Announcements

Public Duck and Goose Hunting Area Permit First Lottery Begins August 16!

Kishwaukee River State Fish and Wildlife Area

Office phone: 815-824-2106
Office address: Shabbona Lake SRA, 4201 Shabbona Grove Rd., Shabbona, IL 60550
Site coordinates: 42.09385 -88.86509
County: DeKalb
Site Superintendent (Shabbona Lake SRA parent site)
District Wildlife Biologist
Conservation Police

Huntable acres: 484
Habitat: As a satellite of Shabbona Lake SP, this area is part of the unique mix of grass-covered meadows, upland mesic and bottom woodlands, a native fen, and a man-made lake. The area borders the Kishwaukee River and consists of hardwood forest with grassy open areas, wetlands, and agricultural acreage.

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 must not enter onto any private property, including the adjacent DeKalb County Forest Preserve property.
Species-specific regulations:

Archery
- Closed on this site during the firearm deer seasons.
- On-site submission of all archery harvested deer heads along with corresponding harvest information is required within 48 hours of harvest to test for the presence of chronic wasting disease.
Firearm
- Site-specific permit required. Hunters may apply for the permit by selecting Kishwaukee River SFWA as their choice of hunting area on their firearm deer permit application.
- Stand-by permits will not be available.
- Deer harvested must be reported via the windshield card harvest reporting system and
- be checked-in at the county check station. Phone-in registration is not required while county check stations are operational.
CWD
- Site-specific permit required. Online applications will be accepted beginning in late Oct through late Nov. Paper applications will not be available.
- Hunters should check for exact dates as season approaches.
- Unfilled permits are not valid. Stand-by permits will not be available.
- Hunters report harvest via the windshield card harvest reporting system and via phone-in registration.
Blaze orange clothing is required for all firearm seasons.
Deer hunting is allowed with any type of equipment that is legal for statewide deer hunting during the specific season the hunter is hunting.
Hunters must not bait deer nor engage in “driving” deer.
Portable non-piercing stands may be used but must be removed from the site at the end of each day.

Fall Archery
- Closed during the firearm deer seasons.
- Portable non-piercing stands may be used but must be removed from the site at the end of each day.
Spring
- Must have a site-specific turkey permit issued specifically for the season to be hunted. Hunters may apply by selecting the Kishwaukee River SFWA as their choice of hunting area on their turkey permit application. Applications are submitted to the Springfield Permit Office.
- Hunters must sign-in at site’s station.
- Must report turkeys harvested on the site’s sign-in/sign-out sheets and report harvest via the statewide telephone reporting system as outlined on the hunter’s turkey hunting permit. Report the turkey as harvested on the Special Hunt Area of Kishwaukee River and not as DeKalb County.