Section 590.50  Non-Check Station Department Sites Only – Duck, Goose and Coot Hunting

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).

c)         Blind winners on the following sites will be provided forms for the purpose of maintaining waterfowl harvest records.  The forms must be completed and returned within 15 days after the close of the site's waterfowl season or the blind builder and partners for that blind shall not be allowed to be a blind builder or partner at these sites for the following year.

Chain O'Lakes State Park

Clear Lake State Wildlife Management Area

Des Plaines State Conservation Area

Kankakee River State Park

Redwing Slough/Deer Lake State Natural Area

Starved Rock State Park

Illinois River Area:  The use of any metal, with the exception of fasteners less than 12 inches in length, is prohibited in the construction of waterfowl blinds.  Blind removal may begin November 15; thereafter, a boat blind is permitted within 10 feet of the stake site.  All blinds must be removed in their entirety no later than 10 days after the close of the Central Zone duck season.  Blind builders and their partners who fail to remove the blind in its entirety will not be allowed to be a builder or partner the following year.

Land based waterfowl hunting: closed during all site firearm deer seasons; no hunting allowed until IDNR stakes hunting locations; hunters must hunt within 10 feet of the IDNR stake; no more than 3 hunters per stake; portable blinds only; hunting parties shall not hunt over fewer than 12 decoys; all hunter items must be removed daily; first-come, first-served; sign in/out and report of harvest required

d)         Violation of this Section is a petty offense (see 520 ILCS 5/2.20).

(Source:  Amended at 48 Ill. Reg. 3899, effective March 1, 2024)