Home › Illinois › Public land › Pyramid State Recreation Area Captain Unit
Illinois state recreation area
State recreation area in Perry County with 6,105 acres and 16 seasons on the fact sheet.
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
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.
Pyramid State Recreation Area Captain Unit is a state recreation area run by IDNR. The IDNR fact sheet for it is our source for the seasons and rules below; 72 state parks and recreation areas are described that way. By the Hunt Illinois fact sheet it holds 6,105 acres. It sits within Perry County, part of IDNR’s South region. Perry County falls in the Canania wildlife district, where Eric Canania is the biologist.
Fact-sheet habitat note: The Captain Unit is one of 5 management units that comprise Pyramid State Park. The area is dominated by large grasslands/pastures which are interspersed with crop fields, large lakes and small wetlands. A 1,968 acre seasonal waterfowl refuge has been established which provides land and water habitat for migratory waterfowl and shorebirds. Active habitat management will be occurring throughout the year on the site . Reach the site through 1562 Pyramid Park Rd., Pinckneyville, IL 62274 Phone 618-357-2574.
Nearby
Of 21 possible season lines, Pyramid State Recreation Area Captain Unit offers 16. Grouped, the open seasons are 5 deer, 4 upland and small game, 3 waterfowl, 2 turkey and 2 furbearers. Closed lines include special cwd, fall shotgun, youth, snipe & rail and woodcock.
| Game | Hunt type | Offered |
|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | Open here |
| Deer | Firearm | Open here |
| Deer | Late Winter Antlerless | Open here |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | Open here |
| Deer | Special CWD | Not offered |
| Deer | Youth Firearm | Open here |
| Turkey | Fall Archery | Open here |
| Turkey | Fall Shotgun | Not offered |
| Turkey | Spring | Open here |
| Turkey | Youth | Not offered |
| Waterfowl | Ducks, Coots, & Mergansers | Open here |
| Waterfowl | Goose | Open here |
| Waterfowl | Snipe & Rail | Not offered |
| Waterfowl | Youth Waterfowl | Open here |
| 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 |
Exceptions printed for Pyramid State Recreation Area Captain Unit:
Availability and exceptions from the IDNR Hunt Illinois fact sheet (record source); statewide dates in the Digest; checked November 13, 2026.
Before you hunt Pyramid State Recreation Area Captain Unit, read what the fact sheet adds:
Statewide rules also cover Pyramid State Recreation Area Captain Unit, in brief:
| Digest item | Standard |
|---|---|
| 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.
The source describes the permit route for Pyramid State Recreation Area Captain Unit like this:
Statewide deer permits and the lottery rounds are explained on the permit lottery page; site permits are separate and come from the managers. How the lottery works.
Quota basis from the record source; lottery rounds from the IDNR lottery page; checked November 13, 2026.
For 2025-26, the area report lists 5,785 hunter trips at Pyramid State Recreation Area Captain Unit. By trips it stands 7th among 218 areas with a report. The season's reported take was 577, mostly archery deer (175). Hunters averaged about 10 trips per animal reported. On deer alone, 301 reported puts it 4th among 218 areas.
| Hunt | Animals logged |
|---|---|
| Archery deer | 175 |
| Firearm deer | 126 |
| Spring turkey | 25 |
| Fall turkey (archery) | 0 |
| Fall turkey (shotgun) | 0 |
| Squirrel | 132 |
| Rabbit | 16 |
| Dove | 60 |
| Pheasant | 2 |
| Quail | 41 |
Of the trip total, 48 were dove outings.
IDNR Public Hunting Areas Report 2025-26 (report PDF), row Pyramid; ranks are counted across the 218 areas with a report. Checked November 13, 2026.
See also these linked places: Pyramid State Recreation Area Denmark Unit, Pyramid State Recreation Area East Conant Unit, Pyramid State Recreation Area Galum Unit and Pyramid State Recreation Area- Park Unit.
25 species and 56 season lines apply around Perry County this year, and the last column checks each window against today.
| Species | Window | Permit | Reach | First | Last | Today? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late-Winter Antlerless | Late-winter permit | Late-winter counties | Dec 31, 2026 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| 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 | South Zone | Apr 5, 2027 | Apr 9, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey 2 | Turkey permit | South Zone | Apr 10, 2027 | Apr 15, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey 3 | Turkey permit | South Zone | Apr 16, 2027 | Apr 21, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey 4 | Turkey permit | South Zone | Apr 22, 2027 | Apr 28, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey 5 | Turkey permit | South Zone | Apr 29, 2027 | May 6, 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.
Perry County decides the permit, CWD and turkey zone terms behind Pyramid State Recreation Area Captain Unit. We found Perry County absent from the confirmed CWD counties.
| County | Firearm deer | Leftover permits | CWD | Spring turkey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perry | Open | 299 | None found | South |
Open the county page for harvest history, towns and more land: Perry County.
County rules from the Digest, IDNR CWD counties and the leftover permit list (IDNR permit page); checked November 13, 2026.
Do not hunt these sites near Pyramid State Recreation Area Captain Unit: the data lists them as closed.
| Closed site | Type | Straight line | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piney Creek Ravine | Natural area | 14 miles | Randolph |
| Swayne Hollow | Natural area | 15 miles | Randolph |
| James "Gene" Korando Pond | Natural area | 17 miles | Jackson |
| World Shooting and Recreation Complex | Recreation area | 22 miles | Randolph |
| Marissa Woods | Natural area | 24 miles | St. Clair |
| Orient Bottoms | Fish and wildlife area | 24 miles | Franklin |
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.
Pinckneyville is the nearest town with a page here, 7 miles from Pyramid State Recreation Area Captain Unit in a straight line. Murphysboro is the largest of the five, with 7,044 residents in 2024. Pinckneyville list Pyramid State Recreation Area Captain Unit within ten miles. The shortest trip to an IDNR location is Randolph County, 29 miles, at Kaskaskia River Lock and Dam Parking Area.
| Town | County | Pop. 2024 | Miles off | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinckneyville | Perry | 4,963 | 7 miles | northeast |
| Harrison | Jackson | – | 15 miles | south |
| Murphysboro | Jackson | 7,044 | 17 miles | south |
| Hurst | Williamson | 750 | 19 miles | southeast |
| Chester | Randolph | 6,759 | 23 miles | west |
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.
Pyramid State Recreation Area- Park Unit lies under a mile north, the closest alternative to Pyramid State Recreation Area Captain Unit. By type, the six neighbours count as 4 recreation areas, 1 habitat area and 1 fish and wildlife area.
| Public land | Kind | Acres | County | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pyramid State Recreation Area- Park Unit | Recreation area | 2,754 | Perry | under a mile | north |
| Pyramid State Recreation Area Denmark Unit | Recreation area | 4,385 | Perry | under a mile | north |
| Pyramid State Recreation Area East Conant Unit | Recreation area | 2,824 | Perry | under a mile | north |
| Pyramid State Recreation Area Galum Unit | Recreation area | 2,520 | Perry | under a mile | north |
| Campbell Pond SHA | Habitat area | 520 | Jackson | 13 miles | east |
| Kinkaid Lake SFWA | Fish and wildlife area | 3,700 | Jackson | 15 miles | south |
Point: Hunt Illinois fact sheet "Site coordinates". Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Within 10 straight-line miles of this place stand 2 dates ahead. Of the total, 1 asks for a ticket from the hosting group.
| Starts | Name | Mi | Site | Go | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 6, 2027 | Pyramid Golden Gobblers NWTF Banquet NWTF banquet (as listed) | 7 | 312 N. Gordon St | Tickets | Source |
| Mar 25, 2027 | Region 5 (AFTCA) Amateur All-Age Championship 2027 bird dog field trial (as listed) | At this place | Event page | Source |
The Digest sets deer hours at half an hour before sunrise until half an hour after sunset, so the window around Pyramid State Recreation Area Captain Unit below comes from the NOAA solar formula for this spot.
| When | Event | First sun | Last sun | Deer legal | Duck legal | Turkey legal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Bow season opens | 6:52 a.m. | 6:42 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 7:12 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 6:42 p.m. | Not in season |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Youth deer weekend | 7:00 a.m. | 6:29 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 6:59 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 6:29 p.m. | Not in season |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Pheasant and quail | 6:29 a.m. | 4:54 p.m. | 5:59 a.m. to 5:24 p.m. | 5:59 a.m. to 4:54 p.m. | Not in season |
| Nov 20, 2026 | Shotgun deer opens | 6:43 a.m. | 4:44 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 4:44 p.m. | Not in season |
| Dec 11, 2026 | Muzzleloader weekend | 7:03 a.m. | 4:39 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 4:39 p.m. | Not in season |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Year's shortest day | 7:10 a.m. | 4:41 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 4:41 p.m. | Not in season |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Late-winter days | 7:13 a.m. | 4:47 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 4:47 p.m. | Not in season |
| Apr 5, 2027 | Spring turkey opens | 6:38 a.m. | 7:23 p.m. | 6:08 a.m. to 7:53 p.m. | 6:08 a.m. to 7:23 p.m. | 6:08 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.
Built around prairie, farm and river country.
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Pyramid (IDNR site), 6 miles from Pyramid State Recreation Area Captain Unit, 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.
Wood duck drake on still waterPhoto: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain)
Canada geese flying low over a marshPhoto: Yellowstone National Park (Public domain)
Hunting at Pyramid State Recreation Area Captain Unit runs partly through a permit, lottery or reservation. Turkey – Spring: Statewide regulations apply, except that a site-specific permit, issued through the statewide lottery, is required. Lottery guide.
Hunters can pursue deer, turkey, ducks, geese, dove, rabbit, squirrel, upland birds, furbearers and trapping, according to the listing. Dates and limits follow state rules.
Open lines: 16; not offered: 5. Deer: archery, firearm, late winter antlerless, muzzleloader and youth firearm. Turkey: fall archery and spring. See the table.
Size: 6,105 acres; location: Perry County. IDNR region: South.
IDNR handles it. Phone 618-357-2574. Address: 1562 Pyramid Park Rd., Pinckneyville, IL 62274. Official page.
The report gives 5,785 trips and a harvest of 577. It ranks 7th of 218 areas by trips.
Use Pinckneyville (7 miles) as the base. Next: Harrison (15 miles) and Murphysboro (17 miles). Pinckneyville hunting page.
Gun deer seasons call for a blaze orange or pink hat and at least 400 square inches of orange or pink on the upper body. Check the Digest for other seasons. Source.
Perry County is open to firearm deer, and no confirmed chronic wasting disease finding is on the list. Leftover either-sex firearm permits after round 3: 299. Perry County page.
No Sunday rule appears in the sources, and we will not guess. IDNR page.
No: 6 sites within 25 miles are listed as closed to hunting, such as Piney Creek Ravine. They stay off the open list.
Deer: half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. Spring turkey: to 1 pm Regular ducks and geese: sunrise rules to sunset. Site rules can be tighter. Hours for every county.
Carry your license, habitat stamp and any site permit, and check the managers for closures before you set off for Pyramid State Recreation Area Captain Unit.
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: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0).