Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 1,908 acres of Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area open to hunting in Fulton and Schuyler counties, 2 miles from Bath. Deer archery: open at the site. Hunters took 4,267 deer in Fulton County in 2025-26.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: IDNR's IDNR hunting site data, read 2026-10. Harvest: IDNR county summaries, 2021-22 to 2025-26.
IDNR sites open to huntingOther IDNR and state landLand trusts and other open landAnderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,908 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Fulton County and Schuyler County |
| Deer harvest unit | Fulton County, Schuyler County |
| IDNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Squirrel, Rabbit, Dove, Quail, Pheasant, Woodcock and Waterfowl |
| Deer, archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Turkey, spring (IDNR) | county permit |
| Turkey, fall archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Site type (IDNR) | state fish and wildlife area |
| IDNR region | 1 |
| Nearest towns | Bath (2 mi), Havana (8 mi) and Astoria (8 mi) |
What is Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area like?
IDNR's records divide the site into 6 hunting areas: Lake Perimeter, West Point Walk-In Unit, Dove Field, Sliver Island, Walk-In Unit, Carlson Lake.
From IDNR's land records.
What can you hunt on Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
IDNR's records list deer (archery), turkey (spring and fall archery), squirrel, rabbit, dove, quail, pheasant, woodcock, waterfowl (walk-in) and waterfowl (blinds) for Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
How each season is hunted here, by IDNR's land records: open at the site for deer archery and turkey fall archery; county permit for turkey spring.
IDNR's notes: Wetland Mitigation pond. Wetland Mitigation Pond.
Part of the site is marked as a wildlife refuge in IDNR's records.
Site-specific rules are in IDNR's Hunting Digest and the site's hunter fact sheet; IDNR's public hunting areas list has the site's permit details.
How many deer are taken around Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area lies in 2 counties. Hunters took 4,267 deer in Fulton County in 2025-26, against 4,255 in 2024-25.
| County | Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fulton County | 1,778 | 4,267 | 4,255 | 3,924 |
| Schuyler County | 131 | 2,784 | 2,833 | 2,609 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting site alone: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons).
How do you get to Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Bath (2 miles), Havana (8 miles), Astoria (8 miles) and Browning (9 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IL 100 and IL 78.
What other public land is near Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
IDNR hunting sites within 10 miles:
- Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area: 10,701 acres, 3.8 miles away
- Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area: 16,256 acres, 9.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
Counting Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area itself, 2,560 of the 38,484 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (6.7%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 1,908 |
| Other IDNR and state land | 563 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 89 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
In Fulton and Schuyler counties, 2 miles from Bath.
Can you deer hunt on Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
By IDNR's records: archery, open at the site.
How much public land is around Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
2,560 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records. The closest other IDNR hunting site is Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area (3.8 miles).
Get a Illinois hunt plan when they open
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Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Illinois included.
Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: IDNR land records: sites and hunting areas (OMLP, Prairie Research Institute).
- Boundary and acres: IDNR's map layer above. Surrounding public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and IDNR's hunting area records.
- Deer harvest: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons).
FilledTag is not part of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Check IDNR's rules and posted signs before you go.