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Corps lake · 2026-27
Hunting Lake Shelbyville
Corps of Engineers lake project in Moultrie County and Shelby County that the source puts at 23,000 acres.
Hunting gear
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Public domain)
Getting to Lake Shelbyville
Parking, trailheads and gates near Lake Shelbyville
- Lake ShelbyvilleBoat ramp · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.2 mi from the centreDirections
- P55 – Eagles CoveParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- P56 – Yamis RoadParking · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- P57 – Mahoney RoadParking · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Lake ShelbyvilleBoat ramp · 3.0 mi from the centreDirections
- High WaterBoat ramp · 3.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.0 mi from the centreDirections
Parking, trailhead and gate locations come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Roads into public land can be gated or seasonal; check with the managing agency before you go.
Hunting rules at Lake Shelbyville
Further facts the agency publishes about Lake Shelbyville:
- Project office address: 1989 State Highway 16, Shelbyville, IL 62565
- Phone: (217) 774-3951 (project office and visitor center)
- Directions: 113 miles east of Saint Louis, MO, 208 miles south of Chicago, IL, 87 miles west of Terre Haute, IN, and 35 miles south of Decatur, IL.
- Lake size: 11,100 acres of water with an average depth of 18 feet, and 23,000 acres of land.
- Facilities: Numerous public boat launches with courtesy docks, several public swimming beaches and 3 marinas; 6 federal campgrounds and 2 state parks.
Do not forget the state-level rules while hunting Lake Shelbyville.
| 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.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Lake Shelbyville
Lake Shelbyville: owner, acreage and counties
The Army Corps of Engineers holds Lake Shelbyville, a Corps of Engineers lake project. The ground is federal, but the seasons that apply are the Illinois seasons. The Corps Lakes Gateway page lists it at 23,000 acres. Hunters cross county lines here, with Moultrie County and Shelby County involved (East Central region). Game questions for Moultrie County go to the Eubanks district and Bryan Eubanks.
Gateway page: "excellent crappie fishing and offers a wide variety of outdoor activities including picnicking, camping, swimming, hiking, fishing, and hunting."
Corps of EngineersManager
23,000Acres
2Counties
East CentralIDNR region
None listedSite permit
How Lake Shelbyville connects to other records
3 units below, each with a page of its own; this page covers the whole.
| Piece | Category | Acres | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shelbyville Federal Lands | Federal land | 6,350 | Moultrie |
| Shelbyville State Fish and Wildlife Area Kaskaskia Unit | Fish and wildlife area | 3,597 | Moultrie |
| Shelbyville State Fish and Wildlife Area Okaw Unit | Fish and wildlife area | 2,625 | Moultrie |
What each county around Lake Shelbyville allows
Permits, CWD rules and turkey zones all follow county lines near Lake Shelbyville. None of the 2 counties listed here is on the confirmed CWD list in this year's data.
| County | Firearm | Left after round 3 | CWD record | Turkey area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moultrie | Open | 76 | None found | North |
| Shelby | Open | 459 | None found | North |
Each county has a page with seasons, lotteries and nearby ground: Moultrie County and Shelby County.
County rules from the Digest, IDNR CWD counties and the leftover permit list (IDNR permit page); checked November 13, 2026.
The Lake Shelbyville neighbourhood in pins
The nearest other public land on this site is Eagle Creek State Park, 1 mile to the southwest. The six closest pins include 4 state parks, 1 state forest and 1 habitat area.
| Place | Type | Acres | County | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagle Creek State Park | State park | 520 | Shelby | 1 mile | southwest |
| Wolf Creek State Park | State park | 500 | Shelby | 2 miles | south |
| Hidden Springs State Forest | State forest | 963 | Shelby | 13 miles | south |
| Fox Ridge State Park | State park | 1,082 | Coles | 31 miles | east |
| Ramsey Lake State Park | State park | 1,610 | Fayette | 33 miles | southwest |
| Larry D Closson SHA | Habitat area | 130 | Douglas | 33 miles | east |
Point: USACE reservoir polygon layer (usace_rez, Lake Shelbyville; polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Calendar for Lake Shelbyville, by Moultrie County rules
Illinois sells deer permits county by county, so Moultrie County has its own lottery and leftover permit counts, and this table lists every dated season that reaches it.
| Game | Season name | Permit kind | Zone or counties | From | To | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Deer permit | Firearm counties | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth Firearm | Deer permit | Youth counties | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearm – first season | Deer permit | Firearm counties | Nov 20, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearm – second season | Deer permit | Firearm counties | Dec 3, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Muzzleloader | Deer permit | Firearm counties | Dec 11, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall archery | Archery turkey permit | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall shotgun | Turkey permit | Map counties | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth | Turkey permit | Statewide | Mar 27, 2027 | Apr 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey 1 | Turkey permit | North Zone | Apr 12, 2027 | Apr 16, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey 2 | Turkey permit | North Zone | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 22, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey 3 | Turkey permit | North Zone | Apr 23, 2027 | Apr 28, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey 4 | Turkey permit | North Zone | Apr 29, 2027 | May 5, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey 5 | Turkey permit | North Zone | May 6, 2027 | May 13, 2027 | |
| Ring-necked pheasant | Upland bird | License | North Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 8, 2027 | |
| Ring-necked pheasant | Upland bird | License | South Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Upland bird | License | North Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 8, 2027 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Upland bird | License | South Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Hungarian partridge | Upland bird | License | North Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 8, 2027 | |
| Hungarian partridge | Upland bird | License | South Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Eastern cottontail and swamp rabbit | Rabbit | License | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Gray and fox squirrel | Squirrel | License | Statewide | Aug 1, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Teal | Early teal | Waterfowl stamps | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | |
| Ducks, mergansers and coots | Regular duck season | Waterfowl stamps | North Zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Dec 27, 2026 | |
| Ducks, mergansers and coots | Regular duck season | Waterfowl stamps | Central Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Ducks, mergansers and coots | Regular duck season | Waterfowl stamps | South Zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Jan 24, 2027 | |
| Ducks, mergansers and coots | Scaup | Waterfowl stamps | North Zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Dec 27, 2026 | |
| Ducks, mergansers and coots | Scaup | Waterfowl stamps | Central Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Ducks, mergansers and coots | Scaup | Waterfowl stamps | South Zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Jan 24, 2027 | |
| Youth waterfowl days | Youth waterfowl | Waterfowl stamps | North Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Youth waterfowl days | Youth waterfowl | Waterfowl stamps | Central Zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Youth waterfowl days | Youth waterfowl | Waterfowl stamps | South Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 30, 2027 | |
| Canada goose | Early season | Waterfowl stamps | North and Central Zones | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Early season | Waterfowl stamps | South Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | Waterfowl stamps | North Zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Jan 26, 2027 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | Waterfowl stamps | Central Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | Waterfowl stamps | South Zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Light geese (snow and Ross's) | Regular season | HIP and license | North Zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Jan 26, 2027 | |
| Light geese (snow and Ross's) | Regular season | HIP and license | Central Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Light geese (snow and Ross's) | Regular season | HIP and license | South Zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Light geese (snow and Ross's) | Conservation Order | HIP and license | North Zone | Jan 27, 2027 | Apr 30, 2027 | |
| Light geese (snow and Ross's) | Conservation Order | HIP and license | Central and South Zones | Feb 1, 2027 | Apr 30, 2027 | |
| White-fronted goose | Regular season | Waterfowl stamps | Central Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| White-fronted goose | Regular season | Waterfowl stamps | North Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Jan 26, 2027 | |
| White-fronted goose | Regular season | Waterfowl stamps | South Zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Brant | Regular season | HIP and license | All zones | Oct 24, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Rails (sora and Virginia) | Rails | HIP and license | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 | |
| Wilson's snipe | Snipe | HIP and license | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | |
| Mourning and white-winged dove | Dove | HIP and license | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Jan 9, 2027 | |
| American woodcock | Woodcock | HIP and license | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 30, 2026 | |
| American crow | Crow | License | Statewide | Oct 28, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | License | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | License | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Hunting | License | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | License | Statewide (except closed zone) | Nov 10, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Woodchuck (groundhog) | Hunting | License | Statewide | Jun 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 |
From the 2026-27 Illinois Hunting and Trapping Digest (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), checked November 13, 2026.
Places to avoid near Lake Shelbyville
The closed list for the Lake Shelbyville area has 2 entries, shown below.
| Place | Kind | Away | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Margaret Guzy Pothole Wetlands | Natural area | 7 miles | Shelby |
| Spitler Woods | State park | 21 miles | Macon |
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.
Restocking near Lake Shelbyville
Findlay, 3 miles off, is the closest town on this site. Shelbyville (4,540 people in 2024) is the larger service town in the list. Lake Shelbyville appears on the town pages of Bethany, Findlay, Shelbyville and Sullivan. For IDNR business, Ballard Nature Center (Altamont) is nearest at 30 miles.
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Findlay | Shelby | 649 | 3 miles | west |
| Windsor (Shelby) | Shelby | 1,037 | 7 miles | southeast |
| Sullivan | Moultrie | 4,298 | 8 miles | northeast |
| Shelbyville | Shelby | 4,540 | 9 miles | southwest |
| Bethany | Moultrie | 1,198 | 10 miles | north |
Ballard Nature Center IDNR site
Marshall's Taxidermy taxidermy
Yotes Archery Den sporting goods
Craig's Sporting Goods & Family Fun Center sporting goods
Marrow Bone Creek Whitetails, LLC guide or outfitter
T & L Locker Service meat processing
Towns from places.json (Census 2024 estimates); IDNR sites from the CWD sampling list and the IDNR contact page; businesses from services.json listings; straight-line miles. Checked November 13, 2026.
Packing for a Lake Shelbyville trip
No listing appears until you choose one.
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Scent-control spray
Illinois hunters pack the scent-control spray for this kind of trip.
Shooting-light schedule for Lake Shelbyville
Teal run from sunrise to sunset in September; every other waterfowl day starts a half hour before sunrise.
| Date | Opener | Rise | Set | Deer hours | Waterfowl hours | Turkey hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Bow season opens | 6:49 a.m. | 6:39 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 7:09 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 6:39 p.m. | Not in season |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Youth deer weekend | 6:58 a.m. | 6:25 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 6:55 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 6:25 p.m. | Not in season |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Pheasant and quail | 6:29 a.m. | 4:48 p.m. | 5:59 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. | 5:59 a.m. to 4:48 p.m. | Not in season |
| Nov 20, 2026 | Shotgun deer opens | 6:44 a.m. | 4:37 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 4:37 p.m. | Not in season |
| Dec 11, 2026 | Muzzleloader weekend | 7:05 a.m. | 4:31 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 5:01 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 4:31 p.m. | Not in season |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Year's shortest day | 7:11 a.m. | 4:34 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. to 4:34 p.m. | Not in season |
| Apr 12, 2027 | Spring turkey opens | 6:23 a.m. | 7:28 p.m. | 5:53 a.m. to 7:58 p.m. | 5:53 a.m. to 7:28 p.m. | 5:53 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. |
Hours rules from the 2026-27 Illinois Hunting and Trapping Digest (Illinois Department of Natural Resources); sunrise and sunset worked out for this location with the NOAA solar formula on Central Time; checked November 13, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Ranges and clubs nearest Lake Shelbyville (Corps of Engineers)
The listed range closest to Lake Shelbyville (Corps of Engineers) is Windsor Rod and Gun Club, about 5 miles in a straight line.
The Shelby Shooters
gun club
From the IDNR archery and hand-trap page, the Sparta complex pages, club sites and directory listings, checked November 13, 2026.
The spillway gates of the Lake Shelbyville dam on a sunny dayPhoto: Dan (CC BY 2.0)
Aerial view of the Shelbyville Dam and the lake behind itPhoto: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Public domain)
Lake Shelbyville: questions and answers
How do I get a permit for Lake Shelbyville?
Nothing in the source pages points to a site lottery for Lake Shelbyville. Standard state licensing and county permit rules still apply.
What game is hunted on Lake Shelbyville?
The source lists no species for Lake Shelbyville; Illinois seasons and limits apply to anything you hunt.
What hunting seasons does Lake Shelbyville offer?
No site-level season table exists for Lake Shelbyville; use the statewide dates. Season calendar.
How large is Lake Shelbyville, and which counties does it cover?
Lake Shelbyville lies in Moultrie County and Shelby County and holds 23,000 acres. IDNR region: East Central.
Where do I get official information on Lake Shelbyville?
The Army Corps of Engineers handles it. The record lists no phone or address. Official page.
How many hunters visit Lake Shelbyville, and how many animals are taken?
No hunter trip or harvest row for Lake Shelbyville appears in the 2025-26 report. County totals: Moultrie County.
What town should I use as a base for Lake Shelbyville?
Findlay lies 3 miles from it. Next: Windsor (Shelby) (7 miles) and Sullivan (8 miles). Findlay hunting page.
What do I wear for firearm deer at Lake Shelbyville?
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. Turkey hunters are not required to wear it. Source.
Is CWD a concern at Lake Shelbyville?
For Moultrie County: open to firearm deer; no confirmed chronic wasting disease finding is on the list. Leftover either-sex firearm permits after round 3: 76. Moultrie County page.
What does the Digest say about Sunday hunting at Lake Shelbyville?
The Digest and IDNR pages are silent on Sundays; ask the site office. IDNR page.
What closed places are around Lake Shelbyville?
Within 25 miles, 2 sites are closed to hunting; Margaret Guzy Pothole Wetlands is one. Never treat them as open.
When can I begin shooting at Lake Shelbyville?
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.
Closing checks for hunting Lake Shelbyville
Plan with this page, then reread the source page for Lake Shelbyville in the week before you go.
Sources: source 1 · source 2; statewide seasons from the 2026-27 Illinois Hunting and Trapping Digest. Checked November 13, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Dan (CC BY 2.0).