Announcements
Public Duck and Goose Hunting Area Permit First Lottery Begins August 16!
Iris & Jack Witkowsky State Wildlife Area
Site Contact Info
- Office phone: 815-745-3302
- Office address: c/o Apple River Canyon SP
- 8763 E. Canyon Rd., Apple River, IL 61001
- Site coordinates: 42.3046 -90.34328
- County: Jo Daviess
- Site Superintendent
- District Wildlife Biologist
- Conservation Police
Site Map
Site Characteristics
- Huntable acres: 1,086
- Habitat: Characterized by a mixture of timbered slopes and ridge tops and wide valleys vegetated by grasslands, row crops, and hay fields. The topography is steep, consisting of non-glaciated ridges.




Site Specific Regulations
- Active habitat management will be occurring throughout the year on the site.
- 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.
- No ground fires or camping allowed
- Area is closed to non-hunters during deer firearm seasons and until 1 pm during turkey firearm seasons (youth and spring).
- Species-specific rules:
Deer
- Archery
- Opens on Oct 15
- Closed during all firearm deer hunting seasons
- Firearm
- Special Hunt Area permit required. Special Hunt Area permits not valid anywhere else in the county. County permits are not valid for the Special Hunt Area.
- Firearm deer hunting is allowed during first or second deer hunting season.
- Firearm deer hunter with permit may harvest coyote while deer hunting.
- Muzzleloader
- Requires a muzzleloader-only Special Hunt Area permit.
- Muzzleloader hunting not allowed during the second firearm deer hunting season.
- CWD
- Statewide regulations
- Youth
- During youth deer hunting seasons, only Jo Daviess County permit holders who contact the site office will be issued a youth season.
Turkey
- All turkey hunters must obtain a Special Hunt Area permit. Special Hunt Area permit not valid anywhere else in the county. County permit is not valid for the Special Hunt Area.
- Fall Archery
- Opens Oct 15
- Closed during firearm deer seasons
- Fall Shotgun
- Closed during firearm deer seasons
- Spring
- Statewide opening and closing dates apply
- Spring Youth
- During youth turkey hunting seasons, only Jo Daviess Co. permit holders who contact the site office will be issued a youth season permit.
- A non-hunting supervising adult may accompany a youth during youth hunt.
Waterfowl
- Waterfowl hunting not permitted
Squirrels/Rabbits
- Squirrels
- Allowed after second firearm deer season until statewide close.
- Shotgun or bow and arrow
- Rabbits
- Opens after second firearm deer season
- Shotgun or bow and arrow
Upland Birds
- Upland bird hunting not permitted
Furbearers
- Trapping
- Furbearer trapping not permitted
- Hunting
- Coyote
- Allowed from sunset to sunrise
- Coincides with deer seasons. Closed during firearm deer seasons, except that coyote may be taken by firearm deer hunters with Special Hunt Area permit.
- Only valid permit holders may take coyotes by legal means.
- May be taken with bow & arrow during archery season
- Coyote
Amenities
- None