Illinois DNR Announces State and Federal Sites to Open for Youth Waterfowl Hunting Seasons

Springfield, IL – A number of Illinois state parks, fish and wildlife areas, conservation areas and recreation areas will be open to youth waterfowl hunting during the 2011 North Zone Youth Waterfowl Hunt, Central Zone Youth Waterfowl Hunt, South Central Zone Youth Waterfowl Hunt and South Zone Youth Waterfowl Hunt, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) announced today.  Federal sites that fall under the IDNR waterfowl administrative rule that will be open are also listed below.

At most sites, regulations that apply during the regular waterfowl hunting season apply during the Youth Hunt (hunters should check for site-specific regulations, including changes in legal shooting hours).  During the Youth Hunt, the bag limits are the same as during regular seasons.

As part of the Youth Hunt, hunters age 15 or younger may hunt ducks, geese, coots and mergansers as long as they are accompanied by an adult at least 18 years of age. The accompanying adult cannot hunt these species, but may participate in other open seasons.

Youth hunters must have a hunting license. The youth hunter or his or her accompanying adult must have a valid FOID card. The supervising adult does not have to have a hunting license if they are not hunting other species. Youth hunters age 15 or younger are not required to have a state or federal duck stamp.

All waterfowl hunters, including those participating in the Youth Hunt, are required to register with the Harvest Information Program (HIP). In order to register with HIP, hunters will need to have their hunting license number available. Hunters should register for HIP at the license vendor when they buy their hunting license or by calling 1-888-6PERMIT (1-888-673-7648) or online through the IDNR website at www.dnr.illinois.gov.

The lists of state and federal sites to be open during the Youth Waterfowl Hunts in the North, Central, South Central and South zones are below.

2011 North Zone Youth Waterfowl Hunt (Oct. 8 – 9) – State Sites Open

• Chain O’Lakes State Park
• Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area (SFWA)
• Lake DePue SFWA (Due to low water levels, the blinds on DePue might not be accessible)
• Sinnissippi Lake Wildlife Area
• Mississippi River Pools (All located in North Zone)
• William W. Powers State Recreation Area (SRA)
• Donnelley

2011 Central Zone Youth Waterfowl Hunt (Oct. 15 -16) – State and Federal Sites Open

• Anderson Lake SFWA
• Banner Marsh SFWA
• Batchtown
• Braidwood Lake SFWA
• Calhoun Point
• Clinton Lake SRA
• Coffeen Lake SFWA
• Freeman Mine
• Fuller Lake
• Glades-12 Mile Island
• Godar Diamond/Hurricane Island
• Horseshoe Lake State Park (Madison County)
• Horseshoe Lake SP (Chouteau Island Unit)
• Kankakee River State Park
• Marshall SFWA
• Marshall SFWA – Sparland Unit
• Marshall SFWA – Duck Ranch Unit
• Mazonia SFWA
• Meredosia Lake
• Mississippi River Pools (All located in Central Zone)
• Momence Wetlands SNA
• Pekin Lake SFWA
• Piasa Island
• Quincy Bay
• Ray Norbut SFWA
• Reds Landing
• Rip Rap Landing
• Rice Lake SFWA
• Sanganois SFWA
• Sangchris Lake State Park
• Shelbyville SFWA
• Spring Lake SFWA
• Starved Rock State Park
• Stump Lake
• Weinberg-King State Park – Spunky Bottoms Unit
• Woodford SFWA

2011 South Central Zone Youth Waterfowl Hunt (Nov. 5-6) – State and Federal Sites Open

• Campbell Pond
• Carlyle Lake SFWA
• Kaskaskia SFWA
• Kinkaid Lake SFWA
• Mississippi River Pools (All located in South Central Zone)
• Oakwood Bottoms
• Pyramid State Park (Captain, Denmark, Galum and East Conant Units)
• Rend Lake Project Land and Waters
• Ten Mile Creek

2011 South Zone Youth Waterfowl Hunt (Nov. 12-13) – State and Federal Sites Open

• Cache River SNA
• Cape Bend SFWA
• Crab Orchard NWR
• Cypress Pond SNA
• Deer Pond SNA
• Devils Island
• Dog Island
• Horseshoe Lake SFWA (Alexander County)
• Mermet Lake SFWA
• Mississippi River
• Peabody River King
• Saline County
• Sielbeck Forest SNA
• Union County SFWA

For more information on Illinois waterfowl seasons, check the IDNR Digest of Waterfowl Hunting Regulations 2011-12, which is available online through the IDNR website at http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/Documents/DigestWaterfowlHuntingRegulations.pdf

For hunter fact sheets, go to the IDNR website at http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/landmgt/hunter_fact_sheet/index.htm

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