Kaskaskia River Hunter Fact Sheet 

2011 - 2012 Season

MAP

LOCATION: Both sides of the Kaskaskia River from the Mississippi River to Fayetteville. Site office - 4 miles N of Baldwin (Illinois Hwy 154); 6 miles S of New Athens (Illinois Hwy 13).

DESCRIPTION:

Total acres: 18,000

Water acres: 3,500

General Habitats:

Timbered acres: 10,000

Huntable acres: 14,000

Open acres: 4,000

The area is a complex of channelized river, oxbows, sloughs, backwater lakes, bottomland timber, cultivated fields, native grass patches, brushy areas, and fallow fields. The site also contains Illinois Power Company's 2000-acre "Baldwin Lake" and surrounding area which is managed as a waterfowl refuge and public fishing area. A public waterfowl hunting area, "Doza Creek Waterfowl Management Area" (DCWMA), consists of the lands and waters south of Doza Creek on the east side of the channelized river.

SEASONS, HOURS, LIMITS: Please Note - DCWMA is closed to all public use 7 days prior to duck season, and only archery deer/turkey hunting, waterfowl hunting, and second-season firearm deer hunting (see below) are allowed in the area during duck season.

SPECIES  SEASON  HOURS 

SPECIAL RULES/PERMITS
Deer*

Statewide

Statewide

(See special note above & Duck/Goose/Coot section below)

No bow hunting within 50 yards of the Baldwin Lake Waterfowl Rest Area's main north-south road. Within this defined waterfowl rest area and during the current year archery season, hunters must take an antlerless deer before taking an antlered deer.

Open for the Youth Deer Hunting Season; Special Youth, Firearm, and Late-Winter Deer Season hunts are available on the defined Baldwin Lake Waterfowl Rest Area. Call for details. DCWMA Firearm deer hunting - antlerless deer only - is allowed within DCWMA during the second firearm deer season only from 1p - sunset (no entry until 11a).
Turkey*

Statewide

Statewide

No hunting east of and within 50 yards of the defined Baldwin Lake Waterfowl Rest Area's main north-south road, within 100 yards of any house or building, and south of the Dry Lake access road. Handicapped hunting facility in this closed area is open. Open for Youth Spring Turkey Hunting Season.
Rabbit/Quail

Statewide

Statewide

See Site Regulation # 3 below.
Squirrel

Statewide

Statewide

.22s and airguns OK.

Dove*

Statewide

12n-5p, Sept. 1-5 then Statewide

Drawing, if needed. DCWMA closes October 14.

Teal/Rail/ Snipe/Woodcock

Statewide

Statewide

No permanent blinds. See Site Regulation # 3 below.

Duck/Goose/Coot*

Statewide

Statewide except between Hwys 13 & 154, which closes at 1pm.

(Statewide hours apply for the last 3 days of duck & Canada goose seasons)

No permanent blinds & minimum of 12 decoys between Hwys 13 & 154 except DCWMA 1st come - 1st served rule. DCWMA: For the first 4 days of the duck season, all waterfowl hunting must occur within 10 yards of an assigned, numbered stake. Staked hunting locations shall be allocated on a daily draw basis at the Highway 154 Boat Ramp at 4:00 a.m. Hunters shall register as parties for the drawing; each party drawn shall be allowed to select a staked location in order drawn; only those hunters registered in a party shall be allowed to hunt with their party; no less than 2 hunters and no more than 4 hunters per party; moving from staked location to staked location is not allowed. Staked locations not allocated during the drawing will not be hunted that day. Starting on day 5 and for the remainder of the waterfowl season, hunting is allowed on a first come-first served basis and hunting need not occur by a stake. Waterfowl hunters must maintain a distance of 200 yards betwen hunting parties. Waterfowl hunting closes at 1p. No waterfowl hunters remain in area after 3p except during last 3 days of duck and Canada goose seasons, and during the second firearm deer season when waterfowl hunting closes at 11a, waterfowl hunters out by 1p.

Please note: If 2nd firearm deer season occurs after duck season, goose hunting will be closed during those days.

Raccoon/Opossum

Statewide

Statewide

.22s OK sunset - sunrise.

Skunk/Fox/Coyote

Only during Statewide Fox

Statewide

.22s OK sunset - sunrise.

Trapping

Statewide

Statewide

Water sets only; permit and harvest report required.


* Handicapped hunting facilities available.

SITE REGULATIONS:

  1. All hunters must sign in and check out, reporting their harvest at one of the check stations each day following hunting.
  2. No hunting or trapping is permitted in posted areas, developed recreation areas, and within 100 yards (waterfowl hunting - 200 yards) of construction sites, residences, and developed recreation areas.
  3. Hunters must wear a cap and upper outer garment of solid and vivid blaze orange of at least 400 square inches while hunting rabbit, quail, woodcock, and/or snipe.
  4. Construction or use of any tree stand using nails, screws, or wire or any device which pierces or cuts the bark of the tree on which it is installed is unlawful. Any tree stand (portable and one per hunter) can be left unattended overnight and must be legibly marked with the owner's name, address, and telephone number.

OTHER SITE FACILITIES: Picnic areas and boat ramps.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Mic Middleton, Site Superintendent, 10981 Conservation Road, Baldwin, IL 62217, (618) 785-2555

Site hunting regulations (administrative rules) can be viewed on IDNR's website:http://www.dnr.illinois.gov

Equal opportunity to participate in programs of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and those funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies is available to all individuals regardless of race, sex, national origin, disability, age, religion, or other non-merit factors. If you believe you have been discriminated against, contact the funding source’s civil rights office and/or the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, IDNR, 1 Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702-1271; (217)785-0067; TTY (217)782-9175.