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

Giant City State Park

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Site Characteristics

  • Huntable acres: 2,891
  • Habitat: The site is located in the Shawnee Hills of southern Illinois, with topography that is considered rugged. Many sandstone bluffs and steep ravines and ridgetops exist and are vegetated by a hardwood forest. 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.
  • Hunters must sign-in and sign-out and report harvest each day at the registration boxes before leaving the site. Sign-in sheets are located at the wildlife biologist’s office and at the front of the area in the class A campground.
  • Use Hunt Planner to find hunting seasons open at this site.
  • Hunters may leave stands unattended from September 15 – January 31. Stands must be legibly marked with owner’s name, address and telephone number.
  • The area surrounding the Giant City Stable trails are closed to hunting from May 1-October 31.
  • Hunting is restricted to those areas posted as open to hunting.
  • Additional rules and regulations will be posted at the Visitor’s Center.
  • Species-specific rules:

Deer

  • Archery
    • Statewide regulations
  • Firearm and Muzzleloader
    • Statewide regulations
    • County specific permit required

Turkey

  • Fall Archery
    • Statewide regulations
  • Spring and Fall Shotgun
    • Statewide regulations
    • County specific permit required

Waterfowl

  • No waterfowl hunting permitted.

Squirrels/Rabbits

  • Squirrels
    • Opens the day after Labor Day through the end of the statewide season
    • .22 caliber or smaller rimfires may be used in the Union county portion of the park only
  • Rabbits
    • Statewide regulations

Upland Birds

  • Dove, Quail, Woodcock
    • Statewide regulations
  • Crow
    • Season is January 1 through the end of the statewide season

Furbearers

  • 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.
    • Coyote and striped skunk season coincides with the statewide fox season.
    • Except for archery or firearm hunters, coyote season opens the day after the second firearm season and closes March 31
      • Woodchuck hunting season open the day after the second firearm deer season and closes March 31
  • Trapping
    • Statewide regulations
    • Site specific permit required.
    • Only Egg Traps®, D-P (Dog-Proof) Traps® , Lil Grizz Get’rz® , box traps, cage traps, and traps of similar design may be used for land sets; only body-gripping traps with a jaw spread of 5 inches or less, foothold traps with a jaw spread of 4½ inches or less and square body-gripping traps with a 10 inch jaw spread may be used for water sets; snares may be used for water sets.

Amenities