ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

J.B. Pritzker, Governor | illinois.gov

Wildlife Illinois

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Apply now for a Deer Firearm/Muzzleloader Permit!

Hamilton County State Fish and Wildlife Area

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Site Characteristics

  • Huntable acres: 1,530
  • Habitat: area has gently rolling topography. Most of the hunting area is small, open fields bordered by heavy fencerows, border plantings of shrubs, small trees, pines, and small patches of brush and timber. Active habitat management will be occurring throughout the year on the site.
  • Digital Map
  • Printable Map

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 may leave stands unattended. Stands must be legibly marked with owner’s name, address and telephone number or site assigned identification number. No permanent tree stands may be constructed nor may any hunting be done from a permanent stand. Any tree stand or ground blind must be portable. No stands or steps that pierce the bark of a tree are allowed.
  • When hunting or scouting, ​ALL VEHICLES MUST BE PARKED AT DESIGNATED AREAS (no ATV access)
  • No hunting may be done in restricted areas, developed recreation areas, or within 100 yards of construction sites or residences.
  • It is unlawful for any person to consume, possess, or be under the influence of alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs while on site property for the purpose of hunting or trapping.  Any person who violates site specific regulations shall be guilty of a Class B Misdemeanor
  • Species-specific rules:

Deer

Archery

  • Statewide regulations.
  • Note the tree stand rule for the site.
  • Only one tree stand or ground blind is allowed per deer permit holder.
  • No hunter shall place a tree stand or ground blind prior to two weeks before the opening of archery deer season and all hunters must remove their stands no later than two weeks after the final day of legal deer hunting. 

Firearm

  • Statewide regulations.
  • Must possess a County Permit to hunt this site.
  • Note the treestand rule for the site.
  • Only one tree stand or ground blind is allowed per deer permit holder.
  • No hunter shall place a tree stand or ground blind prior to two weeks before the opening of firearm deer season and all hunters must remove their stands no later than two weeks after the final day of legal deer hunting.

Muzzleloading

  • Statewide regulations
  • Hunters must possess a County Permit to hunt the site.
  • Note the treestand rule for the site.
  • Only one tree stand or ground blind is allowed per deer permit holder.
  • No hunter shall place a tree stand or ground blind prior to two weeks before the opening of muzzleloading deer season and all hunters must remove their stands no later than two weeks after the final day of legal deer hunting.

Youth Firearm

  • Statewide Regulations
  • Hunter must have county youth permit, available here

Turkey

  • Turkey hunting requires site-specific permit issued via the statewide lottery, are site-specific, are nontransferable, and issued from the Springfield Permit Office.
  • Springfield permit holders will also need to obtain a windshield card/harvest report form from windshield card and return to the website to record harvest information prior to February 15th each year.
  • Springfield issued permits are not Hamilton County permits, but site specific permits issued for Hamilton County State Conservation Area only.

Spring

  • Statewide regulations.
  • Six (6) permit hunters per season will be allowed.

Fall Archery

  • Statewide regulations

Fall Shotgun

  • Statewide regulations
  • Six (6) permit hunters will be allowed to hunt the site.

Youth Spring

  • Statewide regulations
  • Hunter must have county youth permit, available here

Waterfowl

  • Snipe, Rail
    • Hunting hours are sunrise-sunset until rabbit season opens, then hours are 8 am-4 pm.
  • No other waterfowl hunting offered.

Squirrels/Rabbits

  • Squirrels
    • Statewide regulations
    • Hunting is with shotgun only.
  • Rabbits
    • Statewide regulations.

Upland Birds

Upland Game

  • Statewide regulations

Crow

  • Statewide regulations
  • Season is October 28-February 28.
  • Hours are 1/2 hour before sunrise-sunset.
  • All harvested crows must be removed from State property and disposed of properly.
  • There is no shot size restrictions or non-toxic shot requirement. No centerfire rifles allowed.

Woodcock, Snipe, and Rail Hunting

  • Statewide regulations
  • Hunting hours are sunrise to sunset until rabbit season, then 8:00am to 4:00pm.
  • It shall be unlawful while attempting to take snipe or rail to have in possession any shotgun shell not approved as non-toxic by federal regulations.

Furbearers

  • Hunting
    • Statewide regulations
    • Rimfire rifles .22 caliber and smaller may be used from sunset to sunrise.
    • Season is open only during the statewide fox season.
  • Trapping
    • Closed during the firearms deer season
    • Statewide regulations
    • 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 4 1/2 inches or less and square body gripping traps with a 10 jaw spread may be used for water sets; snares may be used for water sets
    • Trappers must stay in their assigned areas. All traps must be tagged with the trappers name or IDNR customer number.
    • Closed during the firearms deer season

Amenities