Announcements

Apply now for a Deer Firearm/Muzzleloader Permit!

Burning Star State Fish and Wildlife Area

Office phone: 618-521-8873
Office address: 483 Mine Road, DeSoto, Illinois 62824
- Main office is at Pyramid State Park
Site coordinates: 37.83872 -89.18171
County: Jackson
Site Superintendent
District Wildlife Biologist
Conservation Police

Huntable acres: 4,508
Habitat: Area is dominated by large tracts of forestland which are interspersed with cropland, lakes, wetlands, shrubland and grasslands. Active habitat management will be occurring throughout the year on the site.
Digital Map
Printable Map

All statewide hunting regulations apply at site unless noted hereafter.
Site requires use of windshield card, displayed on vehicle dashboard, to report hunting effort and harvest by 15 February.
The site is a Restricted Hunting Area November 1- March 1. ONLY vehicles with a valid Hunter Windshield Card and license are allowed on site.
Use Hunt Planner to find hunting seasons open at this site.
Hunters must remove tree stands from the area at the end of each day’s hunt.
The area will be closed to fishing Nov 1 through the last day of Feb.
Hunters should not park in such a way to block a gate or access point.
Species-specific rules:

Archery
- Statewide regulations
Youth
- Statewide regulations
Firearm and Muzzleloader
- Site specific permit issued through the statewide lottery

Spring
- Statewide regulations
- Site specific permit issued through statewide lottery
Fall Gun and Fall Archery are closed.

Squirrels
- Statewide regulations
- Hunting with .22 caliber or smaller rimfire firearms, .25 caliber or smaller air rifle, or muzzleloading black powder rifles.
Rabbits
- No rabbit hunting offered

Dove
- Statewide regulations
- Non-toxic shot required, size 6 or smaller
Crow
- Statewide regulations
- Hunting hours are 30 minutes prior to sunrise to sunset
Woodcock
- Statewide regulations

Trapping
- Statewide regulations
- No trapping on Island Lake Waterfowl Rest Area Nov 1 – Feb 28
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.
- Site closed to furbearer hunting until after 1pm each day during spring turkey season, unless hunting with a valid site turkey permit.
- Coyote and striped skunk season coincides with the statewide fox season.
- Windshield Card required