IDNR announces state and federal sites open for 2022 youth waterfowl hunting seasons

SPRINGFIELD - Numerous Illinois state parks, state fish and wildlife areas, state conservation areas, and state recreation areas will be open to youth waterfowl hunting across the state in 2022, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources announced today.

The sites are dispersed throughout the North, Central, South Central, and South waterfowl hunt zones. All sites are listed below. In addition, federal sites that fall under the IDNR waterfowl administrative rule that will be open for youth hunts also are listed below.

At most sites, regulations that apply during the regular waterfowl hunting season apply during the youth hunt. Hunters should check for changes to site-specific regulations and procedures. During the youth hunt, bag limits are the same as during regular seasons.

Per federal regulations, youth waterfowl hunters 17 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 if allowed at the site.

Youth hunters must have a valid hunting license, youth hunting license, or apprentice hunting license. Youth waterfowl hunters aged 16 and older must have a federal duck stamp. Youth waterfowl hunters are not required to have an Illinois duck stamp.

Additional information about hunting license requirements and regulations can be found in the 2022-2023 Digest of Illinois Hunting and Trapping Regulations online at https://bit.ly/ILhuntingguide.

Special youth hunts taking place through the youth waterfowl hunting permit or other youth-only hunts at IDNR sites are open only to youth hunters ages 10-17. These 2022 special hunts include:

• Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area - Oct. 22, 23

• Black Crown Marsh - Oct. 15, 16

• Clinton Lake State Recreation Area, Salt Creek and Disabled units - Oct. 22

• Larry D. Closson State Habitat Area - Oct. 22

• Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area, Duck Ranch Unit - Oct. 22, 23

• Spring Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area, Spring Lake Bottoms Unit - Nov. 13

• Southern Illinois youth waterfowl hunt, Union County and Horseshoe Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area - Dec. 28

All other youth hunts are open to anyone 17 and younger.

All waterfowl hunters, including those participating in a 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 online at https://exploremoreil.com.

A list of state and federal sites to be open during 2022 youth waterfowl hunts in the North, Central, South Central and South zones are below.

North Zone Youth Waterfowl Hunt, Oct. 15-16

• Chain O'Lakes State Park

• Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Heidecke Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Lake DePue State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Sinnissippi Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Mississippi River Pools (All located in North Zone)

• William W. Powers State Recreation Area

• Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Braidwood Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Clinton Lake State Recreation Area

• Coffeen Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Freeman Mine

• Henderson Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Horseshoe Lake State Park (Madison County)

• Horseshoe Lake State Park (Madison County) (Gabaret, Mosenthein, Chouteau Island Units)

• Kankakee River State Park

• Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area - Sparland Unit

• Mazonia State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Meredosia Lake

• Mississippi River Area (MRA) - All sites managed by MRA

• Mississippi River pools (All located in Central Zone)

• Momence Wetlands State Natural Area

• Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Quincy Bay

• Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Rice Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Sangchris Lake State Park

• Shelbyville State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Spring Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Starved Rock State Park

• Weinberg-King State Park, Spunky Bottoms Unit

• Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Campbell Pond

• Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Kaskaskia State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Kinkaid Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Mississippi River

• Oakwood Bottoms

• Pyramid State Recreation Area (Captain, Denmark, Galum, and East Conant Units)

• Rend Lake Project Land and Waters

• Shawnee National Forest

• Ten Mile Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Bluff Lakes

• Cache River State Natural Area

• Cape Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Chauncey Marsh State Natural Area

• Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge

• Cypress Pond State Natural Area

• Deer Pond State Natural Area

• Devil's Island

• Dog Island

• Fort Massac, Kerr Farm Unit

• Horseshoe Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area (Alexander County)

• LaRue Swamp

• Mermet Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Mississippi River

• Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Saline County State Fish and Wildlife Area

• Sielbeck Forest State Natural Area

• Shawnee National Forest

• Union County State Fish and Wildlife Area

For more information about Illinois waterfowl seasons, check the IDNR 2022-2023 Illinois Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations, available at IDNR offices and online at https://bit.ly/ILhuntingguide.

For information about IDNR's youth waterfowl hunting permit special hunts, visit https://bit.ly/ILwaterfowlpermit. For IDNR site-specific information, explore our hunter fact sheets at https://bit.ly/ILhunterfactsheets. Additional information can be found on the Hunt Illinois website at https://huntillinois.org.