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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 Superintendent

District Wildlife Biologist

Conservation Police

Site Closures List

Site Map

Digital Map

Printable 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 be occurring throughout the year on the site.

Site/Species Specific Regulations

Statewide and associated species regulations in accordance with the Illinois Digest of Hunting and Trapping 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.

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.

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. 
  • 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

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 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

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

Controlled Pheasant Hunting

Not available at this site. 

Crow

Not available at this site. 

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. 

Pheasant/Quail/Partridge

Not available at this site. 

Rabbits

Not available at this site. 

Squirrels

Not available at this site. 

Woodcock

Not available at this site. 

Furbearers

Furbearer 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. 
  • Windshield Card required. 

Furbearer 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 not permitted. 

Amenities

Campground

Boat ramp

Trail

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