Section 590.40  Check Station Department Sites Only – Duck, Goose and Coot Hunting

a)         The sites listed in this Section conform to Statewide Regulations (Section 590.10) and General Department Regulations (Section 590.15), except as noted in parentheses and in the remainder of this Section.  Daily hunting hours close at 1:00 p.m. unless otherwise indicated in parentheses below.

1)         Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area – All Management Units (the use of any metal, with the exception of fasteners less than 12 inches in length, carpet, felt paper, plastic snow fence or any mesh material will be prohibited in the construction of waterfowl blinds)

2)         Batchtown State Wildlife Management Area(3:30 p.m. closing) (except the last 3 days of duck season and the last 3 days of regular Canada goose season shall close at sunset; 3 year blind allocation period; all interior lakes and sloughs located on Turner Island will be noted as walk-in or boats without motors only; no permanent blinds are allowed; hunting parties shall not hunt over fewer than 12 decoys or more than 24 decoys in the walk-in area; decoys must be picked up daily; no vehicles are allowed in the walk-in area; walk-in shooting hours end at 12:00 p.m. CST daily)

3)         Calhoun Point State Wildlife Management Area (3:30 p.m. closing) (except the last 3 days of duck season and the last 3 days of regular Canada goose season shall close at sunset; 3 year blind allocation period)

4)         The Glades State Wildlife Management Area (3:30 p.m. closing) (except the last 3 days of duck season and the last 3 days of regular Canada goose season shall close at sunset; 3 year blind allocation period; all interior lakes and sloughs located on 12 Mile Island will be noted as walk-in; only boats without motors are allowed in the management area; no permanent blinds are allowed; hunting parties shall not hunt over fewer than 12 decoys or more than 24 decoys; decoys must be picked up daily; no vehicles are allowed in the walk-in area; walk-in shooting hours end at 12:00 p.m. daily)

5)         Godar-Diamond State Wildlife Management Area (3:30 p.m. closing) (except the last 3 days of duck season and the last 3 days of regular Canada goose season shall close at sunset; 3 year blind allocation period)

6)         Horseshoe Lake State Park – Madison County (3:30 p.m. closing) (except the last 3 days of duck season and the last 3 days of regular Canada goose season shall close at sunset; 3 year blind allocation)

7)         Lake DePue State Fish and Wildlife Area and Lake DePue Walk-in Unit (aka 3I)

8)         Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area (the use of any metal, with the exception of fasteners less than 12 inches in length, carpet and plastic snow fence or mesh will be prohibited in the construction of waterfowl blinds; previous year's blind builders shall have until February 1 to salvage blind materials; hunting hours for early and late goose seasons will end at sunset)

9)         Mazonia State Fish and Wildlife Area (previous years blind builders shall have until February 1 to salvage blind materials; goose hunting prohibited before and after duck season; closed Mondays and Tuesdays)

10)         Rice Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area (the use of any metal, with the exception of fasteners less than 12 inches in length, carpet, felt paper, plastic snow fence or any mesh material will be prohibited in the construction of waterfowl blinds; previous year's blind builders have until May 1 to remove their blinds)

11)         Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area (check station and walk-in areas, hunters are not required to hunt from a blind site during goose seasons held after the duck season)

12)         Spring Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area (the use of any metal, with the exception of fasteners less than 12 inches in length, carpet, felt paper, plastic snow fence or any mesh material will be prohibited in the construction of waterfowl blinds; waterfowl hunters will have the option to either construct a platform blind (4' x 8' with boat hide) or a boat hide blind no less than 7.5' x 18' in dimension and fully enclosed on all four sides, must include four shooting holes or ports and brushed (doors capable of being closed are permitted for boat access); hunters choosing to construct a boat type of blind will not be required to construct a dog hide; blind numbers 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 14 must be removed in their entirety by May 1, but may be removed beginning November 21; blinds 1, 3, 4, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 must be removed in their entirety by the previous year's blind builder no later than 7 days after the next allocation period; hunting from boat blinds is permitted within 10 feet from any numbered stake if the blind has not been constructed, or beginning November 21, at locations where the blind has been dismantled; goose hunting prohibited prior to the regular duck season)

13)         Stump Lake State Wildlife Management Area (3:30 p.m. closing) (except the last 3 days of duck season and the last 3 days of regular Canada goose season shall close at sunset; 3 year blind allocation period)

14)         Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area (the use of any metal, with the exception of fasteners less than 12 inches in length, carpet and plastic snow fence or mesh will be prohibited in the construction of waterfowl blinds; previous year's blind builders shall have until February 1 to salvage blind materials; hunting hours for early and late goose seasons will end at sunset; hunting at the Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area – Forest Wetland Unit will take place every Wednesday and Saturday during the Central Zone duck hunting season; 2 blinds may be available by a drawing held at the site office 60 minutes prior to shooting hours (1½ hours before sunrise); hunters with disabilities classified under 15 ILCS 335/4A as P2a disabilities, as demonstrated by an Illinois Person with a Disability Identification Card, will draw for blinds first; blinds not claimed by hunters with disabilities may be drawn by other hunters).  If no drawing occurs, then modifications will be posted at the site and 17 Ill. Adm. Code 510.10(d)(3) shall apply.

15)        William Powers State Recreation Area (all waterfowl hunting prohibited before youth waterfowl season; closed Mondays and Tuesdays; blinds must be removed in their entirety by May 1; all non-blind builders will be assigned blinds on a first-come, first-served basis)

b)         The following regulations apply to all sites listed in this Section under subsection (a):

1)         All hunters must report to the check station to fill out information cards, show hunting licenses or valid photo identification (example:  Firearm Owner's Identification Card, driver's license, etc.) and receive all required materials before proceeding to blinds.  Beginning the day after duck season ends, when the check station is not operating, unclaimed blinds shall be allocated on a first come-first served basis, as per Section 590.50(b)(1), (2) and (3).  Goose hunters must sign in prior to hunting and sign out and report their harvest at the end of each day's hunt.

2)         Registered blind builders or partners desiring to claim their blinds must report to the check station at least one hour before hunting hour each day and occupy that blind for at least one hour.  Hunters wishing to move to another blind during their daily hunt must report back to the check station for reassignment.

3)         All hunting must be from registered blinds only and hunters must occupy their blinds within one hour after registering at the check station.

4)         All hunters must be checked out within one hour of the close of the legal hunting hours.  To complete the check out process, all hunters must complete the hunter harvest card/sheet and deposit it in the box provided. At Mississippi River Area Pools 25 and 26, hunters must be checked out within one hour after leaving their blinds.

5)         It shall be unlawful to trespass upon the designated duck hunting area during the 7 days prior to the regular duck season as posted at the site.  At Mississippi River Area Pools 25 and 26 and Horseshoe Lake State Park (Madison County) it shall be unlawful to trespass upon the designated duck hunting area between sunset of the Sunday immediately preceding opening day of regular duck season through the day before regular duck season as posted at the site.

6)         It shall be unlawful to trespass upon areas designated as waterfowl rest areas or refuges from 2 weeks prior to the start of regular duck season through the close of regular duck and Canada goose season, except on areas of Mississippi River Area Pools 25 and 26, Batchtown State Wildlife Management Area, Crull Hollow and Godar Refuge State Wildlife Area, which reopen the day after regular duck season closes.

7)         No more than 4 persons shall occupy a blind at one time, except on the statewide Youth Waterfowl Hunting Day, as authorized in Section 590.15(f), 5 persons may occupy a blind at one time only if the party is comprised of 2 youth hunters, their non-hunting parents and one non-hunting guide.

8)         Blind sites shall be allocated for a period of one year unless otherwise noted in parentheses under subsection (a).

9)         During duck season, blinds not claimed by the builder or partners by one hour before hunting time may be assigned by a drawing at this time and during the hours from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., except at Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area and Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area, any blinds left unclaimed after completion of the daily drawing will be assigned on a first come-first served basis up to 30 minutes after the drawing and from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.  Once 4 hunters have occupied a blind, all original occupants of the blind must check out at the check station before any additional hunters may occupy that blind.  Blinds may be reallocated on a first-come, first-served basis or, if multiple parties arrive at the check station at 8:00 a.m., there may be a second drawing, except at Batchtown State Wildlife Management Area, Calhoun Point State Wildlife Management Area, The Glades State Wildlife Management Area, Godar-Diamond State Wildlife Management Area, Horseshoe Lake State Park (Madison County) and Stump Lake State Wildlife Management Area (9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.), after which time the area shall be closed to additional hunters.  If no drawing occurs pursuant to this paragraph, then modifications will be posted at the site and 17 Ill. Adm. Code 510.10(d)(3) shall apply.

10)         Previous year's blind builders shall have until 7 days after the next allocation period drawing to salvage materials from their blinds, except as listed in parentheses under subsection (a).  After this date, all materials become the property of the new blind builder or the Department.  

11)         For those sites listed in this subsection (b) that have 3 year blind allocation periods, re-registration of blind sites during the non-draw years must be accomplished in person during a publicly announced period.  Failure to re‑register during the prescribed period will result in the loss of blind site. Registrants must present current year's Illinois hunting license and State waterfowl stamp for each blind builder.  Blinds not re-registered will be allocated by a drawing.  No waterfowl blind may be removed until after the close of the waterfowl season.

12)         Any person who violates any provision of this Part shall be subject to arrest and/or removal from the premises under applicable statutes, including Section 21-5 of the Criminal Code (Criminal Trespass to State Supported Land).

(Source:  Amended at 48 Ill. Reg. 3899, effective March 1, 2024)