Northern IL Public Bow Hunting Land
08-24-2011, 01:50 PM
#11
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: LaPorte, IN
Posts: 1,111
Yes, that would be Midewin NTP and Joliet Training area, both down south of Joliet by Elwood. Midewin was good when they opened it back in 2004 but has not been much since. All these places have very low success rates compared to father south where I hunt. Way too much pressure at all of them.
08-24-2011, 08:44 PM
#12
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Notheast IL
Posts: 1,016
If I am not mistakin, the dnr thinned out the deer at Castle Rock a couple years ago. But the numbers are still good. We see deer all the time driving down route 64 heading to our lease. Speaking of our lease, we are looking to add 1 hunter to help keep the cost down, if anyone is interested shoot me a pm. We lease 160 acres in Jodavies...
08-25-2011, 06:25 PM
#13
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: N. Illinois
Posts: 527
Northern IL Public Bow Hunting Land
As a new hunter, I figured it would be best to give deer hunting a shot on public land before attempting to go private. Close, and therefore preferred, sites will be bolded and ones that are farther will be in normal font. Kishwaukee River FWA, Rock Cut SP, and Rockton Bog SNA. Castle Rock SP, Franklin Creek SNA, Lake Le-Aqua-Na SP, Lowden-Miller SF, Lowden Memorial SP, Shabbona Lake SRA, and White Pines SP. Has anyone hunted these locations, and if you have, how were the results and were there any special regulations? Thanks for helping a fellow hunter in need!
09-09-2011, 05:26 AM
#14
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: LaPorte, IN
Posts: 1,111
Midewin and the Shawnee NF are federal land. However, there are many county properties that have hunting programs that do not appear in the IL regulations. All of the above are crowded anyway. I've tried the county ones you'd think fewer would know about and it seems exact opposite!
09-12-2011, 05:57 PM
#15
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: North Central Illinois
Posts: 848
There's no federal land for bow deer in the area you are talking about that I know of, though there is some talk of opening the old Savanna arsenal in the future. I've hunted Shabbona, and it does get crowded, but they do take a good number of deer out of theren (I've never not been able to get on due to the crowds, as long as I was there by early afternoon). I'm pretty sure Rock Cut is disabled hunting only. I think White Pines has some weird restrictions too. I agree with others that Lowden Miller is very accessible, and that can be a plus or a minus depending. I've never hunted Franklin Creek, but have driven through it and heard good things about it. From what's on your list, I'd probably give it a serious look.
