Announcements
Lowden-Miller State Forest
Site Contact Info
Office phone: 815-732-7239
Office address: Castle Rock SP, 1365 West Castle Rd, Oregon, IL 61061
Site coordinates: 41.96216 -89.3584
County: Ogle
Site Superintendent (Castle Rock SP parent site)
Site Map
Printable Map – Firearm & CWD Deer
Site Characteristics
Huntable acres: 2,225
Habitat: Within the Rock River valley, the area is composed of gently rolling land to steep ridges and bluffs and deep draws covered with native hardwoods interspersed with pine plantations.
Active habitat management will be occurring throughout the year on the site.
Site 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.
Firearm hunting (deer, squirrel or turkey) is not allowed in the restricted area adjacent to the Boy Scout Camp. The area is marked on the map and is posted.
Hunters may use forest lanes for access but not for parking vehicles. Motor homes and large campers are not allowed in those areas.
Deer
Archery
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Closed during all of the firearm deer seasons.
- Contact the site about opening during the muzzleloader season; and if allowed, archery hunters must wear the same blaze orange clothing as that required for muzzleloader deer hunters.
Firearm
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Allowed during first and second seasons only and requires a site-specific permit issued by the Springfield permit office.
- Hunters with site-specific permits must check in by 5 am at the former Sinnissippi Tree Farm Office, approx. 3 miles south of Rt. 64 on the west side of Daysville Road.
- Any vacancies remaining at 5 am will be filled at that time by a drawing to allocate stand-by permits. Stand-by permits are valid for the day they are issued only, and apply only to Lowden-Miller SF. No other deer permits are allowed.
- Non-resident stand-by hunters are required to have a non-resident hunting license and a current habitat stamp.
- Legal hunting devices as described in 17 Ill. Adm. Code, Section 650.30 a)
- Required to check-out from the site daily and check deer at the county’s check station
- Report harvested deer to park staff upon check out and also take harvested deer to the county deer check station for tagging.
Late Winter Antlerless
Not available at this site.
Muzzleloader
Not available at this site.
Special CWD
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Requires a site-specific permit. Apply online; application period will be publicly announced.
- Unallocated permits may be available for sale over-the-counter from participating vendors.
- Unfilled permits from other seasons will not be valid.
- Must sign-in and check-out at the equestrian parking lot and lots 1 – 6.
- All deer harvested during the CWD seasons must be reported on the clipboards at the site when checking out and via the windshield card system.
- One non-piercing, portable tree stand per hunter is allowed and may be left unattended from Sept 15 – Jan 31. Stands must be labeled with the hunter’s name, address & phone number.
- All deer stands and flagging ribbon must be removed.
- Baiting of deer is forbidden.
Youth Firearm
Not available at this site.
Turkey
Fall Archery
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Archery turkey hunting is closed during firearm deer seasons, but is open during the muzzleloader season; however, hunters must wear the blaze orange clothing as required for muzzleloader deer hunters
Fall Shotgun
Not available at this site.
Spring
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Hunting turkeys during the spring seasons requires a site-specific permit issued for Lowden-Miller State Forest.
- Shotgun turkey hunters should avoid restricted area.
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
Not available at this site.
Pheasant/Quail/Partridge
Not available at this site.
Rabbits
Not available at this site.
Squirrels
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- A shortened season exists at site, generally from Sept. 1 to Sept. 30.
- Squirrel hunting is restricted to the south end of the site only. (Note map for hunting area & restricted areas.)
Woodcock
Not available at this site.
Furbearers
Not available at this site.
Amenities
Trail