Announcements

Closed during all firearm deer seasons.
You must submit ALL archery harvested deer heads within 48 hours of harvest to test for the presence of Chronic Wasting Disease.

Firearm

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:

Hunters must possess a site-specific permit available through the statewide lottery.
Hunters must check in and deposit their hunting license at the check station by 5am. Registration will open at 4 am. Vacancies remaining at 5am during registration will be filled by a drawing to allocate standby permits during firearm season only.
Stand-by site permits available, but only good on a daily basis.
Non-resident stand-by hunters are required to have a non-resident hunting license and current habitat stamp.
Firearm deer hunters are required to check their deer at the county’s deer firearm check station.
Hunters must check out from the park daily when finished.
Deer permits for the Castle Rock firearm seasons will be either-sex permits.

Late Winter Antlerless

Not available at this site.

Muzzleloader

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:

Castle Rock site specific permit is required to hunt the Muzzleloader or CWD season. Permits may be applied for online. The application period will be publicly announced.
Required to register in and check out on the clipboard located at the Castle Rock workshop for the available parking lots.
Hunters may not arrive earlier than 2 hours before legal shooting time or exceed the posted number of hunters allowed per parking lot at one time.
Standby permits will not be issued for the muzzleloader season. Leftover permits cannot be used.
All hunters must wear blaze orange.
One non-piercing, portable tree stand may be used per person. Stand may be left unattended from Sept 15 – Jan 31 when marked with the hunter’s name, address, and phone number. Deer stands and marking ribbons/flagging must be removed by February 1.

Special CWD

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:

Unfilled permits from any other season will not be valid. Stand-by permits will not be available.
Hunting is allowed with any type of equipment that is legal for statewide deer hunting during the specific season being hunted.
Hunters must check in and check out from the park daily when finished and report harvested deer to the site.
One non-piercing, portable tree stand may be used per person. Stand may be left unattended from Sept 15 – Jan 31 when marked with the hunter’s name, address, and phone number. Deer stands and marking ribbons/flagging must be removed by February 1.

Youth Firearm

Not available at this site.

Turkey

Fall Archery

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except closed during all firearm deer seasons and only allowed in Zone A.

Fall Shotgun

Not available at this site.

Spring

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except hunters must possess a site-specific permit available through the statewide lottery.

Youth Spring

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except hunters must possess a site-specific permit available through the statewide lottery.

Waterfowl

Not available at this site.

Upland & Small Game

Dove

Not available at this site.

Rabbits

Not available at this site.

Squirrels

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:

Squirrel hunting is only allowed in Zone A and only with a shotgun or bow and arrow.
Squirrel hunting is only allowed Aug 1 – Sept 30
Hunters must park in any of the 4 designated parking lots: Lot 7, along Wilderness Road; Lot 8, along IL Hwy 2; Lot 6 along Ridge Road; or Lot 9 along IL Hwy 2 Wetland lot. Squirrel hunting is not allowed in the Nature Preserve, Zone B.

Upland Birds

Not available at this site.

Woodcock

Not available at this site.

Furbearers

Hunting

Not available at this site.

Trapping

Not available at this site.

Amenities

Boat ramp
Hunting
More information