Sangchris Lake State Park
Site Contact Info
Office phone: 217-498-9208
Office address: 9898 Cascade Rd., Rochester, IL 62563
Site coordinates: 39.62949 -89.45458
County: Sangamon
Site Map
Site Characteristics
Huntable acres: 2,480
Habitat: This site is composed of relatively flat uplands and rolling bottomlands. A mosaic of timber, agricultural crops, grassy savanna-like areas and water provide a great diversity of habitat.
Active habitat management will be occurring throughout the year on the site, including prescribed burning.
Site/Species Specific Regulations
Statewide and associated species regulations, in accordance with the Illinois Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations, apply at site unless noted hereafter.
Site requires use of a windshield card that must be displayed on vehicle dashboard. Hunters must report their hunting efforts and harvest by 15 February, even if they did not harvest any animals.
Only one tree stand or ground blind is allowed per deer permit holder. Tree stands and ground blinds must comply with restrictions listed in Ad Rule 17-510 and must be portable. Tree stands and ground blinds may be left unattended from September 15 through January 31, but must be legibly marked with the owner’s name, address, and telephone number, or site assigned identification number.
Deer
Archery
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Only antlerless deer and bucks with 4 or more points on one antler may be harvested.
- Stands/blinds may be left unattended from September 15-January 31; any tree stand/blind left unattended overnight must be legibly marked with the owner’s name, address, and telephone number, or site assigned identification number.
- Windshield card required.
- Archery hunters must wear a cap and upper, outer garment with a minimum of 400 square inches of solid blaze orange/pink during the statewide firearm deer seasons.
- Archery deer hunting closed during statewide muzzleloader season.
Firearm
Not available at this site.
Late Winter Antlerless
Not available at this site.
Muzzleloader
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Site specific permit issued through the permit lottery system.
- Closed during second firearm season.
- Stands/blinds may be left unattended from September 15-January 31; any tree stand/blind left unattended overnight must be legibly marked with the owner’s name, address, and telephone number, or site assigned identification number.
- Check-in, check-out harvest reporting
Special CWD
Not available at this site.
Youth Firearm
Not available at this site.
Turkey
Fall Archery
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply. Windshield card required.
Fall Shotgun
Not available at this site.
Spring
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- 2 permits are issued per season.
- Permits are issued through the permit lottery system.
Youth Spring
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- 2 permits are issued per season.
- Permits are issued through the permit lottery system.
Waterfowl
Ducks/Coots/Mergansers
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Hunting hours end at 1pm, except for the last 3 days of the Canada goose season.
- Lake and goose blind sites are allocated by daily drawing.
- Hunters must use at least 6 decoys.
- A waterfowl refuge area shall be posted on the lake, and all boat traffic shall be prohibited beyond the posted boundary, once posted. Bank fishing shall be permitted in the posted area.
- Fishing and boating prohibited in the east and west arms of the lake from Youth Waterfowl hunt until the end of the regular waterfowl season.
Goose
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Hunting hours end at 1pm, except for the last 3 days of the Canada goose season.
- Lake and goose blind sites are allocated by daily drawing.
- Hunters must use at least 6 decoys.
- Fishing and boating prohibited in the west arm of the lake during the Canada goose season following duck season.
- Fishing and boating prohibited in the east arm of the lake south of the power lines during the Canada goose season following the duck season.
Snipe/Rail
Not available at this site.
Youth
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Season begins the weekend preceding the Central Zone opener.
- Hunting ends at 1pm.
- Lake blind sites are allocated by daily drawing.
- Hunters must use at least 6 decoys.
Upland/Small Game
Controlled Pheasant
Not available at this site.
Crow
Not available at this site.
Dove
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
Non-toxic shot only; #6 steel or #7 bismuth & tungsten or smaller
Sept 1-5
- Hunting Sept. 1-5 is by Springfield lottery-issued permit, only.
- Hunting hours are from 12:00pm to 5:00pm
- Permit holders must register at the site office prior to 11:00 am
- Permitted hunters who fail to complete their registration by 11:00 am shall have their permit voided.
- Following registration, a daily stand-by drawing, if needed, will be conducted for unclaimed or voided permits
- Field and stake selection will be made at the site office/check station through randomized draw following the standby draw
- Hunters may be required to wear back patches while in the field
- Hunters must sign out and report harvest at the site check station/sign-out box immediately following their exit from the field
- Hunters must hunt within 10 feet of an IDNR marked stake and their firearm will remain at their chair, when leaving the stake is necessary (retrieving birds, etc.)
- Hunters may bring 1 non-hunting, unarmed observer
Following permit period
- Dove hunting available from Sept 6 through the Sunday of the third weekend in September. (for 2025 season, closed starting Sept 22)
- Permit not required
- Hunting hours: Sunrise-Noon
Pheasant/Quail/Partridge
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Free Upland Game Permit is required. Apply here.
- Hunting is on Wednesdays and Saturdays in November and December after the opening day of the statewide upland game season.
- Closed during firearms deer seasons and on December 24 and 25.
- Hunting hours are 11 a.m.-sunset.
Rabbits
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Free Upland Game Permit is required. Apply here.
- Hunting is on Wednesdays and Saturdays in November and December after the opening day of the statewide upland game season.
- Closed during firearms deer seasons and on December 24 and 25.
- Hunting hours are 11 a.m.-sunset.
Squirrels
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Opens the day following Labor Day through September 30.
- Windshield card required.
Woodcock
Not available at this site.
Furbearers
Furbearer Hunting
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Fox (red and grey), Coyote, and Striped Skunk hunting only
- Central Zone Duck Season and Canada Goose Season, waterfowl and upland game hunters may take fox, coyote, and striped skunk with shotgun only in accordance with site-specific regulations.
Furbearer Trapping
Available at this site. Statewide regulations apply, except:
- Permit required. Permit will be issued via a drawing in October at the site office.
- Contact site for more information
- There is no land trapping at this site, except for that allowed around the Subimpoundment.
- There is one zone during the raccoon trapping season which includes an arm of the Lake and the Sub.
- After Feb. 1, the Lake opens to statewide regulations, but this only applies to water trapping, not trapping in the upland areas of the Park.
Amenities
Archery Range
Boat Access
Camping
Fishing
Hiking Trails
Hunting
Sporting Dog Training