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Pere Marquette State Park: What Hunters Need to Know
State park in Jersey County, 5,000 acres, 14 seasons open.
Hunting gear
Photo: HikingMike (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Pere Marquette State Park
Parking, trailheads and gates near Pere Marquette State Park
- Parking areaParking · 0.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Marquette ParkBoat ramp · 0.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Lower Stump LakeBoat ramp · 0.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 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.
Pere Marquette State Park: owner, acreage and counties
Pere Marquette State Park counts as a state park, with IDNR in charge. 72 state parks and recreation areas carry a Hunt Illinois fact sheet, and this is one of them. The Hunt Illinois fact sheet lists it at 5,000 acres. County lines put it in Jersey County; IDNR files it under West Central. District wildlife staff for Jersey County work under the Funk district (Ben Funk).
What the fact sheet says about the land: Rolling terrain with steep hills and deep hollows, covered with mature timber of the oak-hickory type. The entire area is supplied well with water from springs interspersed throughout the area. Agricultural leases maintain open areas to provide habitat diversity. Contact on the fact sheet: 13112 Visitor Center Lane, Grafton, IL 62037 Phone 618-786-3323. Facilities reported: hiking trails.
IDNRManager
5,000Acres
JerseyCounty
West CentralIDNR region
14 of 18Seasons open here
Yes, lotterySite permit
1,060Hunter trips
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Pere Marquette State Park
Rules that apply at Pere Marquette State Park
These are the Pere Marquette State Park rules that go beyond the Digest, as printed on the fact sheet.
- Site requires use of a windshield card while hunting or trapping, which must be displayed on the vehicle dashboard, to report hunting effort and harvest by 15 February.
- Hunting opportunities at Pere Marquette State Park are offered in three separate areas. The EAST "OPEN" area is east of Graham Hollow Road. The WEST "OPEN" area is located along Schallenberg Lane. The "GROUP CAMP" areas surround the camps in the northern portion of the park (see map and additional regulations below).
- No target or trap shooting is allowed.
- Only one tree stand or ground blind is allowed per deer permit holder. Hunters may leave stands unattended September 15 – January 31. Stands must be legibly marked with the hunter's name, address, and telephone number or the site-assigned identification number (customer ID number).
A few Digest rules that matter at Pere Marquette State Park:
| Statewide rule | What it says |
|---|---|
| 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.
Permits, drawings and reservations for Pere Marquette State Park
IDNR attaches permit or drawing conditions to Pere Marquette State Park, quoted here.
- Turkey – Spring: A Site-specific spring turkey permit for "PMSP" (Pere Marquette State Park) is required to hunt in the "GROUP CAMP" area.
County deer permits are sold through the statewide lottery rounds, while a site permit has its own application. Lottery and leftover permits.
Quota basis from the record source; lottery rounds from the IDNR lottery page; checked November 13, 2026.
Pere Marquette State Park: hunts offered by season
14 season lines out of 18 are available on Pere Marquette State Park, per IDNR. Open lines by group: 4 deer, 4 turkey, 4 upland and small game and 2 furbearers. You cannot hunt late winter antlerless, special cwd, waterfowl (all) and woodcock here.
| Species group | Season | On this site |
|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | Open here |
| Deer | Firearm | Open here |
| Deer | Late Winter Antlerless | Not offered |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | Open here |
| Deer | Special CWD | Not offered |
| Deer | Youth Firearm | Open here |
| Turkey | Fall Archery | Open here |
| Turkey | Fall Shotgun | Open here |
| Turkey | Spring | Open here |
| Turkey | Youth Spring | Open here |
| Waterfowl | Waterfowl (all) | Not offered |
| Upland and small game | Dove | Open here |
| Upland and small game | Rabbits | Open here |
| Upland and small game | Squirrels | Open here |
| Upland and small game | Upland Birds | Open here |
| Upland and small game | Woodcock | Not offered |
| Furbearers | Hunting | Open here |
| Furbearers | Trapping | Open here |
Season-by-season exceptions for Pere Marquette State Park:
- Archery: While hunting or scouting, hunters will be allowed to park along the group camp access roads, but no vehicles will be allowed on trails or inside the group camps. Additional parking is available on Route 100 at Crull Hollow and the Dabbs area (near grain bins along highway south of Crull Hollow).
- Firearm: Hunting is allowed in the East Open and West Open areas only. No firearm deer hunting is permitted in the Group Camp Area (designated for archery season only). A Jersey County permit is required.
- Youth Firearm: Hunting is allowed in the East and West "Open" areas only.
- Fall Archery: Archery deer hunters with a valid turkey permit may harvest a turkey during their hunt.
- Fall Shotgun: Hunting is allowed in the East and West "Open" areas only.
- Spring: Statewide regulations and a Jersey County permit apply in the East and West "Open" areas. Additional opportunities are available in the "GROUP CAMP" areas. A Site-specific spring turkey permit for "PMSP" (Pere Marquette State Park) is required to hunt in the "GROUP CAMP" area.
- Youth Spring: Hunting is allowed in the East and West "Open" areas only.
- Dove: Hunting is allowed in the East and West "Open" areas only. A non-toxic shot is required.
- Rabbits: Hunting is allowed in the East and West "Open" areas only.
Availability and exceptions from the IDNR Hunt Illinois fact sheet (record source); statewide dates in the Digest; checked November 13, 2026.
Trips and take reported for Pere Marquette State Park
Hunters made 1,060 trips to Pere Marquette State Park in 2025-26, per the IDNR report. Trip rank: 50th of 218. 152 animals were logged, 105 of them squirrel. Trips per reported animal: about 7. Deer (archery plus firearm) came to 41, which ranks 59th of 218 reported areas.
| Category | Harvest |
|---|---|
| Archery deer | 30 |
| Firearm deer | 11 |
| Spring turkey | 6 |
| Squirrel | 105 |
| Dove | 0 |
The dove share of trips was 6.
IDNR Public Hunting Areas Report 2025-26 (report PDF), row Pere Marquette; ranks are counted across the 218 areas with a report. Checked November 13, 2026.
What sits near Pere Marquette State Park on the land map
Head south roughly under a mile for Two Rivers NWR. Pinned nearby: 3 wildlife management areas, 1 national refuge and 1 federal tract.
| Area | Kind | Acres | County | Miles off | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two Rivers NWR | National refuge | 8,858 | Calhoun | under a mile | south |
| Calhoun Point Federal Lands | Federal land | 2,215 | Calhoun | 3 miles | east |
| Stump Lake WMA | Wildlife mgmt area | 3,580 | Jersey | 3 miles | north |
| Fuller Lake State WMA | Wildlife mgmt area | 1,817 | Calhoun | 5 miles | northwest |
| Glades State WMA | Wildlife mgmt area | 1,814 | Jersey | 5 miles | north |
| Copperhead Hollow SFWA | Fish and wildlife area | 1,351 | Jersey | 7 miles | north |
Point: Hunt Illinois fact sheet "Site coordinates". Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Pere Marquette State Park: deer permits, CWD and turkey zone
Deer and turkey rules for Pere Marquette State Park are the rules of Jersey County, since the county is the unit in Illinois. The CWD list leaves out Jersey County this season.
| County | Deer by gun | Unsold permits | CWD finding | Spring zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jersey | Open | 271 | None found | North |
More on the county: Jersey County.
County rules from the Digest, IDNR CWD counties and the leftover permit list (IDNR permit page); checked November 13, 2026.
Statewide dates as they apply in Jersey County
Spring turkey rows are the 2027 dates IDNR already printed, with the North Zone starting a week after the South.
| Quarry | Weapon and window | Permit needed | Applies to | Start | Stop | 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.
Pere Marquette State Park neighbours that are closed to hunting
Close to Pere Marquette State Park you will pass places that the records mark closed to hunting.
| Not open to hunting | Type | Miles | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| McMasters Woods | Natural area | 15 miles | Greene |
| Stiritz Landing | IDNR site | 16 miles | Madison |
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.
Pere Marquette State Park daylight and shooting hours by date
Upland bird, dove and rabbit hours are not printed in a form we can read from the Digest table, so none are listed for Pere Marquette State Park.
| Day | Why it matters | Sun up | Sun down | Deer window | Regular waterfowl | Gobbler hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Bow season opens | 6:57 a.m. | 6:47 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 7:17 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 6:47 p.m. | Not in season |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Youth deer weekend | 7:05 a.m. | 6:33 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 7:03 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 6:33 p.m. | Not in season |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Pheasant and quail | 6:35 a.m. | 4:57 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 5:27 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 4:57 p.m. | Not in season |
| Nov 20, 2026 | Shotgun deer opens | 6:50 a.m. | 4:46 p.m. | 6:20 a.m. to 5:16 p.m. | 6:20 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. | Not in season |
| Dec 11, 2026 | Muzzleloader weekend | 7:11 a.m. | 4:40 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. | Not in season |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Year's shortest day | 7:17 a.m. | 4:43 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 4:43 p.m. | Not in season |
| Apr 12, 2027 | Spring turkey opens | 6:31 a.m. | 7:35 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 8:05 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 7:35 p.m. | 6:01 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.
Nearest towns and an IDNR site for Pere Marquette State Park
Grafton is the nearest town with a page here, 6 miles from Pere Marquette State Park in a straight line. Jerseyville, 15 miles out, is bigger: 8,350 people (2024). Pere Marquette State Park appears on the town pages of Grafton.
| Town | County | 2024 population | Away | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grafton | Jersey | 772 | 6 miles | east |
| Hardin | Calhoun | 765 | 14 miles | north |
| Jerseyville | Jersey | 8,350 | 15 miles | northeast |
| Kampsville | Calhoun | 292 | 23 miles | north |
| Carrollton | Greene | 2,374 | 23 miles | north |
Deer Plain Club, Inc guide or outfitter
Outrageous Outdoors sporting goods
Twins Rivers Archery sporting goods
Nilo Farms guide or outfitter
Buck Fever Taxidermy taxidermy
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.
Pere Marquette State Park: closest ranges for a zero check
Otter Creek Hunting Club, 7 miles from Pere Marquette State Park, heads the three nearest range cards.
From the IDNR archery and hand-trap page, the Sparta complex pages, club sites and directory listings, checked November 13, 2026.
Gear suited to Pere Marquette State Park country
Chosen to match the game on this page.
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Stump Lake and the Illinois River backwaters from a winter overlook at Pere Marquette State ParkPhoto: HikingMike (CC BY 2.0)
White-tailed deer on a snowy slope near GraftonPhoto: Brad Tutterow (CC BY 2.0)
Pere Marquette State Park hunting questions, answered from the sources
Is there a lottery or reservation for Pere Marquette State Park?
The source describes a permit step for some or all hunting. Turkey – Spring: A Site-specific spring turkey permit for "PMSP" (Pere Marquette State Park) is required to hunt in the "GROUP CAMP" area. Lottery guide.
Which game species does Pere Marquette State Park list?
The record lists deer, turkey, dove, rabbit, squirrel, upland birds, furbearers and trapping. Season dates are set by the statewide Digest.
Is deer season open at Pere Marquette State Park?
14 of the 18 lines are open on the fact sheet. Deer: archery, firearm, muzzleloader and youth firearm. Turkey: fall archery, fall shotgun, spring and youth spring. See the table.
Where does Pere Marquette State Park lie, and how large is it?
It covers 5,000 acres in Jersey County. IDNR region: West Central.
Who do I contact about Pere Marquette State Park?
Details are published by IDNR. Phone 618-786-3323. Address: 13112 Visitor Center Lane, Grafton, IL 62037. Official page.
Are there hunter trip counts for Pere Marquette State Park?
Last season's report: 1,060 trips, 152 animals. It ranks 50th of 218 areas by trips.
Where do hunters stay or eat near Pere Marquette State Park?
The closest town on this site is Grafton, 6 miles away. Next: Hardin (14 miles) and Jerseyville (15 miles). Grafton hunting page.
What are the blaze orange rules for Pere Marquette State Park?
Firearm deer hunters must wear a blaze orange or pink cap plus a garment showing 400 square inches of orange or pink. Ground blinds on IDNR land need orange on top in firearm season. Source.
Which county deer rules apply at Pere Marquette State Park?
The county decides the rules, and Jersey County is open to firearm deer with no confirmed chronic wasting disease finding is on the list. Leftover either-sex firearm permits after round 3: 271. Jersey County page.
What does the Digest say about Sunday hunting at Pere Marquette State Park?
We found no Sunday statement in the Digest or IDNR pages, so check with the managers. IDNR page.
Is all public land near Pere Marquette State Park open to hunters?
The closed list has 2 entries within 25 miles, starting with McMasters Woods. Skip them when you plan.
What time must I stop hunting at Pere Marquette State Park?
For deer, shooting light runs half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset; spring turkey closes at 1 pm; regular waterfowl stop at sunset. Site rules can be tighter. Hours for every county.
Before the truck leaves for Pere Marquette State Park
Seasons, permits and closures for Pere Marquette State Park change during the year; posted signs and the managing agency outrank this page.
Sources: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4; statewide seasons from the 2026-27 Illinois Hunting and Trapping Digest. Checked November 13, 2026.
Other photos on this page: HikingMike (CC BY 2.0).