ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

J.B. Pritzker, Governor | illinois.gov

Wildlife Illinois

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Shelbyville State Fish and Wildlife Area

Kaskaskia Unit

Contact Info

Site Characteristics

  • Huntable acres: 3,597
  • Habitat: Site lies along the Kaskaskia River and is characterized by woodlands, grasslands, shrublands, wetlands, several small ponds, food plots and waterfowl management sub-impoundments.
  • Digital Map
  • Printable Map
  • Printable Map- Okaw Unit

Site Specific Regulations

  • All statewide hunting regulations apply at site unless noted hereafter.
  • Site requires use of windshield card that must be displayed on vehicle dashboard. Report of hunting effort and harvest must be submitted by 15 February.
  • Use Hunt Planner to find hunting seasons open at this site.
  • One portable tree stand per hunter may be placed from September 15-January 31. Tree stand must be clearly marked with owner’s name, address, and telephone number and removed by the end of the season.
  • Dog training allowed by permit from September 1-March 31. Contact site for permit application.
  • Species-specific rules:

Deer

  • Archery
    • Statewide regulations, except only antlered deer harvest from October 1-15. All deer from October 16 to end of season.
  • Firearm
    • Requires a “Lake Shelbyville Project in Moultrie County” permit obtained through the statewide lottery. Note: “Moultrie County” deer permits are not valid to hunt this site.
  • Muzzleloader only
    • Requires a site-specific muzzleloader permit obtained through the statewide lottery.
    • Hunting only allowed during second season.
    • Only antlerless deer can be harvested.
  • Youth
    • Statewide regulations apply.

Turkey

  • Spring
    • Requires a LSP Moultrie permit obtained through the statewide lottery.
  • Fall
    • Archery hunting only.
  • Youth
    • Requires a youth Moultrie County turkey permit obtained at an over the counter vendor.

Waterfowl

  • 2020 Waterfowl Hunting Procedures:
    • Shelbyville SFWA will NOT conduct drawings for the 2020 season.
    • The usual draw for October 24th and October 25th will NOT be held, instead the entire site will be first come first serve for the duration of the 2020 waterfowl season.
    • For the first two days (October 24th and 25th) you must fill out a provided harvest card and place on dashboard next to site windshield card.  There will be drop boxes and harvest card packets at the Park Office as well as at the Fish Hook Check Station. 
    • Harvest card packets will be available around 3 am each morning, once the packets are gone so are the blinds. Each packet will include a numbered harvest card (matching the selected site) as well as site rules, maps, and GPS coordinates. 
    • Please be aware that you are still responsible for reporting all harvests on the SFWA by February 15th, 2021. We recommend that you report your harvest daily online in order to avoid being locked out or overloading the system on February 15th.
    • Windshield cards are still mandatory throughout the SFWA. Hunting concludes within the managed areas (Dunn, McGee, J. Creek, and Fish Hook) at 1 pm daily and all hunters must exit the managed areas by 2pm each day throughout the entire waterfowl season.
    • All other regulations remain in place and will be posted at the parking lots.
    • Anyone may call the office at 217-665-3112 or use Facebook to request maps and hunter facts sheets to be mailed to their residence – please be clear and detailed if you leave a voicemail
    • Have a safe and enjoyable waterfowl season, hopefully next year we will be back to our normal operating procedures.
  • Note: building of permanent blinds, including pits, of any kind or other structural works on the Federal Project Lands is prohibited. All blinds must be of a portable nature or constructed with natural vegetation located at the blind site and must be removed or dismantled at the end of each hunt.
  • Motors over 10 HP are not allowed in the Fishhook, Jonathan Creek, McGee and North Dunn Waterfowl Management areas.
  • It is illegal to trespass upon waterfowl rest areas 2 weeks prior to and throughout the waterfowl season. It is illegal to trespass upon any designated waterfowl area 7 days prior to the beginning of the season.
  • For more information, review the Waterfowl Page
  • Regular season
    • Statewide regulations, except hunting until 1 pm only
    • Hunting permitted throughout site
    • Blind Drawings
      • Registration for daily drawings occur between 4-5 am the first 2 days of the season, with actual drawing at 5 am. Parties will register as they intend to hunt, with not more than 4 names per registration card. Fishhook and Jonathan Creek areas are drawn at Fishhook Check Station. North Dunn and the McGee Waterfowl areas are drawn at the site office.
      • Each hunting party drawn will be allowed to choose 1 of the staked sites in the Fishhook, Jonathan Creek, McGee and North Dunn Waterfowl areas. Parties will select sites in the order they are drawn.
      • Following regulations apply: 1) party must hunt within 10 yards of assigned stake, 2) party must be in place by one-half hour before shooting time, 3) party is required to check-out and report harvest by 2 pm following each hunt
      • Hunters using Fish Hook, Dunn, Jonathan Creek and McGee Waterfowl Areas are required to hunt over a minimum of 6 decoys
  • Early Goose & Teal
    • Statewide regulations.
    • No drawing, but hunting parties must be separated at least 200 yards
  • Youth
    • Statewide regulations.
    • No drawing, but hunting parties must be separated at least 200 yards
  • Rail & Snipe
    • Statewide regulations, except hunting only until 4 pm

Squirrels/Rabbits

  • Squirrels
    • Statewide regulations.
    • May use a .22 rimfire rifle and muzzloading blackpowder rifle.
  • Rabbits
    • Statewide regulations, except hunting until 4 pm only.

Upland Birds

  • Must use non-toxic shot in Fishhook, North Dunn, Jonathan Creek and McGee waterfowl areas.
  • Pheasant & Quail
    • Statewide regulations, except hunting until 4 pm only.
  • Doves
    • Must use non-toxic shot, size 6 or smaller.
    • When using dove management fields:
      • Daily drawings are held September 1-5, pending demand and staffing availability. Drawings shall take place at 10 am near the entrance of the designated field(s). If demand does not warrant a drawing past the first 2 days of season, it shall be posted at the field, as well as, at the information board located at site office, in which case it will revert back to first-come-first served. Shooting hours are 12-5 pm for the first 5 days regardless. Hunters must be within 10 feet of a designated stake with no more than 2 hunters per stake. Stakes are allocated on a first come-first served basis from September 6 to end of season.
      • After September 5 management fields will be open to statewide hours with no drawing. Non-toxic shot required in waterfowl management units and other fields as designated.
    • When not using dove management fields:
      • Hunters must hunt at least 100 yards from the edge of dove management units.
      • No drawing required if not using management fields.
  • Woodcock
    • Statewide regulations, except hunting until 4 pm only.
  • Crow
    • Statewide regulations.

Furbearers

  • Hunting
    • Statewide regulations
    • Rimfire rifles .22 caliber and smaller may be used from sunset to sunrise.
    • Furbearer hunting closed during Firearm Deer Season
      • Hunters with a valid, unfilled firearm deer permit for the hunt area may take coyotes during legal hours of the firearm deer season. Otherwise, the use of shotgun slugs to take furbearing mammals is prohibited on state sites.
    • Coyote and striped skunk season coincides with the statewide fox season.
  • Trapping
    • Statewide regulations.
    • Requires site-specific permit obtained by drawing held at the site office the first Saturday in October.

Amenities

Okaw Unit

Contact Info

Site Characteristics

  • Huntable acres: 2,625
  • Habitat: woodlands, grasslands, shrublands, wetlands, several small ponds, food plots and waterfowl management sub-impoundments.
  • 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.
  • One portable tree stand per hunter may be placed from September 15-January 31. Tree stand must be clearly marked with owner’s name, address, and telephone number and removed by the end of the season.
  • Dog training allowed by permit from September 1-March 31. Contact site for permit application.

Deer

  • Archery
    • Statewide regulations, except only antlered deer harvest from October 1-15. All deer from October 16 to end of season.
  • Firearm
    • Requires a “Lake Shelbyville Project in Moultrie County” permit obtained through the statewide lottery. Note: “Moultrie County” deer permits are not valid for this site.
  • Muzzleloader
    • Requires a site-specific muzzleloader permit obtained through the statewide lottery.
    • Hunting only allowed during second season.
    • Only antlerless deer can be harvested.

Turkey

  • Spring
  • Fall
    • Archery hunting only.
  • Youth
    • Requires a youth Moultrie County turkey permit obtained at a physical vendor.

Waterfowl

  • 2020 Waterfowl Hunting Procedures:
    • Shelbyville SFWA will NOT conduct drawings for the 2020 season.
    • The usual draw for October 24th and October 25th will NOT be held, instead the entire site will be first come first serve for the duration of the 2020 waterfowl season.
    • For the first two days (October 24th and 25th) you must fill out a provided harvest card and place on dashboard next to site windshield card.  There will be drop boxes and harvest card packets at the Park Office as well as at the Fish Hook Check Station. 
    • Harvest card packets will be available around 3 am each morning, once the packets are gone so are the blinds. Each packet will include a numbered harvest card (matching the selected site) as well as site rules, maps, and GPS coordinates. 
    • Please be aware that you are still responsible for reporting all harvests on the SFWA by February 15th, 2021. We recommend that you report your harvest daily online in order to avoid being locked out or overloading the system on February 15th.
    • Windshield cards are still mandatory throughout the SFWA. Hunting concludes within the managed areas (Dunn, McGee, J. Creek, and Fish Hook) at 1 pm daily and all hunters must exit the managed areas by 2pm each day throughout the entire waterfowl season.
    • All other regulations remain in place and will be posted at the parking lots.
    • Anyone may call the office at 217-665-3112 or use Facebook to request maps and hunter facts sheets to be mailed to their residence – please be clear and detailed if you leave a voicemail
    • Have a safe and enjoyable waterfowl season, hopefully next year we will be back to our normal operating procedures.
  • Note: building of permanent blinds, including pits, of any kind or other structural works on the Federal Project Lands is prohibited. All blinds must be of a portable nature or constructed with natural vegetation located at the blind site and must be removed or dismantled at the end of each hunt.
  • Motors over 10 HP are not allowed in the Fishhook, Jonathan Creek, McGee and North Dunn Waterfowl Management areas.
  • It is illegal to trespass upon waterfowl rest areas 2 weeks prior to and throughout the waterfowl season. It is illegal to trespass upon any designated waterfowl area 7 days prior to the beginning of the season.
  • For more information, review the Waterfowl Page.
  • Regular season
    • Statewide regulations, except hunting until 1 pm only.
    • Blind Drawings
      • Registration for daily drawings occur between 4-5 am the first 2 days of the season, with actual drawing at 5 am. Parties will register as they intend to hunt, with not more than 4 names per registration card. Fishhook and Jonathan Creek areas are drawn at Fishhook Check Station. North Dunn and the McGee Waterfowl areas are drawn at the site office.
      • Each hunting party drawn will be allowed to choose 1 of the staked sites in the Fishhook, Jonathan Creek, McGee and North Dunn Waterfowl areas. Parties will select sites in the order they are drawn.
      • Following regulations apply: 1) party must hunt within 10 yards of assigned stake, 2) party must be in place by one-half hour before shooting time, 3) party is required to check-out and report harvest by 2 pm following each hunt.
  • Early Goose & Teal
    • Statewide regulations.
    • No drawing, but hunting parties must be separated at least 200 yards.
  • Youth
    • Statewide regulations.
    • No drawing, but hunting parties must be separated at least 200 yards.
  • Rail & Snipe
    • Statewide regulations, except hunting only until 4 pm.

Squirrels/Rabbits

  • Squirrels
    • Statewide regulations.
    • May use a .22 rimfire rifle and muzzloading blackpowder rifle.
  • Rabbits
    • Statewide regulations, except hunting until 4 pm only.

Upland Birds

  • Must use non-toxic shot in Fishhook, North Dunn, Jonathan Creek and McGee waterfowl areas.
  • Pheasant & Quail
    • Statewide regulations, except hunting until 4 pm only.
  • Doves
    • Must use non-toxic shot, size 6 or smaller.
    • When using dove management fields:
      • Daily drawings are held September 1-5, pending demand and staffing availability. Drawings shall take place at 10 am near the entrance of the designated field(s). If demand does not warrant a drawing past the first 2 days of season, it shall be posted at the field, as well as, at the information board located at site office, in which case it will revert back to first-come-first served.
      • Shooting hours are 12-5 pm for the first 5 days regardless. Hunters must be within 10 feet of a designated stake with no more than 2 hunters per stake.
      • Stakes are allocated on a first come-first served basis from September 6 to end of season. After September 5 management fields will be open to statewide hours with no drawing.
      • Non-toxic shot required in waterfowl management units and other fields as designated.
    • When not using dove management fields:
      • Hunters must hunt at least 100 yards from the edge of dove management units.
      • No drawing required if not using management fields.
  • Woodcock
    • Statewide regulations, except hunting until 4 pm only.
  • Crow
    • Statewide regulations.

Furbearers

  • Hunting
    • Statewide regulations
    • Rimfire rifles .22 caliber and smaller may be used from sunset to sunrise.
    • Furbearer hunting closed during Firearm Deer Season
      • Hunters with a valid, unfilled firearm deer permit for the hunt area may take coyotes during legal hours of the firearm deer season. Otherwise, the use of shotgun slugs to take furbearing mammals is prohibited on state sites.
    • Coyote and striped skunk season coincides with the statewide fox season.
    • Windshield Card required
  • Trapping
    • Statewide regulations.
    • Requires site-specific permit obtained by drawing held at the site office the first Saturday in October.

Amenities

  • Archery Range
  • Boat access
  • Fishing (ADA fishing dock available)
  • Hand trap shooting range
  • Hiking Trails
  • More Information