Mermet Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
Site Contact Info
Office phone: 618-524-5577
Office address: 1812 Grinnel Rd., Belknap, Il 62908
Site coordinates: 37.2783 -88.85242
County: Massac
Site Map
Site Characteristics
Huntable acres: Total Acres: 2,625; Huntable Acres: 2,000, Water Acres: 690, Timber Acres: 1,250, Flooded for Waterfowl Hunting: 900.
Habitat: Bottomland forest, managed sub-impoundments for waterfowl hunting, swamps, and sloughs.
Active habitat management will occur throughout the year on the site.
Attention – The invasive plant species, Japanese Chaff Flower (Achyranthes japonica), was identified at Cache River SNA. To prevent its spread, please try to avoid infested areas and clean your clothes and boots of any seed. To learn more about the Japanese Chaff flower and how to identify it, please visit this link. You can report observations of the plant to the District Natural Heritage Biologist.
Site Specific Regulations
Statewide and associated species regulations apply at the site unless noted hereafter.
The site requires the use of a windshield card for all upland hunters. The card must be displayed on the vehicle dashboard and used to report hunting effort/harvest by 15 February.
A check station is present in the area (see map), and waterfowl hunters must sign in and out and report harvest each day.
A rifle may be used to hunt furbearers and squirrels.
The area will be closed to fishing from two weeks before through the last day of the waterfowl season.
No overnight camping is allowed.
Portable stands only for deer hunting. No permanent stands, screw-in steps, or other devices that pierce the bark of trees. Stands must be visibly marked with the hunter’s name, address, and phone number. Stands may be left unattended from Sept. 15 – Jan. 31. Limit of one tree stand per hunter.
Mermet has 27 blinds and pools that are available to hunt, as well as two free-lance walk-in areas that do not require a draw.
All 27 locations are available to draw daily through the statewide lottery.
One handicap blind is available and will be allocated on a daily draw system one hour prior to legal shooting time. Proof of P2 status is required.
Stand-by hunting is available to hunt in locations that are not drawn through the lottery.
Blind area hunting is closed on Sundays and Mondays. Walk-in areas will remain open.
Shell limit of 25 per hunter.
Groups shall not exceed 4 hunters for blinds and pools.
Daily Procedure for Blinds and Pools
- Check station doors open at 4am and drawing occurs 90 minutes before shooting time.
- Hunting parties will be registered and receive harvest cards.
- Hunting parties with lottery permits will select hunting locations first.
- Any hunting locations not occupied will be allocated though a random drawing.
- An additional drawing will be held at 9AM to reallocate any unoccupied hunting locations.
- At the conclusion of the hunt, hunters must return their completed harvest cards to the check station.
- All hunting will stop at 1PM and hunters must vacate the area by 2PM.
Daily Procedure for Walk-in Areas
- Hunters will arrive at the site and register at the check station (Tues-Sat) or sign in box (Sun and Mon) and receive harvest cards.
- Up to 25 hunters will be allowed in each walk-in area for a total of 50 hunters.
- Hunters may access walk-in areas 90 minutes prior to sunrise and hunting must conclude by 1PM.
- Hunters must turn in harvest cards at check station by 2 PM.
Deer
Archery
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply.
Firearm
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except that a county-specific permit, issued through the statewide permit lottery, is required.
Late Winter Antlerless
Available at this site if the county is open to the LWA season. Statewide regulations apply, except that a county-specific permit, issued through the statewide permit lottery, is required.
Muzzleloader
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except that a county-specific permit, issued through the statewide permit lottery, is required.
Special CWD
Not available at this site.
Youth Firearm
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply.
Turkey
Fall Archery
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply.
Fall Shotgun
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except that a county-specific permit, issued through the statewide permit lottery, is required.
Spring
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- A site-specific permit, obtained via the statewide permit lottery, is required.
- A disabled hunter opportunity is available through the draw of a site-specific permit through the statewide lottery.
Youth Spring
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply.
Waterfowl
Ducks/Coots/Mergansers
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply.
Goose
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply.
Snipe/Rail
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply.
Youth Waterfowl
Available at this site if announced by public announcement. Statewide regulations apply.
Upland & Small Game
Dove
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply.
Rabbits
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply.
Squirrels
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Non-toxic shot must be used in all waterfowl hunting areas.
- Season closes September 30, except in the upland game areas
Upland Birds
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply.
Woodcock
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply.
Furbearers
Hunting
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Hunting is limited to the upland game area.
- Hunting hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.
Trapping
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Requires a site-specific permit. Contact the site for more information.
- Only Egg Traps®, D-P (Dog-Proof) Traps®, Lil Grizz Get’rz®, box traps, cage traps, and traps of similar design may be used for land sets.
Amenities
Archery Range
Boat Access
Fishing
Hiking Trails