Announcements
Applications for 2021 Firearm and Muzzleloader Deer Permit Lotteries are open!
Sandy Ford Land and Water Reserve
Site Contact Info
- Office phone: 815-667-4726
- Office address: c/o Starved Rock SP, Box 509 Utica, IL 61373
- Site coordinates: 41.19321 -88.89556
- County: LaSalle
- Site Superintendent
- District Wildlife Biologist
- Conservation Police
Site Characteristics
- Huntable acres: 203
- Habitat: The site is predominantly wooded with fallow fields and hill prairies. The terrain is fairly rugged, with some steep bluffs.
- Digital Map
- Printable Map

Site Specific Regulations
- All statewide hunting regulations apply at site unless noted hereafter.
- Site requires use of windshield card, displayed on vehicle dashboard, to report hunting effort and harvest by 15 February.
- Use Hunt Planner to find hunting seasons open at this site.
- The interior of the area is inaccessible by vehicle of any kind.
- Hunters should note postings for restrictions and regulations or closures.
- Hunters may only possess weapons in the field during hunting hours.
- It is unlawful to remove deer antlers from the site.
- Species-specific rules:
Deer
-
Archery
- Only antlerless deer may be taken in October. Harvesting deer of either sex is allowed from Nov 1 to season end.
- Hunters are required to check-in prior to hunting, check-out, and report harvest immediately after the hunt’s conclusion on the sheets provided at the Sandy Ford parking lot.
- Hunters must display and return parking passes daily.
- Archery deer hunting is closed during statewide firearm, muzzleloader & special CWD deer seasons.
- Firearm, Muzzleloader, and CWD
- Firearm hunters must have a site-specific permit.
- Hunters are required to check in before 5 am at the Matthiessen State Park check station.
- A drawing to allocate standby permits will be held at 5:30 am. Standby hunters will be allowed to enter field after drawing (5:30 am or 12 pm).
- The first state-issued permit will be for antlerless deer only, but when an antlerless deer is taken and checked at the manned check-station at Matthiessen State Park’s maintenance building, the hunter may purchase a $5.00 permit for either sex.
- Check-station closes at 6 pm.
- Must have valid FOID card, current hunting license, and current habitat stamp
- All hunters must attend the safety talk before entering the field.
- All hunters engaged in firearm and muzzleloader deer hunting are required to wear a cap and upper outer garment of solid and vivid blaze orange of at least 400 square inches while hunting.
- One non-piercing, portable tree stand or a blind is allowed per hunter. Stand or blind must be tagged with hunter’s name, address, and phone number. Stand or blind must be removed daily.
Turkey
-
Fall Archery
- Statewide regulations, but is closed at the site during statewide firearm, muzzleloader & special CWD deer seasons.
-
Spring Shotgun
- Requires a site specific spring turkey permit issued from Springfield.
- Both spring shotgun turkey hunters and fall archery turkey hunters are required to check-in prior to hunting, to check-out, and to report their harvest immediately after the conclusion of the hunt on the sheets at the Sandy Ford parking lot. Hunters should report the turkey as harvested on a Special Hunt Area (Sandy Ford Land & Water Reserve) and not as harvested in LaSalle County.
- Hunters must display and return parking passes daily.
Waterfowl
- Waterfowl hunting not permitted
Squirrels/Rabbits
-
Squirrels
- Squirrel hunting permitted from Aug 1 – Sept 30
- Shotguns only; shot must be size #6 lead or smaller or size #4 steel or smaller
- Required to check-in prior to hunting, to check-out, and to report harvest immediately after the conclusion of the hunt on the sheets provided at the Sandy Ford parking lot.
- Hunters must display and return parking passes daily.
-
Rabbits
- Rabbit hunting not permitted
Upland Birds
- Upland bird hunting not permitted
Furbearers
-
Trapping
- Furbearer trapping not permitted
-
Hunting
- Furbearer hunting not permitted
Amenities
- None