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Mississippi River State Fish and Wildlife Area

Mississippi River SFWA General Regulations

The Mississippi River SFWA is comprised of 12 waterfowl management areas, 5 of which have check stations (Batchtown, Calhoun, Glades, Godar-Diamond, and Stump). These are located within pools 25 and 26 on the Mississippi and lower Illinois Rivers, in Jersey and Calhoun Counties.

General Regulations:

  • It is unlawful to trespass on areas designated as waterfowl rest areas 14 days prior to duck season and until the end of duck season at Godar Refuge, Crull Impoundment Refuge, Dan Hudgins Rest Area, and Batchtown Refuge. (Areas indicated by dotted line on site-specific maps below.)
  • Parking only allowed along roadways and in parking areas. No driving off roadway.
  • No ATV’s allowed on site
  • No camping allowed
  • Fishing is permitted, except on waterfowl rest areas (until the end of waterfowl season), waterfowl areas as posted during waterfowl season, or within 250 yards of an occupied blind on the open river.
  • Commercial fishing allowed by permit only.
    There is no restriction on outboard motor size.
  • Dog training permits are required for training purposes and may be obtained from the Headquarters during regular business hours. The permits are valid from Apr 1 – Mar 31 annually. Hunting of all game species is permitted in all areas according to statewide, Federal and site specific regulations as listed, except in access areas, waterfowl rest areas, or within 200 yards of occupied waterfowl blinds during waterfowl season.
  • During duck season, no one is allowed to access the designated duck hunting areas by launching a boat at certain specifically posted boat ramps except waterfowl hunters. Boat ramps re-open to other hunters the day after duck season closes.
  • While held to a minimum, be aware that natural resource management activities such as prescribed burning and non-native plant control may be conducted during the hunting season.

Batchtown SFWA

See the Batchtown SFWA hunting site page for more information.

Calhoun Point FL

See the Calhoun Point FL hunting site page for more information.

Diamond Hurricane

See the Diamond Hurricane hunting site page for more information.

Fuller Lake SWMA

See the Fuller Lake SWMA hunting site page for more information.

Glades SWMA

See the Glades SWMA hunting site page for more information.

Piasa Island SWMA

See the Piasa Island SWMA hunting site page for more information.

Red’s Landing SWMA

See the Red’s Landing SWMA hunting site page for more information.

Rip Rap Landing SWMA

See the Rip Rap Landing SWMA hunting site page for more information.

Stump Lake WMA

See the Stump Lake WMA hunting site page for more information.

Helmbold SWMA

Site Contact Info

Office phone: (618) 376-3303

Office address: 17836 State Hwy 100 North, Grafton, IL 62037

Site coordinates: 39.01905 -90.56458

County: Calhoun

Site Superintendent

District Wildlife Biologist

Conservation Police

Site Map

Digital Map

Site Characteristics

Huntable acres: 3,580

Habitat: The Mississippi State Fish and Wildlife Area is primarily a waterfowl management area. The site offers waterfowl, forest game and furbearer hunting with limited upland game opportunities. The area is a typical bottomland complex of sloughs, backwater lakes, timbered ponds, bottomland timber comprised largely of willow, maple, and cottonwood, and open river. Waterfowl hunting is restricted to marked blind sites and a designated walk-in area. Active habitat management will be occurring throughout the year on the site.

Site Specific Regulations

One non-piercing, portable stand per hunter. Hunters may leave stands unattended from Sept 15 – Jan 21, but stands must be legibly labeled with hunter’s name, address and telephone number. Deer hunters using a ground blind during any firearm deer season must display at least 400 inches of solid blaze orange material attached to the upper most portion of the blind and a substantial amount of orange must be visible for 360 degrees.

Statewide hunting regulations in accordance with the Illinois Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations apply at site unless noted hereafter.

Deer

Archery:

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply except access areas, waterfowl rest areas, or within 200 yards of an occupied duck blind.

Firearm:
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply except access areas, waterfowl rest areas, or within 200 yards of an occupied duck blind.

Late Winter Antlerless:

Not available at this site.

Muzzleloader:

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply except access areas, waterfowl rest areas, or within 200 yards of an occupied duck blind.

Special CWD:

Not available at this site.

Youth Firearm:

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply.

Turkey

Fall Turkey Archery: 

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply

Fall Turkey Shotgun:

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply

Spring Turkey:

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply.

Youth:

Able at this site. Statewide regulations apply.

Waterfowl

Ducks/Coots/Mergansers:

Statewide regulations apply. Hunting times are from legal opening until 3:30 p.m. There is no requirement to hunt from blind sites during the teal season. Blind builders wishing to hunt from their blinds must claim it 1/2 hour before shooting time or the blind is open for the day’s hunt. Blinds are allocated by a public drawing for a 3 year period. Blinds must be built to site specifications and maintained in a safe usable condition. No more than 4 persons may occupy a blind at one time.  Hunters are required to hunt over a minimum of 12 decoys. During the regular duck season blind builders must claim their blind 1 hour before shooting time, if blind is not claimed then it is open on a first come, first serve. 

Goose:

Statewide regulations apply.  There is no requirement to hunt from blind sites during early or late goose seasons. Blind builders wishing to hunt from their blind must claim it 1/2 hour before shooiting time or the blind is open for the day’s hunt

Snipe/Rail:

Statewide regulations apply. 

Youth:

Statewide regulations apply. Held the weekend before the duck season opener. 

Upland Birds/Small Game

Controlled Pheasant Hunting:

Not available at this site.

Crow:

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply.

Dove:

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply except: non-toxic shot, #6 or smaller, is required.

Pheasant/Quail/Partridge:

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply.

Rabbits:

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply.

Squirrels:

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply.

Woodcock:

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply.

Furbearers

Hunting: Statewide regulations apply. Rimfire, 22 caliber or smaller may be used from sunset to sunrise. Coyote and striped skunk season coincides with statewide fox season.

Trapping: Site specific permit required. Permit is available via public drawing at site offce on the first Wednesday following the opening of duck season. Site regulations will be available at the drawing.

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