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Access program · IDNR West Central
Illinois Recreational Access Program: Rules, Seasons and Permits
Private-land hunting access program with sites in 18 counties that the source puts at 27,000 acres.
Photo: Denny Armstrong (CC BY 2.0)
Hunting rules at the Illinois Recreational Access Program
On access, the agency writes: Private land leased by IDNR for controlled public access; hunters apply or register online and IRAP connects them to sites (hunters do not contact landowners). Archery deer: online application opens July 1, three periods (October 1-15, October 16-31, December 16-31). Turkey: youth season and seasons 3 and 4 only; "over 20,000 acres of private land across approximately 45 counties". Rabbit and squirrel: online registration/reservation. Deer, turkey, waterfowl and upland game need no IRAP participant registration.
Do not forget the state-level rules while hunting the Illinois Recreational Access Program.
| Rule | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Firearm deer clothing | 400 square inches orange |
| Ground blinds, firearm season | 400 square inches orange |
| Hunter safety card | Born on or after 1980 |
| Habitat stamp | Required to hunt |
| Baiting or feeding deer | Illegal |
| Sunday hunting | Not stated in sources |
Digest rules from the 2026-27 Illinois Hunting and Trapping Digest (Illinois Department of Natural Resources); orange rule at IDNR hunter orange page; baiting at IDNR baiting page; Sunday rule: IDNR Sunday page. Site rules from the record source. Checked November 13, 2026.
Land manager and acreage for the Illinois Recreational Access Program
IDNR holds the Illinois Recreational Access Program, a private-land hunting access program. It is a program, so there is no single gate or parking lot; access comes through the application steps described below. It runs to 27,000 acres according to the IRAP home page. Hunters cross county lines here, with Bond County, Christian County, Clinton County, Fulton County, Greene County and Hardin County and 12 more involved (West Central region).
Counties listed here are only those the IRAP Sites page lists for rabbit and squirrel hunting; deer, turkey, waterfowl and upland sites are shown on county maps that were not extracted, so the county list is incomplete (program total: 52 counties). Site locations are private leased land and are not published as coordinates. The page names these animals: deer, turkey, rabbit, squirrel, waterfowl and upland birds.
How the Illinois Recreational Access Program connects to other records
1 unit below, each with a page of its own; this page covers the whole.
| Piece | Category | Acres | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRAP Lake Springfield Archery Deer Hunting | Program site | – | – |
County lists on the IRAP page cover fishing, rabbit and squirrel; larger-game sites are on maps this page does not reproduce.
| Activity | Counties | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Fishing – Pond | 10 | Christian, Fayette, Macoupin, Marion, Menard, Montgomery +4 |
| Fishing – Riverbank | 8 | Brown, Christian, Fulton, Knox, Menard, Sangamon +2 |
| Rabbit Hunting | 2 | Montgomery, Scott |
| Squirrel Hunting | 18 | Bond, Clinton, Christian, Fulton, Greene, Hardin +12 |
The permit route into the Illinois Recreational Access Program
Quota basis for the Illinois Recreational Access Program, as printed by the managers:
- Archery deer and Lake Springfield archery deer: online application, lottery; rabbit and squirrel: online registration/reservation.
Do not confuse the county deer lottery with site permits: the lottery page covers the county system, and the site terms above cover this ground. Permit lottery guide.
Quota basis from the record source; lottery rounds from the IDNR lottery page; checked November 13, 2026.
The Illinois Recreational Access Program: deer permits, CWD and turkey zones by county
Permits, CWD rules and turkey zones all follow county lines near the Illinois Recreational Access Program. CWD is confirmed in 1 of these 18 counties; sampling and check-station rules may apply.
| County | Firearm | Left after round 3 | CWD record | Turkey area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bond | Open | 526 | None found | South |
| Christian | Open | 321 | None found | North |
| Clinton | Open | 330 | None found | South |
| Fulton | Open | 2,034 | None found | North |
| Greene | Open | 140 | None found | North |
| Hardin | Open | 731 | None found | South |
| Jersey | Open | 271 | None found | North |
| Knox | Open | 1,546 | None found | North |
Each county has a page with seasons, lotteries and nearby ground: Bond County, Christian County, Clinton County, Fulton County, Greene County, Hardin County, Jersey County and Knox County and 10 more.
County rules from the Digest, IDNR CWD counties and the leftover permit list (IDNR permit page); checked November 13, 2026.
Places to avoid near the Illinois Recreational Access Program
The closed list for the Illinois Recreational Access Program area has 6 entries, shown below.
| Place | Kind | Away | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meredosia National Wildlife Refuge | National refuge | – | Morgan |
| Tunnel Hill | State trail | – | Johnson |
| Sangamon Valley | State trail | – | Sangamon |
| Dickson Mounds | IDNR site | – | Fulton |
| Collier Limestone Glade | Natural area | – | Hardin |
| Little Grassy Fish Hatchery | Fish hatchery | – | Williamson |
Closed rows are IDNR sites with no Hunt Illinois fact sheet and no hunting flag on the land-use layer; see the full closed list. Checked November 13, 2026.
White-fronted geese and wigeonPhoto: USFWS/Southeast (Public domain)
Wood duck and wigeon held for bandingPhoto: USFWS/Southeast (Public domain)
The Illinois Recreational Access Program: questions and answers
What permits does hunting the Illinois Recreational Access Program take?
A site-level permit or drawing is part of hunting here. Archery deer and Lake Springfield archery deer: online application, lottery; rabbit and squirrel: online registration/reservation. Lottery guide.
What kinds of hunting happen at the Illinois Recreational Access Program?
Species named on the source page: deer, turkey, rabbit, squirrel, waterfowl and upland birds. Bag limits are in the Digest species tables.
Is deer season open at the Illinois Recreational Access Program?
No site-level season table exists for the Illinois Recreational Access Program; use the statewide dates. Season calendar.
How large is the Illinois Recreational Access Program, and which counties does it cover?
The Illinois Recreational Access Program lies in Bond County, Christian County, Clinton County, Fulton County and Greene County and 13 more and holds 27,000 acres. IDNR region: West Central.
Who do I contact about the Illinois Recreational Access Program?
Details are published by IDNR. The record lists no phone or address. Official page.
How many hunters visit the Illinois Recreational Access Program, and how many animals are taken?
No hunter trip or harvest row for the Illinois Recreational Access Program appears in the 2025-26 report. County totals: Bond County.
Where can I buy supplies near the Illinois Recreational Access Program?
The record has no single point, so no nearest town is calculated. County seat of Bond County: Greenville.
What clothing is required during gun deer season at the Illinois Recreational Access Program?
The statewide rule is a solid orange or pink cap and an upper garment with 400 square inches of solid orange or pink during firearm deer seasons. Ground blinds on IDNR land need orange on top in firearm season. Source.
Is CWD a concern at the Illinois Recreational Access Program?
For Bond County: open to firearm deer; no confirmed chronic wasting disease finding is on the list. Leftover either-sex firearm permits after round 3: 526. Bond County page.
Does the Illinois Recreational Access Program allow Sunday hunting?
The Digest and IDNR pages are silent on Sundays; ask the site office. IDNR page.
When can I begin shooting at the Illinois Recreational Access Program?
Legal hours differ by game: deer half an hour either side of the sun, spring turkey to 1 pm, regular ducks and geese to sunset. Site rules can be tighter. Hours for every county.
One more look before the Illinois Recreational Access Program
Plan with this page, then reread the source page for the Illinois Recreational Access Program in the week before you go.
Sources: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4 · source 5 · source 6; statewide seasons from the 2026-27 Illinois Hunting and Trapping Digest. Checked November 13, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0).