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4 records · 589,996 acres
Shawnee National Forest and Midewin
Hunting on Shawnee National Forest, its Hidden Springs and Mississippi Bluffs ranger districts and Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, with rules and acres.
Photo: clarkmaxwell (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
The national forest lands at a glance
The national forest category in Illinois is small: Shawnee National Forest in the south, its two ranger districts and Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie south of Chicago. The hub lists 4 records (2 ranger district, 1 national forest and 1 tallgrass prairie) covering 589,996 acres across 11 counties. Season availability: archery deer 1, firearm deer 1, spring turkey 1, out of 1 grids. Expect a permit step on 0 of these 4 records.
All 4 national forest lands
Use the box to find one of the 4 records.
| Place | Kind | Counties | Acres | Seasons open | Trips 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hidden Springs Ranger District | Ranger district | Pope, Hardin + | 169,222 | – | – |
| Midewin Tallgrass Prairie | Tallgrass prairie | Will | 17,000 | 4 of 4 | – |
| Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District | Ranger district | Jackson, Union + | 117,276 | – | – |
| Shawnee National Forest | National forest | Pope, Jackson + | 286,498 | – | – |
Forest records at a glance
Shawnee National Forest covers about 286,500 acres of national forest land in ten southern counties, split between the Hidden Springs and Mississippi Bluffs ranger districts. Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, in Will County south of Chicago, opens about 17,000 acres to hunters from the fall 2026 deer season. A state license and IDNR deer or turkey permit cover the hunting on both, and the Forest Service adds its own rules on distance from buildings, permanent stands and vehicles.
| Record | Kind | Acres | Office phone | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shawnee National Forest | National forest | 286,498 | – | Pope, Jackson, Union + |
| Hidden Springs Ranger District | Ranger district | 169,222 | 618-658-2111 | Pope, Hardin, Johnson + |
| Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District | Ranger district | 117,276 | 618-833-8576 | Jackson, Union, Alexander + |
| Midewin Tallgrass Prairie | Tallgrass prairie | 17,000 | – | Will |
Midewin 2026-27 seasons
Midewin publishes its own dates for 2026-27: archery deer through the same three windows as the rest of Illinois, firearm in two weekends with no archery during them, muzzleloader in two blocks, and five segments of spring turkey in April and May 2027. Hunters no longer register for a zone on each visit, and maps of the open areas are at the Welcome Center.
| Season | Status | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Deer – Archery | Open | October. 1 – November. 20, November. 23 – December. 2, December. 7 – January. 17 |
| Deer – Firearm | Open | November. 20-22 and December. 3-6 (no archery) |
| Deer – Muzzleloader | Open | December. 3-6 and December. 11-13 |
| Turkey – Spring | Open | Archery and shotgun, 5 segments April. 12 – May 13, 2027 |
Forest Service Midewin hunting page; checked November 13, 2026.
The national forest lands, season line by line
Here is the season picture across 1 grids. The spread runs from 1 records for deer – archery to 1 for deer – archery.
| Season line | Offered | Not offered | Share offering |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer – Archery | 1 | 0 | 100 percent |
| Deer – Firearm | 1 | 0 | 100 percent |
| Deer – Muzzleloader | 1 | 0 | 100 percent |
| Turkey – Spring | 1 | 0 | 100 percent |
Counted from the IDNR Hunt Illinois fact sheets in lands.json; checked November 13, 2026.
Where the national forest lands lie
The map shows 4 of 4 records.
The national forest lands by IDNR region
The regional split of these records is below.
| IDNR region | Records | Acres listed | Quota-hunt records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Northeast | 1 | 17,000 | 0 |
| East Central | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| West Central | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| South | 3 | 572,996 | 0 |
Source notes for the national forest lands
A short quote from each record's own source follows; open the card for the rest.
Shawnee National Forest
Oakwood Bottoms Greentree Reservoir and other popular waterfowl areas have special Illinois hunting regulations (see the IDNR Oakwood Bottoms fact sheet).
Hidden Springs Ranger District
Hunting rules are those of the Shawnee National Forest (state seasons and regulations).
Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District
Hunting rules are those of the Shawnee National Forest (state seasons and regulations).
Midewin Tallgrass Prairie
2026-27 deer: archery October 1 – November 20, November 23 – December 2, December 7 – January 17; firearm (no archery) November 20-22 and December 3-6; muzzleloader December 3-6 and December 11-13.
Wording from each record’s source page; checked November 13, 2026.
A sandstone canyon wall in spring woods in the Shawnee National ForestPhoto: Curtis Abert (CC BY 2.0)
A prescribed burn moving through an opening in the Shawnee National ForestPhoto: Forest Service, Eastern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
A small waterfall in winter in Sagawau Canyon in Cook CountyPhoto: Curtis Abert (CC BY 2.0)
Quick answers on the national forest lands
What is in the national forest lands list?
4 records, 589,996 acres, 11 counties.
Which is the largest of the national forest lands?
Shawnee National Forest tops the acreage column. Shawnee National Forest page.
Do these records use lotteries or reservations?
0 of 4 records describe a permit, lottery or reservation. Lottery guide.
Which source marks seasons open or not offered?
Fact-sheet availability flags drive the table, and the Digest sets the statewide dates.
Is there a Sunday rule for these records?
The sources we read state no Sunday rule, so we do not say it is allowed or banned.