Announcements
Apply now for a Deer Firearm/Muzzleloader Permit!
Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area
Site Contact Info
- Office phone: 217-452-7741
- Office address: 10149 Highway 11, Chandlerville, IL 62627
- Site coordinates: 40.02358 -90.11447
- County: Cass
- Site Superintendent
- District Wildlife Biologist
- Conservation Police
Site Characteristics
- Huntable acres: 16,400
- Habitat: Jim Edgar Panther Creek is characterized by rolling to steeply rolling uplands; 3,615 acres of crop land; 6,500 acres of timberland; with the balance of acres in native grass, food plots, or idled farmland. 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 can leave stands in the tree but must tag them with their name, address, and phone number. They must remove any stands at the end of the season. Stands not removed are subject to confiscation
- Species-specific rules:
Deer
- Archery
- Non-residents must obtain a special permit to hunt during the period 28 days before the first statewide firearm deer season. Permit can be found following this link. Contact site office for details
- The Open Unit is closed to archery hunting during the Youth Firearm Deer season
- Firearm
- Requires a site-specific permit obtained via the statewide permit lottery
- Muzzleloader
- Requires a site-specific permit obtained via the statewide permit lottery.
- Hunting is allowed in the Open Unit only
- Youth
- Requires a site-specific permit obtained via the statewide permit lottery.
- Youth hunters must submit name to the site office by August 31
- Permits are available over the counter at License Vendors.
- Limited to open units only
Turkey
- Youth
- Requires site-specific permits obtained via the statewide permit lottery
- Spring
- Requires site-specific permits obtained via the statewide permit lottery
- Fall Archery
- Statewide regulations
- Fall Shotgun
- Requires site-specific permits obtained via the statewide permit lottery
Waterfowl
- 2020 Waterfowl Hunting Procedures
- Hunters must claim stakes at the kiosk located at the check station, then proceed to boat ramp and hunting area. Waterfowl hunting is Wednesday & Saturday only. No in person contact with site staff necessary.
- The Open Unit and Quail Unit allow Conservation Order snow goose hunting after the close of the regular Canada goose season
- Waterfowl hunting on Prairie Lake is allowed on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Coincides with the controlled pheasant hunting season. Blind sites area allocated at the hunter check station at 5:10 am Closed on Christmas Day
- Required to hunt with at least 6 decoys, which must be removed after the hunt
Squirrels/Rabbits
- Squirrels
- Hunting is allowed in the Controlled Unit and Quail Game Unit from August 1- October 31
- Quail Game Management Unit is closed to squirrel hunting from November 1 until the close of the rabbit season unless in in possession of special permit. Contact site office for details
- Hunting in the Open Unit follows statewide regulations
- Rabbits
- Non-toxic shot is required in all units
- Open Unit is statewide regulations
- Quail Unit requires a free upland game permit. Permit is available online through the Free Upland Game Permit Application
- Controlled Unit requires a controlled hunting permit. Permit is available online through the controlled hunt application process
Upland Birds
- Non-toxic shot is required in all units
- Open Unit is statewide regulations
- Quail Unit requires a free upland game permit. Permit is available online through the Free Upland Game Permit Application
- Controlled Unit requires a controlled hunting permit. Permit is available online through the controlled hunt application process
- Doves
- September 1-5 requires a permit through the Permit Lottery System
- September 6-10 requires a site specific permit via a special daily drawing Contact site for details
- Registration is from 8 to 10 AM, with the drawing at 10 AM. Stand-by drawing at 11 AM.
- September 11-October 31 all units are open to statewide regulations
Furbearers
- Hunting
- Statewide regulations
- Rimfire rifles .22 caliber and smaller may be used from sunset to sunrise.
- Furbearer hunting closed during Firearm Deer Season
- Hunters with a valid, unfilled firearm deer permit for the hunt area may take coyotes during legal hours of the firearm deer season. Otherwise, the use of shotgun slugs to take furbearing mammals is prohibited on state sites
- Statewide seasons for coyote and striped skunk
- Windshield Card required
- Trapping
- Requires site specific permit. Contact site office for detail