ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

J.B. Pritzker, Governor | illinois.gov

Wildlife Illinois

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Hennepin Canal State Trail

Site Contact Info

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.
  • 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.
  • 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 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.
  • Species-specific rules:

Deer

  • Archery
    • 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.
    • Must sign-in/sign-out at the registration box in the Zone B parking area.
    • May hunt from elevated stands. Only one stand per hunter allowed. Stands and climbing devices must be portable, but do not have to be removed at the end of the day. Stands and ground blinds left in the field must be tagged with the hunter’s name and address. All stands must be removed on the last day of each “season”, but no later than 15 days after the end of the state archery season. 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.
    • Pre-season scouting may only occur before Oct 1
    • An antlerless deer must be harvested before any antlered deer is taken.
    • 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.
    • Plastic markers, flagging tape, and reflective tree markers are prohibited .
    • Deer harvested must be reported at sign-in/sign-out area.  Hunters must also report harvest on-line by Feb 15 following the close of season. 
    • Field dressing is permitted at least 50′ from any road, trail, or developed area. Any debris or body parts generated by field dressing must remain at least 50′ from any road, trail, or developed area. Harvested deer should not be dragged on trails being used by the site’s patrons.
  • Firearm
    • No firearm deer hunting allowed

Turkey

  • Fall Archery
    • Open only to permit holders when the site’s archery deer season is open.
    • Must have the appropriate license, stamp and permits in possession when hunting during allocated time period.
  • Fall Shotgun
    • No shotgun turkey hunting permitted
  • Spring
    • No spring turkey hunting permitted

Waterfowl

  • Waterfowl hunting not permitted

Squirrels/Rabbits

  • Squirrels
    • Squirrel hunting not permitted
  • Rabbits
    • Rabbit hunting not permitted

Upland Birds

  • Dove
    • 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.
  • No other upland bird hunting allowed.

Furbearers

  • Trapping
    • 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 not permitted
  • Hunting
    • Archery only
    • Coyote and raccoon only
    • Season open only when site’s Archery deer season is open
    • Windshield Card required

Amenities