ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

J.B. Pritzker, Governor | illinois.gov

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Redwing Slough/Deer Lake State Natural Area

Site Contact Info

Site Characteristics

  • Huntable acres: 155
  • Habitat: One of the largest wetlands remaining in the six-county Chicago metropolitan area. The wetland is managed as a hemi marsh which by definition is a wetland with a 1:1 ratio of open water to emergent vegetation. Other areas of the site include upland hardwood forest and prairie.
  • Digital Map
  • Printable Map
  • Squirrel Map

Site Specific Regulations

Deer

  • Deer hunting not permitted.

Turkey

  • Turkey hunting not permitted.

Waterfowl

See Waterfowl page for more information

Waterfowl Definitions

  • Blind site – A position within 15 feet of GPS location where blind must be constructed. Sites will be located and staked by the Department of Natural Resources. Boat hides are not considered a part of the blind and may be separate.
  • Blind builder – Person who has been assigned a blind site as a result of the drawing.
  • Blind partner – Person(s) chosen by the builder to assist in construction and maintenance of the blind and to share its hunting privileges.
  • Drawing – Procedure by which blind sites are assigned.
  • Blind registration card – Card issued by the Department and tacked inside each blind listing names and addresses of blind builders.
  • Complete blind – A blind with all framework and siding constructed and in readiness for use, including final brushing.

Public Drawing

  • All blinds will be allocated for a one-year period by a public drawing. Time and place for the drawing will be publicly announced by the Department of Natural Resources.
  • A registrant for a drawing must be at least 16 years of age and possess a current or preceding years Illinois hunting license, and current or preceding years Illinois Migratory Waterfowl Stamp. Persons exempted by law from possessing a hunting license or waterfowl stamp must have a valid Firearm Owners Identification Card.  Applicants must be present for the registration and drawing to be eligible for allocation of duck blind sites.

Waterfowl Hunting & Site Regulations

  • Shooting hours will be from legal opening to 1:00 PM.
  • The site will be open for waterfowl hunting on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday only.
  • The Northern Zone duck season will be the only waterfowl hunting season allowed. Goose hunting prior to and after the close of the Northern Zone duck season is prohibited. Hunting is prohibited during any September teal season.
  • Outboard motors of (6) horsepower or less are permitted on the site for blind building and hunting.
  • No person shall buy, sell or commercialize hunting rights, either directly or indirectly.
  • Not more than 4 persons shall occupy a blind at one time.
  • Weeds and/or brush may not be cut or controlled around a blind without prior approval from an authorized Department of Natural Resource representative.
  • Bogging of blinds is prohibited.
  • Use of the following species is prohibited for brushing blinds due to their ability to readily propagate and become noxious weeds: Purple Loosestrife, Giant Reed.

Blind Construction

  • Previous years blind builders shall have until February 1 to salvage materials from blind sites. After that date, blind materials on the site become the property of the Department or the new blind builder as determined by the site manager. Access for blind removal is by appointment with the site manager.
  • Blind builders may not gain access to the site until the day after Labor Day.
  • Key will be provided to each blind winner who will be responsible to pick up and return the key to the Chain O’ Lakes State park office.
  • If adverse weather or water conditions make compliance with blind completion difficult, the Site Superintendent or the District Wildlife Biologist may grant extensions.
  • Blind Registration Cards must be posted inside the blind prior to the opening date of the waterfowl season and remain posted until after the close of the waterfowl season.
  • Sites on which blinds or boat hides have not been built, as well as sites on which blinds or boat hides of an unsatisfactory quality have been built, will be reassigned to alternates selected at the drawing. All reassigned blinds and boat hides must be completed, including final brushing, in advance of the opening date of the waterfowl season.
  • Blind winners will be provided forms for the purpose of maintaining waterfowl harvest records and an envelope for the return of the forms. It is mandatory that these forms be returned by 3 weeks following the close of the Northern duck season. Failure to comply will result in the blind winner and partners listed for the blind not in compliance to lose the privilege of being a blind winner or partner on this site for the following year.

Use of Blinds

  • Attempts to claim blinds by any manner other than actual occupation shall be considered in violation of this Order and shall be cause for arrest. The insertion of a boat into the boat hide and/or the spreading of decoys before a blind shall not be considered legal occupation of a blind.
  • At least one of the (3) persons registered for assignment of any one blind must be present for the blind to be considered legally occupied. The site is not open to the public for standby hunting, i.e., unoccupied blinds may not be claimed on a first-come basis.
  • No person shall hunt, or attempt to hunt except from within a registered blind.
  • Persons under 16 years of age shall not hunt, or attempt to hunt, unless accompanied by an adult due to safety factors.
  • Blinds shall not be locked.
  • All hunting parties shall hunt with a spread of at least 12 decoys. The decoys shall be staked, placed, or floating, be individually visible, be at least 8 inches long, and not be within a boat, blind or container.

Squirrels

  • Season: August 1 through September 30
  • Park in the entrance off Rt 173.  Any area highlighted in yellow on the map may be walked to and hunted.
  • Hunters must obtain a Windshield Card online from the Department website. This permit must be displayed under the vehicle windshield, face up, with the permit number visible and the pocket portion in possession while hunting at the site. Hunters must report their annual harvest online (even if the hunter did not hunt) by February 15 or two weeks after the season closes for those seasons ending after February 1. Hunters shall forfeit their hunting privileges at the site for the following year if they fail to report by the above deadline. https://dnr2.illinois.gov/Windshieldcard
  • You may use air rifles .25 caliber or smaller.

Rabbit

  • Hunting not permitted.

Upland Birds

  • Upland bird hunting not permitted.

Furbearer

  • Furbearer hunting or trapping not permitted.

Amenities

  • None