ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

J.B. Pritzker, Governor | illinois.gov

Wildlife Illinois

Hunt Planner

Announcements

Public Duck and Goose Hunting Area Permit First Lottery Begins August 16!

Castle Rock State Park

    Site Contact Info

    Site Map

    Site Characteristics

    • Huntable acres: 1,620
    • Habitat: Area has rolling topography, sandstone bluffs and rock formations, ravines and unique northern plant associations. ​​​Active habitat management will be occurring throughout the year on the site.

    Site Specific Regulations

    • 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.
    • Use Hunt Planner to find hunting seasons open at this site.
    • Hunters must possess a permit issued specifically for Castle Rock SP, for the season they are hunting, to hunt this site.
    • Species-specific rules:

    Deer

    • Archery
      • Statewide regulations, but closed during all firearm deer seasons.
      • Submission of ALL archery harvested deer heads is required within 48 hours of harvest to test for the presence of Chronic Wasting Disease.
    • Firearm
      • Open during the first and second firearm seasons
      • Hunters must possess a site-specific permit available through statewide lottery.
      • Hunters must check in and deposit their hunting license at the check station by 5 am. Registration will open at 4 am. Vacancies remaining at 5 am 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 daily basis.
      • Non-resident stand-by hunters are required to have a non-resident hunting license and current habitat stamp. 
      • Deer permits for the Castle Rock Firearm seasons will be either sex permits. 
      • Hunters must check out from the park daily when finished. Firearm deer hunters are required to check deer at the county check station.
    • Muzzleloader and CWD
      • 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.
      • 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 or CWD season. Left over permits cannot be used.
      • All hunters must wear blaze orange.   
      • CWD Season: A maximum or 30 antlerless permits will be sold for the entire season and unfilled permits from any other season will not be valid. Stand-by permits will not be available.
    • Hunting is allowed with any type equipment that is legal for statewide deer hunting during the specific season being hunted.
    • Hunters must check out from the park daily when finished. Hunters must check in/report harvested deer to the site prior to leaving and at the county check station.
    • 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.

    Turkey

    • Fall Archery
      • Closed during all firearm deer seasons
      • Allowed in Zone A only
    • Spring
      • Hunters must possess a site-specific permit
      • Hunters must submit a harvest report

    Waterfowl

    • Waterfowl hunting not permitted

    Squirrels/Rabbits

    • Squirrels
      • Squirrel hunting is only allowed in Zone A and only with a shotgun or bow and arrow. 
      • Squirrel hunting is allowed Aug 1 – Sept 30  
      • 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.
    • Rabbits
      • Rabbit hunting not permitted

    Upland Birds

    • Upland bird hunting not permitted

    Furbearers

    • Trapping
      • Trapping not permitted
    • Hunting
      • Furbearer hunting not permitted

    Amenities