Illinois Administrative Code › Title 17 - CONSERVATION › Part 590 - DUCK, GOOSE AND COOT HUNTING › Section 590.50 - Non-Check Station Department Sites Only - Duck, Goose and Coot Hunting

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 28, July 12, 2024
a) The following
			 sites conform to Statewide Regulations (Section
			 590.10) and General Department
			 Regulations (Section 590.15), except as noted in the
			 remainder of this Section. Sites that require use of windshield cards by
			 hunters as specified in 17 Ill. Adm. Code
			 510.10 are followed by (2).
Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area - West Point
				Management Unit (walk-in or boat; staked sites; daily draw)
Chain O'Lakes State Park (for goose seasons prior to duck
				season, hunting allowed from numbered blind sites only and blinds need not be
				completed; blinds must be removed in their entirety, including support posts,
				by April 1; failure to comply will result in the blind builder and partners for
				that blind losing the privilege of being a blind builder or partner at this
				site for the following year)
Clear Lake State Wildlife Management Area (one year blind
				allocation)
Des Plaines River State Conservation Area (goose hunting
				permitted during special goose season prior to regular waterfowl season; during
				special goose season hunting allowed from numbered blind sites only and blinds
				do not have to be completed; previous years blind builders shall have until
				February 1 to salvage blind materials)
Fuller Lake State Fish and Wildlife Management Area (daily
				hunting hours close at 3:30 p.m., except the last 3 days of duck season and the
				last 3 days of regular Canada goose season shall close at sunset; 3 year blind
				allocation period)
Helmbold Slough State Wildlife Management Area (3 year blind
				allocation period)
Illinois River - Pool 26 (3 year blind allocation
				period)
Kankakee River State Park (no boat hide required; no goose
				hunting permitted prior to duck season; previous years blind builders shall
				have until February 1 to salvage blind materials; land based waterfowl hunting
				area only-no hunting allowed until the Department stakes hunting locations;
				hunters must hunt within 10' of Department stake; no more than 2 hunters per
				stake; portable blinds only; all hunter items must be removed daily; hunting
				parties shall not hunt over less than 6 decoys; first-come, first-served;
				season stays open through the close of the goose season in the zone where the
				site is located) (2)
Lake Sinnissippi State Fish and Wildlife Area (Department Owned
				Land; the use of any metal, with the exception of fasteners less than 12 inches
				in length, will be prohibited in the construction of waterfowl blinds;
				waterfowl hunters allocated blind numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21,
				26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 or 32 will have the option to either construct a
				platform blind (4' x 8' with boat hide) or a boat hide blind no less than
				7.5 ' x 18' in dimension fully
				enclosed on all four sides, must include 4 shooting holes or ports and brushed
				(doors capable of being closed are permitted for boat access); hunters choosing
				to construct a boat hide type of blind will not be required to construct a dog
				hide; blind numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
				and 32 must be removed in their entirety no later than 10 days after the close
				of the Northern Zone waterfowl season, but may be removed beginning November
				15; backwater blinds 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 18, 19, 22, 23, 24 and 25 must
				be removed in their entirety by the previous years' blind builder by no later
				than 7 days after the next allocation period; hunting from boat blinds is
				permitted within 10 feet from any numbered stake if the blind has not been
				constructed)
Marshall State Conservation Area - Sparland Unit (the use of
				any metal, with the exception of fasteners less than 12 inches in length,
				carpet, and plastic snow fence or mesh will be prohibited in the construction
				of waterfowl blinds; previous year's blind builders shall have until February 1
				to salvage blind materials) (2)
Matthiessen State Park (land based waterfowl hunting only;
				closed during all site firearm deer seasons; no hunting allowed until IDNR
				stakes hunting locations; hunters must hunt within 10' of IDNR stake; no more
				than 3 hunters per stake; portable blinds only; hunting parties shall not hunt
				over less than 12 decoys; all hunter items must be removed daily; first-come,
				first-served; sign in/out and report of harvest required)
Mazonia State Fish and Wildlife Area (land based waterfowl
				hunting area; no hunting allowed until the Department stakes hunting locations;
				hunters must hunt within 10' of Department stake; no more than 4 hunters per
				stake; portable blinds only; all hunter items must be removed daily; hunting
				parties shall not hunt over less than 6 decoys; first-come, first-served; must
				check out in person by 1:00 p.m., season stays open through the close of the
				goose season in the zone where the site is located) (2)
Meredosia Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area (2 year marked
				hunting site allocation period) - Rules and Regulations will be publicly
				announced
Mississippi River Pool 16 (federal lands; no permanent blinds -
				temporary blinds only above Velie Chute except for Goose Pond, Sunfish Slough,
				and Milan Bottoms (landward area upriver from River Mile 474); 2 year hunting
				site allocation period; scull boat hunting for waterfowl is permitted but
				hunters must not get closer than 200 yards from a marked hunting site or in
				areas posted as closed to scull hunting; permanent blinds are not required at
				marked hunting sites (including those in Goose Pond, Sunfish Slough, and Milan
				Bottoms; temporary or boat blinds are allowed) (Flood rules for marked hunting
				site areas will be determined from the Rock Island gauge. At
				15.0 feet hunters will retain
				site hunting privileges, and hunting must take place from original marked
				hunting sites. At 20.0 feet hunting may take place
				from any location, first-come, first serve, hunting parties must stay 200 yards
				apart)
Mississippi River Pool 17 (federal lands; scull boat hunting
				for waterfowl is permitted but hunters must not get closer than 200 yards from
				a marked hunting site or in areas posted as closed to scull hunting; permanent
				blinds are not required at marked hunting sites; temporary or boat blinds are
				allowed; 2 year hunting site allocation period) (Flood rules for marked hunting
				site areas will be determined from the Muscatine gauge. At
				16.0 feet hunters will retain
				site hunting privileges, and hunting must take place from original marked
				hunting sites. At 20.0 feet hunting may take place
				from any location, first-come, first-serve, hunting parties must stay 200 yards
				apart.)
Mississippi River Pool 18 (federal lands; scull boat hunting
				for waterfowl is permitted but hunters must not get closer than 200 yards from
				a marked hunting site or in areas posted as closed to scull hunting; permanent
				blinds are not required at marked hunting sites; temporary or boat blinds are
				allowed; 2 year hunting site allocation period) (Flood rules for marked hunting
				site areas will be determined from the Keithsburg gauge. At
				14.0 feet hunters will retain
				site hunting privileges, and hunting must take place from original marked
				hunting sites. At 17.0 feet hunting may take place
				from any location, first-come, first-serve, hunting parties must stay 200 yards
				apart.)
Mississippi River Pools 21, 22, 24 (federal lands; hunting
				allowed from a portable blind or anchored boat, in Illinois waters, maintaining
				> 200 yard intervals at the following locations: Pool 21 - west of Long
				Island (river mile 332.5 -340.5), Pool 22 - entire
				pool, except river miles 309-314 (north of Shuck Island to north end of
				Armstrong Island), Pool 24 - west of Denmark Island (river mile
				291.0 -294.5); permanent blinds
				not required at marked sites (excluding Quincy Bay); temporary or boat blinds
				allowed; 2 year blind/hunting site allocation period for registered
				blinds/hunting sites; floating blinds required at sites identified in the
				site's Hunter Fact Sheet) (Flood rules for allocation marked hunting site areas
				(excluding Quincy Bay) will commence at Moderate Flood Stage (Pool 21: Quincy
				gauge; 22.0 feet, Pool 22; Hannibal
				gauge; 22.0 feet, Pool 24; Louisiana
				gauge; 20.0 feet). Hunting may take
				place from any location, first-come, first-serve, hunting parties must stay 200
				yards apart.
Mississippi River Pools 25, 26 (federal lands; 3 year blind
				allocation period; all interior lakes and sloughs located on Kelly Island will
				be noted as walk-in or boats without motors only; no permanent blinds are
				allowed; hunting parties shall not hunt over fewer than 12 decoys or more than
				24 decoys in the walk-in area; decoys must be picked up daily; no vehicles are
				allowed in the walk-in area; walk-in shooting hours end at 12:00 p.m.
				daily)
Momence Wetlands State Natural Area (hunting allowed from a
				portable blind or anchored boat blind only; no more than 3 persons per blind
				site; no hunting during firearm deer seasons)
Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area (all hunting must be
				from portable boat blinds within 10 yards of the assigned numbered stake or
				buoy; no more than 3 persons shall use one blind; exceptions will be announced
				at the site's annual duck blind drawing) (2)
Piasa Island State Wildlife Management Area (3 year blind
				allocation period)
Quincy Bay (Mississippi River Pool 21) (during regular duck
				season hunting hours are legal opening to 1:00 p.m. for blinds 1 through
				25)
Red's Landing State Wildlife Management Area (3 year blind
				allocation period; that portion of Red's Landing that is north of the access
				road will be noted as a walk-in or boats without motors area only; no permanent
				blinds; daily hunting hours will close at 12:00 p.m.; hunting parties shall not
				hunt over less than 12 decoys nor more than 24 decoys)
Redwing Slough/Deer Lake State Natural Area (closed on Mondays,
				Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays except that hunting will be allowed on opening
				day of duck season; no goose hunting except during duck season; previous years
				blind builders shall have until February 1 to salvage blind materials; daily
				hunting hours will close at 1:00 p.m.; hunting from boat blinds is permitted
				within 10 feet of marked blind sites)
Riprap Landing State Wildlife Management Area (3 year blind
				allocation period; that portion of Riprap Landing that is south of blind 5,
				known as Rust Land Company, will be noted as a walk-in; boats without motors in
				area only; no permanent blinds; hunting parties shall not hunt over less than
				12 decoys or more than 24 decoys; decoys must be picked up daily; no vehicles
				allowed; walk-in area shooting hours end at 12:00 p.m. daily)
Shabbona Lake State Recreation Area (hunting will be allowed
				between November 1 and December 31 but only when the North Zone duck and/or
				Canada goose seasons are open; permanent, pre-constructed blinds will be
				awarded for either November or December; boat and dog hides are not required;
				persons awarded blinds at the drawing, or their partners, must claim their
				blinds one hour before legal shooting hours; hunting hours will end at 1:00
				p.m. daily)
b) The following
			 regulations apply to all sites listed in this Section under subsection (a).
1) Blind builders or partners must occupy
			 their blinds by one-half hour before opening hunting hour each day in order to
			 claim their blind for the day. Blinds not legally occupied may be claimed on a
			 first come-first served basis.
2)
			 Attempts to claim blinds by any manner other than actual occupation shall be
			 considered in violation of this Part and shall be cause for arrest. The
			 insertion of a boat into the boat hide and/or the spreading of decoys before a
			 blind shall not be considered legal occupation of a blind.
3) All hunting must be from registered blinds
			 only unless otherwise noted in parentheses under subsection (a).
4) Blind sites shall be allocated for a
			 period of one year unless otherwise noted in parentheses under subsection
			 (a).
5) Previous year's blind
			 builders shall have until 7 days after the next allocation period drawing to
			 salvage materials from their blinds, except as listed in parentheses under
			 subsection (a). After that date, blinds become the property of the new blind
			 builders.
6) No more than 4 persons
			 shall occupy a blind at one time, except on Mississippi River Pools 16, 17, 18,
			 21, 22 and 24.
7) For those sites
			 listed in subsection (a) that have 3 year blind allocation periods,
			 re-registration of blind sites during the non-draw years must be accomplished
			 in person during a publicly announced period. Failure to re-register during the
			 prescribed period will result in the loss of blind site. Registrants must
			 present current year's Illinois hunting license and State waterfowl stamp for
			 each blind builder. Blinds not re-registered will be allocated by a drawing. No
			 waterfowl blind may be removed until after the close of the waterfowl
			 season.
8) It shall be unlawful to
			 trespass upon areas designated as waterfowl rest areas or refuges 2 weeks prior
			 to the start of regular duck season through the close of regular duck and
			 Canada goose season as posted at the site.
9) It shall be unlawful to trespass upon the
			 designated waterfowl hunting area during the 7 days prior to the waterfowl
			 season as posted at the site. At Mississippi River Area Pools 25 and 26 it
			 shall be unlawful to trespass upon the designated waterfowl hunting area
			 between sunset of the Sunday immediately preceding the opening date of regular
			 duck season through the day before regular duck season as posted at the
			 site.
10) Any person who violates
			 any provision of this Part shall be subject to arrest and/or removal from the
			 premises under applicable statutes, including Section 21-5 of the Criminal Code
			 (Criminal Trespass to State Supported Land).