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Braidwood Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area

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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

Site-Specific Regulations

  • All statewide hunting regulations apply at 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
  • Species-specific rules:

Deer

  • No deer hunting permitted

Turkey

  • No turkey hunting permitted

Waterfowl

  • Dates
    • Central Zone Waterfowl Seasons
  • Blind Draw
    • Blind sites will be allocated by a daily drawing
    • The daily drawing will be held 1 hour before legal shooting time
    • Hunters shall register as a party of one to three hunters for the drawing by providing valid Hunting License and Waterfowl Stamps
    • Blind sites not selected during the drawing will be allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis one hour after legal shooting time
    • Vacant blind sites will not be allocated until 1 hour after legal shooting time. Further, no blind will be allocated after 10 am
    • Blind winners shall leave hunting license and waterfowl stamps at check station. Upon check out they will be returned.
    • Check out is required within 1 hour of completing a hunt prior to leaving the site
  • Youth Waterfowl
    • Youth Waterfowl season is held the weekend preceding the duck season opener.
  • General Information
    • 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
    • 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. This does not include the regular duck season
    • 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 or Conservation Order snow goose 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

Squirrels/Rabbits

  • No squirrel hunting permitted.
  • No rabbit hunting permitted.

Upland Birds

  • No upland bird hunting permitted.

Furbearers

  • No furbearer hunting or trapping permitted.

Amenities

  • Boat access
  • Fishing
  • Hunting