Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
Site Contact Info
Office phone: (618) 783-3478
Office address: 3490 E. 500th Ave, Newton, IL 62448
Site coordinates: 38.91042, -88.28769
County: Jasper
Site Maps
Site Characteristics
Huntable acres: 6,500
Habitat: The area is generally rolling, with the more or less flat areas being cultivated or occupied in weedy, brushy fields. Cropped fields include tenant-farmed cash crops, site staff food patches, and hay fields. About 800 acres of land are managed by IDNR for wildlife, and 260 acres in the northeast corner have been dedicated to the preservation of the state-endangered greater prairie-chicken. About 540 acres on the west side of the lake has been developed for public access fishing, picnicking, hiking, equestrian, and bike trails.
Active habitat management will occur throughout the year on the site, including prescribed burning.
Site Specific Regulations
Statewide and associated species regulations apply at the site unless noted hereafter.
The site requires the use of a windshield card, displayed on the vehicle dashboard, to report hunting effort and harvest by 15 February. At this site, windshield cards are required for hunting all species, but are not required for waterfowl hunting or youth deer and youth turkey hunting.
Fishing and boating shall be prohibited in the east arm of the lake until 1 p.m. during waterfowl season.
Lake Regulations: A 25 h.p. motor is the maximum allowed at the lake.
The lake is open year-round, except that it is closed for the regular firearm deer seasons (the weekend before Thanksgiving and the weekend after Thanksgiving).
The east side of the lake is closed until 1 pm daily during waterfowl season (Waterfowl South Zone Dates)
The west arm of the lake is closed to all waterfowl hunting.
One non-piercing, portable tree stand is allowed per hunter. Hunters must remove tree stands from the area at the end of the day’s hunt.
No ATV access is allowed.
No hunting by dogs allowed.
A non-toxic shot is required for all upland hunting.
Turkey permit holders will be mailed a turkey hunter harvest report to be returned at season’s end.
Blind sites 1-23 are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis until one hour prior to shooting time. After that time, hunters must wait until 9 a.m. to sign in and hunt.
Sign-in sheets and the map showing the blinds’ locations are located in the sign-in box at Newton Lake East Boat Ramp (see map).
Blind sites, determined by the IDNR, are marked with numbered stakes (see map). For public safety reasons, IDNR may close the lake area to all fishing and all boating activity or may move and/or close blind sites.
Hunters may begin to sign in at 12:01 am on the day of the hunt, with at least one hunter in the party remaining in the parking lot until the party enters the hunting area.
Hunters must occupy the stake they have drawn (selected on the site-in sheet) by legal shooting time or forfeit the right to the staked hunting location.
- Blinds 22 and 23 are land sites
- Blinds 22 may be hunted on Tuesday and Saturday
- Blind 23 may be hunted on Wednesday and Sunday
- No more than 4 persons may occupy a blind
Hunters moving to another vacant blind location may do so on a first-come first- serve basis, provided they report the change on the harvest card along with their harvest for each blind
Access to water blind sites shall be by boat only. Access to land sites shall be by walk-in only
There will be duly posted waterfowl refuges.
All water hunting must be from one portable blind or one anchored portable boat blind located between the assigned numbered stakes, no more than 10 yards from shore. All land hunting must be done from a position within 50 feet of the assigned numbered stake.
Each party must hunt over a minimum of 6 decoys, and decoys must be removed at the end of each day’s hunt
Crippled waterfowl that fall on land, other than areas designated as refuge, shall be retrieved by foot. However, a hunter must not carry a gun while attempting to recover such birds.
Hunting ends at 1 pm, and all hunters must be off the water or field by 2:30 pm.
Hunting parties must complete harvest cards and place them in the collection box located at Newton Lake East Boat Ramp or at the site office (see map).
During the last 3 days of Canada goose season, hunting hours shall close at sunset daily.
Waterfowl hunting is closed during the regular firearm hunting seasons.
Deer
Archery
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except that hunters must park in designated areas only.
Firearm
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Firearm deer hunting requires a site-specific permit issued through the statewide lottery. Note: Jasper County permits are not valid.
- A deer hunter is required to check in at the site office by 5 am each day to validate his or her permit.
- A drawing will be held to allocate hunting areas to permit holders.
- Hunters must check out and report harvest on harvest cards to be dropped in the drop box at the end of each day’s hunt.
Late Winter Antlerless
Not available at this site.
Muzzleloader
Not available at this site.
Special CWD
Not available at this site.
Youth Firearm
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Youth hunters must possess a valid Jasper County permit.
- Youth hunters must check in at the site office by 5 am for a drawing, which will allocate hunting areas.
- Youth hunters must be accompanied by a non-hunting parent, guardian, or responsible adult who has in his or her possession a valid firearm owner’s identification (FOID) card.
Turkey
Fall Archery
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply.
Fall Shotgun
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except that a site-specific permit, issued through the statewide lottery, is required.
Spring
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except that a site-specific permit, issued through the statewide lottery, is required.
Youth Spring
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Hunters must possess a valid Jasper County permit
- Hunters must check in at the site office by 5 am for a drawing, which will allocate hunting areas open for youth hunting.
- Youth hunters must be accompanied by a non-hunting parent, guardian, or responsible adult who has in his or her possession a valid Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card.
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. Statewide regulations apply.
Upland & Small Game
Dove
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Dove hunters are required to use size 7 1/2, 8, or 9 bismuth shot, or #6 or smaller steel shot.
- Hunting hours are 12 noon to 5 p.m. on September 1 – 5; thereafter, statewide hunting hours apply.
- Dove hunters must check in and check out and report harvest.
Rabbits
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except that blaze orange is required while upland game hunting.
Squirrels
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Squirrel hunting is closed during the site’s deer hunting seasons.
- Hunting with shotguns and bow and arrow only.
Upland Birds
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Blaze orange is required while upland game hunting.
- A non-toxic shot is required for all upland hunting.
Woodcock
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Blaze orange is required while upland game hunting.
- A non-toxic shot is required for all upland hunting.
Furbearers
Hunting
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Furbearer hunters must contact the site office.
- Statewide regulations for coyote and bobcat may be taken during their respective seasons. If hunting within the archery deer season, they may only be taken by archery deer hunters only (with appropriate permits).
- Coyotes may be taken with a shotgun from the day after the archery season closes until February 28.
- Bobcats may be taken with a shotgun from the day after archery season closes until the end of bobcat hunting season.
- No hunting with dogs or night hunting is permitted at this site.
- No other hunting allowed.
Trapping
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- A trapper must gain a permit by being selected through a drawing held prior to trapping season. Furbearer trappers must contact the site office.
Amenities
Boat ramp
Trails