Freeman Mine State Habitat Area
Site Contact Info
Office phone: 217-498-9208
Office address: c/o Sangchris Lake SP, 9898 Cascade Rd., Rochester, IL 62563
Site coordinates: 39.77337 -89.62637
County: Montgomery
Site Superintendent (Sangchris Lake SP parent site)
Site Maps
Site Characteristics
Huntable acres: 24
Habitat: Freeman Mine SHA occupies a former strip mine site. Old-field vegetation and restored native warm season grass and forbs cover flat-to-rolling topography. The site also boasts a 14-acre lake on which the IDNR maintains a blind for waterfowl hunting. Active habitat management will be occurring throughout the year on the site.
Site Specific Regulations
Statewide and associated species regulations in accordance with the Illinois Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations apply at site unless noted hereafter.
Upland permits are required to hunt upland game. Permits applications can be made online through Upland Game Hunting Site. The application period is from August 1 – 31.
Deer
Archery
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply except:
- Closed on Mondays in November and December
- Sign-in/Sign-out and harvest reporting at hunter parking lot is required.
- Stands/blinds may be left unattended from September 15 through January 31; any stands/blinds left unattended must be legibly marked with the owner’s name, address, and telephone number, or site assigned identification number.
Firearm
Not available at this site.
Late Winter Antlerless
Not available at this site.
Muzzleloader
Not available at this site.
Special CWD
Not available at this site.
Youth Firearm
Not available at this site.
Turkey
Not available at this site.
Waterfowl
Ducks, Coots, & Mergansers
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply except:
- Closes at 1 p.m. daily, except the last 3 days of the Canada Goose season have statewide hours.
- Blind sites are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Goose
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply except:
- Closes at 1 p.m. daily, except the last 3 days of the Canada Goose season have statewide hours.
- Blind sites are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Snipe & Rail
Not available at this site.
Youth Waterfowl
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply except:
- Opens the weekend preceding the Central Zone opening day.
- Closes at 1 p.m.
- Blind sites are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Upland & Small Game
Dove
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply except:
- Site-specific lottery-issued permit is required.
- Hunting hours are 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Upland permit holders may harvest doves during the statewide dove season.
Rabbits
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply except:
- Requires a lottery-based Free Upland Game Permit that you can apply online for between Aug 1 – Aug 31. Harvest reporting materials will be mailed to successful permit holders via the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS). You must report your harvest to INHS by February 15th to avoid losing hunting privileges for the following year.
- Limit is 2 rabbits per hunter.
- Hunting hours are 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
Squirrels
Not available at this site.
Upland Birds
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply except:
- Requires a lottery-based Free Upland Game Permit that you can apply online for between Aug 1 – Aug 31. Harvest reporting materials will be mailed to successful permit holders via the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS). You must report your harvest to INHS by February 15th to avoid losing hunting privileges for the following year.
- Limit is 2 cock pheasant, 4 bobwhite quail
- Open on Mondays starting with opening day of upland season until Christmas Day.
- Hours are 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
Woodcock
Not available at this site.
Furbearers
Hunting
Not available at this site.
Trapping
Not available at this site.
Amenities
Hunting