ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

J.B. Pritzker, Governor | illinois.gov

Wildlife Illinois

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Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area

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Site Characteristics

  • Huntable acres: 1,200
  • Habitat: Bottomland with sloughs, lakes and low timbered ridges. Practically all of the area has periodic flooding of the Illinois River. Waterfowl hunters should be aware that due to geographical limitations, use of boats on the area is usually restricted to portable type with overland access from the Illinois River.

Site Specific Regulations

  • Active habitat management will be occurring throughout the year on the site.
  • All statewide hunting regulations apply at site unless noted hereafter.
  • Use Hunt Planner to find hunting seasons open at this site.
  • Site requires use of windshield card displayed on vehicle dashboard to report hunting effort and harvest by 15 February.
  • Persons under 16 years of age are prohibited from hunting unless accompanied by a supervising adult.
  • It is unlawful to ride horses on this site or to use any off-road vehicle on this area.
  • It is unlawful for any person to trespass upon areas posted as Waterfowl Refuge or Waterfowl Rest Area.
  • Species-specific rules:

Deer

  • Archery
    • Statewide regulations apply.
    • Archery deer hunting requires use of windshield card, displayed on vehicle dashboard to report hunting effort and harvest by 15 February.
    • Archery hunting may occur during the firearm deer season.
    • Archery deer hunting will be allowed only in the area north of Lick Creek, south of the above ground water line, east of the Illinois river and west of the railroad right of way.
    • One non-piercing, portable tree stand or ground blind allowed per hunter. Tree stands and ground blinds may be left unattended from Sept 15 – Jan 31, but must be legibly marked with the owner’s name, address and telephone number, or a site assigned identification number.
  • Firearm
    • Firearm deer hunting not permitted

Turkey

  • Turkey hunting not permitted

Waterfowl

Duck Season

  • Waterfowl hunting is permitted during the Central Zone season.
  • Waterfowl hunting sites are awarded by an annual draw.
  • To claim the blind site, designated by a numbered stake, the awarded hunter or partners must occupy the blind site by ½ hour before legal shooting time.
  • Staked blind sites which are not legally occupied by blind builders or partners ½ hour before legal shooting time may be claimed on a first-come first-serve basis.
    • It is unlawful to claim or attempt to claim a staked blind site which is legally occupied, or to harass in any manner the occupants of a blind site which has been legally claimed.
  • A hunting party consists of the awarded hunter and his or her partners. No more than 3 persons may occupy a boat blind at one time.
  • All parties must hunt over a minimum of 12 decoys of a least standard size which must be removed upon termination of the days hunt.
  • All hunting will be from portable boat blinds. Boat blinds must be anchored within 10 yards of a staked blind site.

Teal, Early, Late Goose, and Conservation Order Light Goose

  • ­ Statewide hours
  • ­ Hunting from a staked site is waived during seasons
  • ­ Windshield card required

Youth Waterfowl

  • Youth waterfowl hunting season is held the weekend preceding duck season.

Squirrels/Rabbits

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

Upland Birds

  • Upland bird hunting not permitted.

Furbearers

  • Trapping
    • Muskrat, Mink, Raccoon, Opossum, Striped Skunk, Weasel, Gray Fox, Red Fox, Coyote, Badger, River Otter, Beaver, Bobcat, and Woodchuck (Groundhog)
      • Statewide regulations
      • A site-specific permit is required and must be in possession while trapping on the area.
      • Trappers must stay within assigned areas.
      • No trapping is permitted in sub-impoundments or designated waterfowl management units during duck season.
      • A drawing shall be held in October at Spring Lake SFWA. The date of the drawing shall be announced by the Department by public announcement here. Persons participating in the drawing must have either a current or previous year trapping license.
      • 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.
      • Only body-gripping traps with a jaw spread of 5 inches or less, foothold traps with a jaw spread of 4.5 inches or less, and square body gripping traps with a 10 inch jaw spread may be used for water sets.
      • Snares may be used for water sets.
      • .22 caliber or smaller rimfire firearms permitted unless otherwise specified
  • Hunting
    • Furbearer hunting not permitted.

Amenities

  • Hunting