ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

J.B. Pritzker, Governor | illinois.gov

Wildlife Illinois

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Public Duck and Goose Hunting Area Permit First Lottery Begins August 16!

Ten Mile Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area

    Site Contact Info

    Site Map

    Site Characteristics

    • Huntable acres: 4,995
    • Habitat: site is located in Hamilton and Jefferson counties and composed of 4 separate units managed for public hunting. The two Jefferson county tracts were mined prior to acquisition. The Belle Rive unit (1460 acres) contains a Waterfowl Rest Area. It is approximately 56% mined land with new mine law reclamation completed. The Eads unit (1550 acres) was approximately 83% mined and reclaimed under pre-law standards. The two Hamilton county tracts remain unmined. The Dahlgren unit (1120 acres) contains a good mix of farm fields and forest habitats typical to this part of Illinois. It ranges from high and dry, to low and wet. Much of the wetland had been prior converted to cropland in the Big Creek watershed. The Goshen Trail unit is the southernmost unit (1690 acres) and is mostly upland. A good mix of cropland, woodland, and open fields makes this area very attractive to a wide variety of wildlife. In addition to the strip pit lakes, numerous ponds dot the landscape of this site. Active habitat management will be occurring throughout the year on the site.

    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.
    • When hunting or scouting, ALL VEHICLES MUST BE PARKED AT DESIGNATED AREAS (no ATV access).
    • It is unlawful for any person to consume an alcoholic beverage while on site property for the purpose of hunting or trapping. Any person who violates site specific regulations shall be guilty of a Class B Misdemeanor.
    • Species-specific rules:

    Deer

    • Only one tree stand or ground blind is allowed per deer permit holder.
    • Tree stands may be left up during the season (unattended), but must be legibly marked with owner’s name, address and telephone number.
    • No hunter shall place a tree stand or ground blind prior to two weeks before the opening of archery deer season and all hunters must remove their deer stands no later than two weeks after the final day of legal deer hunting.
    • Areas designated as waterfowl refuge are closed to all access during Canada goose season.

    Archery

    • Statewide regulations
    • Note the tree stand rule for this site.

    Firearm

    • Statewide regulations
    • Hunters must possess a County Permit to hunt that part of the Site for which the County Permit applies.
    • Note the tree stand rule for this site.

    Youth

    • Statewide regulations
    • Hunters must possess a County Permit to hunt that part of the Site for which the County Permit applies.
    • Note the tree stand rule for this site.

    Muzzleloading

    • Hunters must possess a County Permit to hunt that part of the Site for which the County Permit applies.
    • Note the tree stand rule for this site.

    Late Winter (Hamilton County only)

    • Hunters must possess a Hamilton County Permit to hunt the Site.
    • Statewide regulations
    • Note the tree stand rule for this site.

    Turkey

    Spring

    • Hunters must apply to Springfield Permit Office for permits. Permits are not transferable.
    • Ten (10) permit hunters per season will be allowed to hunt the entire Site.
    • Statewide regulations
    • Note the tree stand rule for this site

    Spring Youth

    • Youth hunters are required to have a Youth Turkey Permit for the County they are hunting.
    • Statewide regulations
    • Note the tree stand rule for this site

    Fall Archery

    • Statewide regulations
    • Note the tree stand rule for this site

    Fall Shotgun

    • Hunters must apply to Springfield Permit Office for permits. Permits are not transferable.
    • Twelve (12) permit hunters will be allowed to hunt the entire Site.
    • Statewide regulations

    Waterfowl

    • Areas designated as waterfowl refuge are closed to all access during Canada goose season.
    • Teal, Snipe, Rail, Early Goose and Late Goose
      • Statewide regulations
    • Regular season
      • Hunting is on a first-come, first-serve basis
      • No hunting in the designated waterfowl rest areas
      • No permanent blinds allowed
      • Hunting hours are legal opening-sunset
      • Each hunting party is required to hunt over a minimum of 6 decoys. All decoys must be picked up a the end of each day’s hunt

    Youth

    • The Youth hunt is typically held on the weekend preceding the Illinois South Central Zone duck season opener.
    • Youth hunters must be 15 years of age or younger and must have a hunting license and HIP registration number.
    • Accompanying adults are not allowed to hunt.
    • All regulations listed under Waterfowl and statewide regulations also apply.

    Regular Season (Ducks, Geese, and Coots)

    • Statewide regulations apply.
    • Hunting is allowed in all locations, except the designated Waterfowl Rest Areas, and on a first-come, first-served basis.
    • Hunting hours are from legal opening until sunset.
    • No permanent blinds allowed.
    • Each hunting party is required to hunt over a minimum of 6 decoys at each blind site, and all decoys must be picked up at the end of each day’s hunt.
    • Areas designated as Waterfowl Rest Areas are closed to all access during the Regular Duck/Goose Waterfowl Seasons only.

    Early and Late Goose (all species)

    • Statewide regulations apply.
    • Waterfowl Rest Areas are open to hunting during goose seasons before and after the regular duck/goose season.

    Squirrels/Rabbits

    • Squirrels
      • Statewide regulations
      • Hunting with a .22 caliber or smaller rimfire firearms, .25 caliber or smaller air rifle, or muzzleloading black powder rifles is allowed
    • Rabbits
      • Statewide regulations

    Upland Game

    • Statewide regulations.
    • Areas designated as waterfowl refuge are closed to all access during Canada goose season.
    • Nontoxic shot approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service of size #3 steel or tin, #4 bismuth shot or #5 tungsten-iron, tungsten-polymer, tungsten-matrix or smaller may be used or possessed on posted waterfowl rest areas.

    Crow

    • Statewide regulations.
    • Crow hunting hours are ½ hour before sunrise to sunset.
    • All harvested crows must be removed from State property and disposed of properly.
    • Non-toxic shot only in Waterfowl Rest Areas. No centerfire rifles allowed.

    Woodcock, Snipe, and Rail

    • Statewide regulations.
    • It shall be unlawful while attempting to take woodcock to have in possession any shotgun shells not approved as non-toxic by federal regulations while hunting in Waterfowl Rest Areas.

    Teal

    • Statewide

    Dove

    • Statewide regulations, except that hunting hours will be from sunrise to 11:30 a.m. daily September 1-5; season closes on the statewide closing. A drawing will be held one hour before sunrise if there are more hunters present than can be accommodated.
    • Hunting is restricted to the managed field(s).
    • NON TOXIC SHOT only required in areas posted as rest area (Goose Refuge), No. 6 steel shot or No. 7 ½ bismuth shot or smaller is allowed.
    • Harvested doves must be kept in separate bags by each hunter.
    • No cleaning of doves is permitted on the site.
    • It is the hunter’s responsibility to remove all refuse, including empty shotgun shells, from the hunting area once they have finished hunting.

    Furbearers

    Hunting

    • Statewide regulations.
    • Coyote and striped skunk are allowed year-round.
    • Groundhog hunting is permitted.
    • 22 caliber or smaller rimfire firearms permitted for use 24 hours per day.

    Trapping

    • Statewide Regulations.
    • A valid Site permit is required for trapping. Permits are allocated at the Site office upon request.
    • Trappers must stay in their assigned trapping areas.  All traps must be tagged with the trapper’s name.
    • Only Egg Traps, D-P (Dog-Proof) Traps, Lil Grizz Get’rz, box traps, cage traps, and traps of similar design may be used for land sets; only body-gripping traps with a jaw spread of 5 inches or less, foothold traps with a jaw spread of 4 1/2 inches or less and square body-gripping traps with a 10 inch jaw spread may be used for water sets; snares may be used for water sets

    Amenities

    • Firearms range
    • Archery range
    • Hand trap range
    • Hiking trails
    • Boat ramps
    • Fishing
    • More information