.
Note: In an effort to distribute turkey hunters throughout the site, hunters are encouraged to use another parking lot when 2 cars are already present in a parking lot during the turkey season.
Youth Spring
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply. Must have a valid youth turkey hunting permit for Whiteside County (no site-specific permit required).
Waterfowl
Ducks, Coots, & Mergansers
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply except:
Waterfowl hunting is by free permit via a lottery drawing from the Springfield Permit Office. Permit application can be found here. Each permit holder will be assigned a day. Hunting dates are Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays of North Zone Illinois Duck Season. Permits are non-transferable. It shall be the responsibility of the permit holder to bring no more than 3 partners (hunters or non-hunters; up to 4 persons total). Waterfowl hunting is walk-in only at the section assigned on the permit.
Please note: All hunters are required to sign in and out, and report harvests at the kiosks found in designated parking area. No permanent blinds are allowed, but hunters may bring or construct temporary blinds to be removed the same day. Hunters must carry their own decoys and gear/hunting equipment to the designated hunting area. Hunters must park in designated hunter parking lot and not block gated entrance to waterfowl hunt area. Hunters may temporarily park at gate to unload/reload gear at the start/end of their day hunting. Hunting hours are 1/2 hour before sunrise until 1:00 pm and waterfowl hunters must be out of the field and signed out with harvest by 2:00 pm.
Goose
Available at this site. Follows the same regulations as ducks, coots, & mergansers. See section above for more information.
Snipe & Rail
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply. Non-toxic shot is required.
Youth Waterfowl
Not available at this site.
Upland & Small Game
Dove
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Permitted hunters who fail to complete their registration by 11:00 am shall have their permit voided.
- Following registration, a daily stand-by drawing, if needed, will be conducted for unclaimed or voided permits.
- Field and stake selection will be made at the Dove Shed through randomized draw following the standby draw.
- Hunters may be required to wear back patches while in the field.
- Hunters must sign out and report harvest at the sign-out box immediately following their exit from the field
- Hunters must hunt within 10 feet of an IDNR marked stake and their firearm will remain at their chair, when leaving the stake is necessary (retrieving birds, etc.)
- Hunters may bring 1 non-hunting, unarmed observer
Dove hunting from Sept 1-5:
- Hunting Sept. 1-5 is by Springfield lottery-issued permit, only. See the Free Dove Permit One Stop webpage for more information.
- Hunting hours are from 12:00pm to 5:00pm
- Permit holders must register at the Dove Shed prior to 11:00 am
Dove hunting from Sept 6-30:
- Permit not required
- Hunting hours: Sunrise-Sunset
- Non-toxic shot only; #6 steel or #7 bismuth & tungsten or smaller
Falconry
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply.
Rabbits
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply. Non-toxic shot is required.
Squirrels
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except shotguns and bow and arrow only.
Upland Birds
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply except hunting for bobwhite quail will terminate at the close of legal shooting hours on December 14.
Non-toxic shot is required.
Woodcock
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply.
Furbearers
Hunting
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply except:
Rimfire rifles .22 caliber and smaller may be used from sunset to sunrise.
Furbearer hunting is closed during firearm deer season.
Striped skunk season coincides with the statewide fox season.
Coyote season dates are August 1 – February 28.
Trapping
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Trapping permits (Quota of 3) are issued through an annual drawing held at Morrison-Rockwood State Park.
- Dog proof traps required.
Note: foothold trap jaw size change after rabbit season for water sets. Contact site for drawing date and time.
Amenities
Hiking trails
Hunting