Braidwood Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area

Site Contact Info

Office Phone: 815-237-0063

Office Address: PO Box 126, Braceville, IL 60407

Site Coordinates: 41.202368 -88.232603

County: Grundy

Site Superintendent

District Wildlife Biologist

Conservation Police

Site Closures List

Site Maps

Digital Map

Printable Map

Site Characteristics

Huntable Acres: 1,100 acres total, 1,000 acres of waterfowl refuge

Habitat: characterized by sharp topography characteristic of strip mining operations. Braidwood Lake is a perched lake owned by the Braidwood Generating Station. Extreme caution must be used during times of even moderate winds and during changing weather conditions. Numerous underwater hazards are found throughout the site. Fog and wind can also be limiting factors on this body of water. Several bodies of water are found on this site, dominated by the main cooling lake

Active habitat management will occur throughout the year on the site, including prescribed burning.

Site Specific Regulations

Statewide and associated species regulations apply at the site unless noted hereafter.

Hunting will be prohibited in the event of adverse water and/or weather conditions, such as flooding, high winds, or heavy fog, national or local security.

Area closed to fishing, from 10 days prior the regular central waterfowl opener to and through the end of the central waterfowl season

Access is limited to waterfowl hunting only from designated locations.

Deer

Not available at this site.

Turkey

Not available at this site.

Waterfowl

Ducks, Coots, & Mergansers

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:

• Daily shooting hours will cease at 1 pm.
• Any person under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
• No hunting is allowed on Mondays and Tuesdays, Christmas and New Years Day.
• Hunters wishing to move to another blind site must obtain permission for this move from the check station attendant (in person) before such a move.
• Hunting over a minimum of 6 decoys is required.
• There is no early teal hunting.
• To hunt waterfowl in this area, all watercraft has to be at least 16 feet long and 60 inches in beam and have a gasoline powered motor.
• All hunting must be from an anchored portable boat blind (at least 16 feet long and 60 inches in beam and have a gasoline powered motor), within 10 yards of the assigned numbered blind location (but not tied to the stake).
• All harvested waterfowl must be presented in person to the check station upon check out. all hunters must report to the check station within one hour. At this time, waterfowl bagged must be checked in and displayed to the station operator and hunting licenses returned.

Goose

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:

• No goose hunting is allowed prior to duck season, it is only allowed after the regular duck season ends.
• A shell limit of 5 shells per goose allowed in the daily bag for the central Canada goose only season has been instituted. If the limit is 2 you may only bring 10 shells on to the site and so on.
• There is no Conservation Order snow goose hunting.
• Check-in and check-out is required.
• Follows the same regulations as ducks. See section above for more information.

Snipe & Rail

Not available at this site.

Youth Waterfowl

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply.

Please note: Youth Waterfowl season is held the weekend preceding the duck season opener.

Upland & Small Game

Not available at this site.

Furbearers

Hunting

Not available at this site.

Trapping

Not available at this site.

Amenities

Boat access

Fishing

Hunting

More information