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 (Starved Rock SP parent site)

District Wildlife Biologist

Conservation Police

Site Closures List 

Site Map

Digital Map

Printable Map

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.

Site/Species Specific Regulations

• All statewide hunting regulations apply at site unless noted hereafter.
• 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. 

Deer

Archery

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:

• 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

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:

• 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. 

Late Winter

Not available at this site.

Muzzleloader

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:

• Muzzleloader 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. 

Special CWD

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:

• 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. 

Youth

Not available at this site.

Turkey

Fall Archery

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:

• Statewide regulations, but is closed at the site during statewide firearm, muzzleloader & special CWD deer seasons. 

Fall Shotgun

Not available at this site.

Spring

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:

• 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. 

Youth

Not available at this site.

Waterfowl

No waterfowl hunting permitted

Upland/Small Game

Controlled Pheasant

Not available at this site.

Crow

Not available at this site.

Dove

Not available at this site.

Pheasant/Quail/Partridge

Not available at this site.

Rabbits

Not available at this site.

Squirrel

Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:

• Squirrel hunting permitted from Aug 1 – Sept 30 
• Shotguns; shot must be size #6 lead or smaller or size #4 steel or smaller, or bow and arrow only.
• 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. 

Woodcock

Not available at this site.

Furbearers

Not available at this site.

Amenities

None