ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

J.B. Pritzker, Governor | illinois.gov

Wildlife Illinois

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Castle Rock State Park

Site Contact Info

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.
  • Digital Map
  • Printable Map
  • Printable Map – Firearm Deer Season

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 at www.dnr.illinois.gov​. 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