Welcome to AT from northern Illinois. I hunt up in McHenry and Lake Counties, and have never hunted down in southern Illinois. Good luck to you and your group!

 

Live just north of rend lake. Have never hunted the public land, but all public land in southern illinois gets hammered now this time of year. A few small strips by me and there’s 5-6 cars on a weekday. My best advice is try and find somehwere you can get in fairly deep or away from everybody else. Shawnee national forest is also a big chunk of public land.

 

I'd have to agree here. I'm in central Illinois and everything around me is hunted really hard. I took the kids to the archery range at Moraine View State Park this weekend. Two people showed up with a crossbow and one was teaching the other how to use it. The new one took one shot (and was dead accurate at 30 yards) and then said they were going to hunt the afternoon. We drove by 2 parking lots on the way out of the park and each had vehicles in them. I haven't hunted the Shawnee National Forest, but the properties around me are small and overhunted.

 

I'm further north in Illinois, but here is some information I found on Wayne Fitzgerrell park which is huntable, next to Rend Lake.
Info: Hunter Fact Sheets
Map: https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/hunting/FactSheets/Documents/WayneFitzgerrellHunterMap.pdf

Also, if you're going for turkeys or deer gun season, here's a piece of huntable property to the north of the lake.

Hunter Fact Sheets

www2.illinois.gov

 

I live real close to the Crab Orchard NWR, south of Rend Lake. The amount of hunters I see in that area is astounding at times. The shawnee national forest I almost never see any hunters.

 

One of my main questions is Army Corps land huntable to the public? I know i read where some require permits and some dont, but they only mention a handful that do. Therers not a lot of clarity on that subject around Rend.

 

I’m from Southern Illinois and have hunted a lot of public. My suggestion if you are looking for a P&Y deer is to ditch any state land and head to Shawnee National Forest. The state owned properties aren’t that big and get a lot of traffic. You also have to get a parking permit and you are only supposed to park in designated areas, which really cuts down on access opportunities.

If you are willing to work hard and walk a lot you can find some good deer in SNF. There’s not a monster behind every tree, but finding something above 100” is definitely doable.


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I’m from Southern Illinois and have hunted a lot of public. My suggestion if you are looking for a P&Y deer is to ditch any state land and head to Shawnee National Forest. The state owned properties aren’t that big and get a lot of traffic. You also have to get a parking permit and you are only supposed to park in designated areas, which really cuts down on access opportunities.

If you are willing to work hard and walk a lot you can find some good deer in SNF. There’s not a monster behind every tree, but finding something above 100” is definitely doable.


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Thanks man I appreciate it a lot. After looking at the map alone for a good bit it’s almost a given I’ll be in and around Shawnee. Just seems a lot more like what I’m used to as far as ground area to work with. I don’t mind long walks or putting in the work. It’s much preferred. Any other public land that is somewhat devoid of hunters I could possible look out for? I’m not against driving a bit ifit gives me a good opportunity. Thanks again guys!