Announcements
Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area
Site Contact Info
Office phone: 815-942-2899
Office address: 5010 N Jugtown, Morris, IL 60450
Site coordinates: 41.36142 -88.32536
County: Grundy
Site Map
Printable Map (Morris Wetlands)
Site Characteristics
Huntable acres: 6,070
Habitat: Characterized by scrub timber and marshy prairie areas east of the former Collins Power Generating Station. The waterfowl hunting area, Heidecke Lake, itself is a perched lake formerly used for power generating at Collins station and is adjacent to the Illinois River. Extreme caution must be used during times of even moderate winds and during changing weather conditions. Morris Wetlands is bottomland timber, early successional habitat and some grasslands, all of which will be flooded during high water levels on the Illinois or Mazon Rivers.
Site Specific Regulations
Heidecke Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area, Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area, and Morris Wetlands unit are being managed as one site with information pertaining to each below.
Statewide and associated species regulations apply at the site unless noted hereafter.
Must obtain a windshield card, displayed on vehicle dashboard, and report hunting effort and harvest by 15 February unless noted hereafter.
Parking is allowed only is designated parking areas.
No trespassing on the North/South railroad berm.
Access to Morris Wetlands Unit is by foot only from the parking lot located on Pine Bluff Road 0.8 miles east of Rt. 47 (41.34393, -88.40404) Bike and watercraft access is NOT allowed.
Heidecke Lake will be closed to fishing 10 days prior to the north duck season through the close of the central goose season.
Due to the high-quality nature of this grassland ecosystem, prescribed burning is a necessary management tool that may be conducted during the spring, summer, and fall. We may adjust hunter numbers in affected areas as needed to continue to offer a quality hunt
Deer
Archery
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Stands must be removed daily
- Hunters may only park in designated parking areas
- Hunting is only allowed in Fields A, B, D, E and at Morris Wetlands
- Archery deer hunting is closed during all other deer seasons.
Firearm
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Requires site-specific permit obtained via the statewide lottery.
- Select GLSP1 Or GLSP2. Permits are valid for first or second season only.
- Hunting is only allowed in Fields A, B, C, D, and at Morris Wetlands
- Hunters must check in by 5 am daily to validate their permit. After that time permits are void for the day.. A stand-by drawing will be held at 5 am to fill any vacancies. Standby permits are available for a fee of $5.00 for a one day site specific permit. Daily standby permit sales end at 2 pm daily.
- All hunters are required to check in, check out by 6 pm, and report harvest to the check station attendant in person.
Late Winter Antlerless
Not available at this site.
Muzzleloader
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Requires site-specific permit obtained via the statewide lottery.
- Hunting is only allowed in Fields A, B, C, D, and at Morris Wetlands
- Closed during the firearm deer season
- Hunters must check-in by 5am daily to validate their permit. After that time permits are void for the day. Standby permits are available for a fee of $5.00 for a one day site specific permit. Daily standby permit sales end at 2 pm daily.
- All hunters are required to check in, check out by 6 pm, and report harvest to the check station attendant in person
Special CWD
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Requires site-specific permit obtained via the CWD Permit Lottery
- Applications are available the last Tuesday in October here.
- Hunters must check in by 5am to validate their permit. After that time permits are void for the day. Standby permits are available for a fee of $5.00 for a one-day site specific permit. Daily standby permit sales end at 2 pm daily.
- Check out by 6 pm and report harvest to the check station attendant in person
- Antlerless only deer may be harvested during this season
- Hunting is allowed in Fields A, B, C, D, and at Morris Wetlands
- Permits from earlier seasons may not be rolled over for this season
Youth Firearm
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Grundy County Youth Firearm Permit required. Available over-the-counter from license vendors.
- To participate, please send a card or letter to the Site Superintendent with the name of hunter, name of guardian (and hunter customer number), address, phone number, and email by the last Saturday in August.
- A random drawing will be made and successful applicants will be contacted with site rules, permit and maps.
Turkey
Fall Archery
Not available at this site.
Fall Shotgun
Not available at this site.
Spring
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Use caution near established trails, the site will remain open to other visitors.
- Requires site-specific permit obtained via the statewide lottery.
- Only open during 1st and 2nd season.
- Hunting is only allowed in Fields D and E or the Morris Wetlands Unit.
- Must obtain a windshield card, displayed on vehicle dashboard.
Youth Spring
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Requires site-specific permit obtained via the statewide lottery.
- Hunting is only allowed in Fields D and E.
Waterfowl
Ducks, Coots, & Mergansers
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Waterfowl hunting is only allowed on Heidecke Lake
- Waterfowl hunting will be closed on Mondays, Tuesdays, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day
- Blind sites are allocated by daily draw, conducted 1 hour before shooting time at the check station
- Sites not claimed during the draw will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis until 10 am, but additional entry into the hunting area will be prohibited until 1 hour after shooting time.
- Hunters wishing to move to another blind site must obtain permission for this move from the check station attendant, in person, before such a move is made
- Hunters shall register as a party of one to three hunters for the drawing. When a party is drawn only those names registered in that party will be allowed to hunt from that blind. If any person in the party is under 16 years of age, he must be accompanied by an adult before hunting due to safety factors
- Daily shooting hours will be statewide opening to 1 pm
- Each hunting party is required to hunt over a minimum of 6 decoys. Hunting over decoys means the decoys shall be staked, placed or floating, be individually visible, be at least 8 inches long, and not within a boat, blind, or container
- Cutting of natural vegetation for any purpose will be unlawful
- To hunt waterfowl in this area, all watercraft have to be at least 16 ft. long and 60 in. in beam and powered by a gasoline motor
- All hunting must be from an anchored portable boat blind, within 10 yds of the assigned numbered blind location. Portable boat blinds must have been completed, including final brushing, before entering the area, and removed at the end of each hunting day
- All water areas not posted with blind site numbers shall be refuge and are closed to all boat traffic
- Access to water blind sites will be by boat only and from designated boat launch sites
- No guns may be carried from water blinds to retrieve waterfowl that fall on land
- Not open to the September teal, youth, early goose seasons, or hunting snow geese past the close of the legal Canada goose season
- Low water conditions may exist at the boat ramp, launch at your own risk
- Note: the dike is a road, and it is unlawful to shoot on or over a road
Goose
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Waterfowl hunting is only allowed on Heidecke Lake
- Waterfowl hunting will be closed on Mondays, Tuesdays, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day
- Blind sites are allocated by daily draw, conducted 1 hour before shooting time at the check station
- Sites not claimed during the draw will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis until 10 am, but additional entry into the hunting area will be prohibited until 1 hour after shooting time.
- Hunters wishing to move to another blind site must obtain permission for this move from the check station attendant, in person, before such a move is made
- Hunters shall register as a party of one to three hunters for the drawing. When a party is drawn only those names registered in that party will be allowed to hunt from that blind. If any person in the party is under 16 years of age, he must be accompanied by an adult before hunting due to safety factors
- Daily shooting hours will be statewide opening to 1 pm
- Each hunting party is required to hunt over a minimum of 6 decoys. Hunting over decoys means the decoys shall be staked, placed or floating, be individually visible, be at least 8 inches long, and not within a boat, blind, or container
- Cutting of natural vegetation for any purpose will be unlawful
- To hunt waterfowl in this area, all watercraft have to be at least 16 ft. long and 60 in. in beam and powered by a gasoline motor
- All hunting must be from an anchored portable boat blind, within 10 yds of the assigned numbered blind location. Portable boat blinds must have been completed, including final brushing, before entering the area, and removed at the end of each hunting day
- All water areas not posted with blind site numbers shall be refuge and are closed to all boat traffic
- Access to water blind sites will be by boat only and from designated boat launch sites
- No guns may be carried from water blinds to retrieve waterfowl that fall on land
- Not open to the September teal, youth, early goose seasons, or hunting snow geese past the close of the legal Canada goose season
- Low water conditions may exist at the boat ramp, launch at your own risk
- Note: the dike is a road, and it is unlawful to shoot on or over a road
Snipe & Rail
Not available at this site.
Youth Waterfowl
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Youth waterfowl season will be open during the youth northern waterfowl season
- In the event of adverse water and/or weather conditions, such as flooding, high winds, unsafe ice or heavy fog, hunting may be prohibited
Upland & Small Game
Dove
Not available at this site.
Rabbits
Not available at this site.
Squirrels
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Hunting is only allowed at Morris Wetland
- Closed during all deer seasons
- Shotguns and air rifles .25 caliber and smaller may be used.
- Note: Red squirrels are found in this area and are a protected species.
- Note: Any damage to the heron rookery will result in this program being shut down
Upland Birds
Not available at this site.
Woodcock
Not available at this site.
Furbearers
Hunting & Trapping
Not available at this site.
Amenities
Hiking
Hunting