Willow Creek Hunter Fact Sheet

2012 - 2013 Season

MAP

NAME: Willow Creek Habitat Area

LOCATION: 5 miles north of Paris, approximately 1/2 miles west of Illinois Route 1 near Horace, Illinois.

DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA:

TOTAL ACRES: 87 OPEN ACRES: 71 HUNTABLE ACRES: 87 TIMBERED ACRES: 16

This area features switchgrass, prairie areas, and brome/alfalfa nesting cover. Small sections of bottomland and early growth woodland also exist on the area. Brome/alfalfa borders have been planted on many of the area perimeters.

SPECIES SEASON HOURS SPECIAL RULES/PERMITS
Pheasants, Rabbit, Quail Hunting will be permitted on the first and second day of the statewide upland game season and on each subsequent Wednesday and Saturday in November and on each Thursday and Sunday in December, through December 24, except closed during the firearm deer season and open December 27 and 29. Statewide Free Permit Required
Archery Deer October 1 - October 31 Statewide Site Permit

OTHER SPECIAL REGULATIONS:

Upland Game Hunters:

  1. A Free Upland Game Permit Application must be submitted online for a lottery drawing to be held in August. The application is available at www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/uplandgame. Hunters will be required to return their harvest card prior to February 15th each year. Failure to submit the card will result in loss of hunting privileges for the following year.
  2. APPLICANTS MAY SUBMIT ONLY ONE APPLICATION PER SITE.
  3. Only one hunting party, consisting of the permit holder and no more than 3 companions, will be allowed each day.
  4. All hunting must be with a shotgun or bow and arrow only.
  5. Hunters must wear a cap and upper outer garment of solid blaze orange (at least 400 square inches).

Archery Deer Hunters:

  1. All hunters must park in the designated parking lot.
  2. Archery deer hunting will be allowed October 1 - October 31, 2012. Firearm deer hunting is not permitted at this site.
  3. Deer hunters must use portable stands and remove the stands at the end of each days hunt. Screw-in steps, nails, spikes, and other bark-piercing devices are STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
  4. Free Site Hunting Permits (windshield cards) are required for species noted. These are available online at www.dnr.illinois.gov. Navigate to "Hunting/Trapping" and then "public hunting areas" to print these permits. Hunters will be required to return to this website prior to February 15th each year to record harvest information. For Free Upland Game Permit areas, a Free Upland Game Permit Application must be submitted online for a lottery drawing to be held in August. The application is available at www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/uplandgame. Hunters will be required to return their harvest card prior to February 15th each year. Failure to submit data/card will result in loss of hunting privileges for the following year.

NOTE: Habitat restoration is on-going on this area. These activities are designed to improve wildlife habitat.

For further information contact Walnut Point State Park at 217-346-3336. For general information about hunting regulations and applications please click here.

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 or 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; 217/785-0067; TTY 217/782-9175