The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is responsible for providing outdoor recreation opportunities for the residents of this state and is particularly concerned with providing adequate hunting areas on public lands.

LOCATION: Two (2) miles southwest of Coffeen, Illinois, in Montgomery County.

GENERAL SITE REGULATIONS:

1. Free Site Hunting Permits (windshield cards) are required for species a 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.
2. Waterfowl hunters must sign-in at the North Access informational display prior to hunting and sign-out reporting harvest at the end of each day. Instructions for waterfowl hunters are posted at the North Access sign-in station.
3. Upland game, firearm deer and spring turkey permits are issued from the Springfield Permit Office via the statewide application process. Springfield permit holders still need to obtain a harvest report form from the site office. ** Note: the Springfield issued permits are not Montgomery County permits, but site specific permits issued for Coffeen Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area properties only.
4. Hunting is restricted to that portion of the wildlife area posted as open to hunting (see map).
5. No hunting may be done in restricted areas, developed recreation areas, or within 100 yards of construction sites, or residences.
6. All hunters must possess and display on dash of vehicle a site permit while hunting. No permanent tree stands may be constructed nor may any hunting be done from a permanent stand. Any tree stand must be portable and must be removed at the end of each day. No stands or steps that pierce the bark of the tree are allowed.
7. When hunting or scouting, ALL VEHICLES MUST BE PARKED AT DESIGNATED AREAS (no ATV access).
8. It is unlawful for any person to consume an alcoholic beverage while on site property for the purpose of hunting or trapping. Any person who violates site specific regulations shall be guilty of a Class B Misdemeanor.

SPECIES SPECIFIC REGULATIONS:

Deer (Archery)

1. Statewide Regulations
2. The UPLAND MANAGEMENT AREA is CLOSED during the Youth Deer Firearm Season (October 6 and 7).

Deer (Youth Firearm)

1. Statewide Regulations.
2. Hunting is restricted to the Upland Management Area.
3. Hunter quota of three (3) will be established via a site specific drawing to be held at the park office.

Deer (Firearm)

1. Hunters must apply to Springfield Permit Office for permits.

Squirrel:

1. Statewide opening through September 30. Reopens the day after archery deer season closes, and remains open until the end of the statewide season.
2. Hunting with shotgun only.

Turkey (Spring):

1. Hunters must apply to Springfield Permit Office for permits. Permits are not transferrable.
2. Five (5) hunters per season will be allowed.

Turkey (Spring Youth):

1. Hunters must apply to Springfield Permit Office for permits. Permits are not transferable.
2. Five (5) hunters will be allowed for the Youth Season.

Turkey (Fall Archery):

1. Statewide Regulations
2. The UPLAND MANAGEMENT AREA is CLOSED during the Youth Deer Firearm Season (October 6 and 7).

Coyote:

1. Hunting must be done with shotgun or bow and arrow.
2. Season is open only during statewide fox season.

Waterfowl Regulations - Ducks/Geese/Teal:

1. Hunting must be done from staked sites only.
2. No permanent blinds allowed.
3. Boat access only, 25 hp motor limit.
4. No cutting of vegetation on site.
5. Hunting is north of railroad tracks only (Upper Pool).
6. Shooting hours during teal and early goose seasons shall be from legal opening to 9 a.m. All hunters must be checked out at sign-in box by 10 a.m. Hunting allowed from blinds 7 and 8 only. Fishing is allowed between the railroad tracks and the county road (N. 6th Ave.). No fishing is allowed north of county road (N. 6th Ave.).
7. Shooting hours during regular duck and goose seasons shall be from legal opening to 1 p.m. All hunters must be checked out at sign-in box by 2 p.m. Fishing is allowed between the railroad tracks and the county road (N. 6th Ave.) after 1 p.m.
8. Four (4) hunters allowed per blind.
9. No waterfowl hunting allowed during the firearm deer seasons.

Dove Regulations:

1. Hunting is restricted to the managed field.
2. Registration will be held at the Site Office Check Station for permit and non-permit holders from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. each hunting day.
3. Hunting hours will be from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. for each day hunted September 1 - 30 at this site. Hunting days will include September 1 - 5 (Springfield allocated permits), September 6 - 30 (non-permit hunting).
4. The first five days of season, hunting will be permit only. Permits will be issued from the Springfield Permit Office prior to the season. A stand-by drawing may be held to fill other vacancies.
5. After the first 5 days, a drawing will be held each time more than 14 hunters properly register for the daily hunt.
6. All hunters must be present for registration and drawing.
7. All hunters will be required to check into the Main Office Check Station prior to hunting and check out to report their harvest at the end of the hunt.
8. Harvested doves must be kept in separate bags by each hunter.
9. All hunting will be done from staked locations. When a dove is downed, hunters are required to leave their gun at the stake while retrieving bird(s). Hunters must stay within 10 feet of the assigned stake.
10. No cleaning of doves is permitted on the site.
11. It is the hunter’s responsibility to remove all refuse, including empty shotgun shells, from the hunting area once they have finished hunting.
12. Hunters desiring to change positions must report to the check station before doing so.
13. Non-hunters are not allowed in the field.

Furbearer Trapping Regulations:

1. A valid site permit is required for trapping. Permits are issued via a public drawing at the site office on the last Saturday of October at 11 a.m. Registration begins at 10 a.m. All persons entering the drawing must have a current trapping license in their possession and must be present at time of the drawing.
2. Statewide Regulations.
3. Trappers may have partners, providing their names were on the registration card prior to the permit drawing.
4. Trappers must stay in their assigned trapping areas. All traps must be tagged with the trapper’s name.
5. Trappers must submit a harvest report to the site office within 10 days following the close of the site trapping program. Failure to report harvest shall result in the trapper being ineligible to trap at this site the following season.

Upland Game Regulations:

1. Upland game hunting is allowed on Wednesdays only, by permit only, and restricted to the Upland Management Area.
2. One permit per each Wednesday of the Upland Game hunting season will be issued from the Springfield permit office via the "Free Upland Game Permit" process. Each permit holder is allowed to bring two (2) hunting partners.
3. Statewide regulations will apply with the exception of a limit of four (4) bobwhite quail per hunter.

OTHER SITE FACILITIES: Fishing, picnicking, and camping at a private campground nearby.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Coffeen Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area, 15084 N. 4th Ave., P.O. Box 517, Coffeen, Illinois 62017. Telephone (217) 537-3351. Internet address: http://www.dnr.illinois.gov or email: dnr.coffeenlake@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, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702; (217)785-0067; TTY (217)782-9175.