ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

J.B. Pritzker, Governor | illinois.gov

Wildlife Illinois

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Lake DePue State Fish and Wildlife Area

Site Contact Info

Site Characteristics

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.
  • It is illegal to enter any waterfowl refuge unless given permission from an authorized IDNR representative.
  • Hunters under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
  • Severe weather and safety conditions may result in closing all or part of the site
  • Species-specific rules:

Deer

  • Deer hunting not permitted

Turkey

  • Turkey hunting not permitted

Waterfowl

  • At both waterfowl hunting units hunting takes place within the North Zone season.
  • Hunting hours are from the legal opening until 1 pm.
  • Teal or early Canada goose seasons are not open at this site.
  • Hunters may goose hunt during any Canada goose season after the regular duck season closes.
  • Special or extended waterfowl seasons occurring outside of the regular duck season will be announced.

Waterfowl hunting is permitted at two units:

Three I Basin

  • Hunter access to the Three I Basin is by boat only
  • A man-made, perched impoundment; Blinds are built by site personnel and are allocated daily at a draw one hour before shooting time.
  • Before entering the unit, hunters must report to the Lake DePue check station for a daily draw during which all six blinds shall be allocated.
  • Hunt from registered blinds only. To access the blinds, hunters must walk in; No vehicles allowed.
  • No more than 4 people (one hunting party) per blind.
  • Hunting parties must hunt over a minimum of 12 decoys.
  • Hunters must not move from their assigned blind site to another unless reassigned by an authorized IDNR representative.
  • Report to check station within 1 hour after termination of the hunt or no later than 2 pm.

Lake DePue and Spring Lake

  • Backwater lakes; Blind sites allocated annually by draw for blind building
  • Registered blind builders or partners desiring to claim their blinds must report to the check station at least 1 hour before opening shooting hour daily.
  • Blinds not claimed will be available for assignment to other hunters by a public draw.
  • Hunting allowed from registered blinds only.
  • No more than 4 people (one hunting party) shall occupy a blind.
  • Hunting parties must hunt over a minimum of 12 decoys.
  • Hunters may not move from their assigned blind site to another unless reassigned by an authorized IDNR representative.
  • Report to the check station within 1 hour after termination of the hunt or no later than 2 pm.

Youth Waterfowl

  • Permitted at the Lake DePue and Spring Lake unit.
  • Youth waterfowl hunting is dictated by the federal season within the state’s ​North Zone. The hours are from legal opening until 1 pm.
  • While attempting to take migratory waterfowl or coots, only shotgun shells approved as non-toxic by federal regulations may be used or in possession.
  • It is unlawful to possess any shotgun shell loaded with a shot size larger than steel T or BBB in other kinds of non-toxic shot while attempting to take waterfowl in Illinois.
  • At both units, hunters must not perform any weed and/or brush control around any blind without prior approval.

Squirrels/Rabbits

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

Upland Birds

  • Upland bird hunting not permitted

Furbearers

  • Trapping
    • At the Lake DePue and Spring Lake Unit, furbearer trapping is permitted after the end of the duck season and is allowed in designated areas with water sets only in accordance with the Lake DePue trapping program. For information call 815- 447-2353.
  • Hunting
    • Furbearer hunting not permitted

Amenities

  • None