Hennepin Canal State Trail
Site Contact Info
Office phone: 815-454-2328
Office address: 16006 875 E St, Sheffield, IL 61361
Site coordinates: 41.38183 -89.69101
County: Bureau
Site Map
Site Characteristics
Huntable acres: 350
Habitat: Site contains stands of native prairie, shrub thickets, and forested areas as well as ponds and food plots for wildlife. Active habitat management will occur throughout the year on the site.
Site Specific Application
Archery Deer Permit Application
Site Specific Regulations
Statewide and associated species regulations apply at the site unless noted hereafter.
Site requires use of windshield card displayed on vehicle dashboard to report hunting effort and harvest by 15 February.
Open fires are not permitted within the hunting area.
Hunters should note posted regulations before hunting.
Cleaning of game is restricted. Doves, turkeys, coyotes, and raccoons may not be cleaned on the site. Deer may be field dressed at a distance from certain areas.
A person must not enter the hunting area during the hunting season if he or she is not hunting. Non-hunters must not be in the dove area during the first 5 days of season.
Only one tree stand or ground blind is allowed per deer permit holder and must be portable. Tree stands and ground blinds may be left unattended from September 15 – January 31. Any tree stand or ground blind left unattended must be legibly marked with the owner’s name, address, and telephone number, or site assigned identification number. Stands must not damage the tree, and hunters may not trim limbs or cut woody vegetation to enhance the stand location.
Ground blinds for qualified handicapped hunters are available from the site.
Plastic markers, flagging tape, and reflective tree markers are prohibited.
If it is necessary to track game onto private property, it is the hunter’s responsibility to notify the site office and to secure permission from the landowner.
Deer
Archery
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Hunting periods will be filled through a mail-in permit drawing. Applications available online or at the Hennepin Canal office. Applications limited to Illinois residents and must be received at the Canal office by 4 pm, July 31 to be eligible for the drawing. Successful applicants drawn will be notified by mail before Sept 1 and will be assigned one of the seasons. Any permits not issued are filled by draw from alternate list.
- Hunters must stay in their designated zone
- Must sign-in/sign-out and report harvest at the registration box in the Zone B parking area.
- Pre-season scouting may only occur before Oct 1
- An antlerless deer must be harvested before any antlered deer is taken.
- Must obtain a windshield card.
- Field dressing is permitted, but it must be at least 50′ from any road, trail, or developed area and any debris or body parts must stay that far away as well. Harvested deer should not be dragged on trails being used by the site’s patrons.
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
Fall Archery
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except open only to site-specific deer permit holders when the site’s archery deer season is open. A valid archery turkey permit is also required.
Fall Shotgun
Not available at this site.
Spring
Not available at this site.
Youth Spring
Not available at this site.
Waterfowl
Not available at this site.
Upland & Small Game
Dove
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- From Sept 1 – 5, a daily drawing is held to determine who will hunt. Daily quotas will be filled by a daily drawing to be held at 11 am. Upon signing in at the check station, hunters will be issued a back patch at the check station which must be displayed at all times while on area.
- From Sept 1 – 5, hours are from 12 pm – 5pm.
- From Sept 6 – 30, hunters must sign in, hours are from sunrise to sunset.
- Hunting allowed only from the perimeter of the field within 10 feet of a numbered stake.
- Hunters must sign-in and sign-out and report harvest at registration box.
- Shotgun only; Only non-toxic shot (as defined by the USFWS, 50 CFR 20), #6 steel shot or #7 bismuth shot, or smaller shot may be possessed.
Rabbits
Not available at this site.
Squirrels
Not available at this site.
Upland Birds
Not available at this site.
Woodcock
Not available at this site.
Furbearers
Hunting
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Archery only.
- Coyote and raccoon only.
- Season open only when site’s archery deer season is open.
- Must obtain a windshield card.
Trapping
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Furbearer trappers must register at site office.
- No floats may be set more than 14 days prior to season and must be removed at the conclusion of the season.
- Land sets are not permitted.
Amenities
Campground
Boat ramp
Hiking Trails
Hunting
Trapping