IDNR Announces Schedule of Waterfowl Blind Site Drawings
Drawings to be held for public hunting area waterfowl blind sites
From the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Press Office
SPRINGFIELD, IL – Waterfowl hunters are encouraged to mark their calendars for upcoming waterfowl hunting blind site random drawings to be held at several public hunting areas in Illinois this summer.
Duck and goose hunters must register in person for waterfowl blind site drawings and must be present at the drawing – held at each location designated below immediately after the registration period – to claim their blind sites. Mail-in registrations are not accepted. Unless otherwise stated, blind allocations for these sites are good for one year. To participate in a drawing, applicants must present a 2015 or 2016 regular Illinois hunting license (no apprentice or youth license) and a 2015 or 2016 Illinois Migratory Waterfowl Stamp at the time they register, unless exempted by law. Applicants must be at least 16 years old by the date of the drawing.
Applicants needing to purchase new licenses and stamps should do so prior to the drawing. Most blind drawing locations will not have license sales available. Licenses and stamps are available at any DNR Direct license and permit vendor, through the IDNR website at www.dnr.illinois.gov, or by calling 1-888-6-PERMIT (1-888-673-7648).
Registrants are no longer required to possess a valid Illinois Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card from the Illinois State Police to participate in blind drawings. Also, in order to be an eligible applicant for the drawing, the participant must not have his or her hunting privileges suspended or revoked by the IDNR or any other jurisdiction at the time of the drawing. Out-of-state residents must have a 2015 or 2016 non-resident hunting license for Illinois and a 2015 or 2016 Illinois Migratory Waterfowl Stamp.
The schedule for 2016 blind drawings is listed below:
SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016 (Blinds allocated for one year)
• Chain O' Lakes State Park and Redwing Slough/Deer Lake State Natural Area, Lake County: registration for both sites 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Oak Point day use area, 1/5 mile east of the Fox River on the south side of Illinois Route 173. Hunters will be allowed to register for only one of the two sites.• Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area, Will County: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the site office, two miles northwest of Wilmington off exit 241 on Interstate 55.
• Kankakee River State Park and Momence Wetlands, Kankakee and Will Counties: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. for both sites at the Kankakee River State Park office, five miles northwest of Bourbonnais on Illinois Route 102. Hunters will be allowed to register for only one of the two sites.
• Mazonia State Fish and Wildlife Area, Grundy County: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the site office just off Illinois Route 53, two miles southeast of Braceville.
• Shabbona Lake State Recreation Area, DeKalb County: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the park office. Directions - go 2½ miles south of Shabbona on Shabbona Road, turn east on Shabbona Grove Road and go ½ mile (office is on left side of the road).
• Sinnissippi Lake, Whiteside County: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Harry Oppold Marina, on Stouffer Road on the east edge of Sterling.
• William Powers State Recreation Area, Cook County: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the boat launch, 126th St. and Ave. 0, Chicago.
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2016 (Blinds allocated for one year)
• Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area, Fulton County: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the area check station, 13½ miles southwest of Havana on Illinois Route 100.• Clear Lake, Mason County: registration 10a.m. - 2 p.m. at Sand Ridge State Forest Headquarters, 25799E CTY RD. 2300N, Forest City. Phone (309) 597-2212. Follow the signs from Manito or Forest City.
• Lake DePue State Fish and Wildlife Area, Bureau County: registration
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Oak Grove Park, ¾ miles west of DePue on Illinois Route 29.
• Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area including the Sparland Unit, Marshall County: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the area check station, five miles south of Lacon on Illinois Route 26.
• Rice Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area, Fulton County: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the area check station, three miles south of Banner on Route 24.
• Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area, Cass and Mason Counties: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. On the east side of the maintenance building, two miles north of Chandlerville on Illinois Route 78 (follow the signs to Sanganois).
• Spring Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area and Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area, Tazewell County: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the south park office area, two miles north of Manito on County Rd. 16 (Manito Rd.) and eight miles west and south on Spring Lake Rd.
• Starved Rock State Park, LaSalle County: registration 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. at the Point Shelter day use area on Illinois Route 71, about four miles east of Illinois Route 178 or 5½ miles west of Illinois Route 23 in South Ottawa.
• Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area, Woodford County: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the area check station, 5½ miles north of Spring Bay on Illinois Route 26.
Mississippi River Unclaimed and Unregistered Blinds
Mississippi River Pools 16, 17, and 18 (second year of two-year allocation). Pool 16 - unregistered blinds and blinds not passing inspection may be claimed on a first-come, first-served basis by calling the district wildlife biologist between 8 a.m. and noon at 815-273-2733, two weeks before the opening day of duck season. Pool 17 and 18 - use the same procedure except phone 309-344-2617.
Additional hunting information and maps on the above sites can be accessed at
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