Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 3,259 acres of Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area open to hunting in Peoria and Fulton counties, next to Banner. Deer archery: open at the site. Hunters took 2,141 deer in Peoria 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 landForest preserves, county and city landLand trusts and other open landBanner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 3,259 acres in 4 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Peoria County and Fulton County |
| Deer harvest unit | Peoria County, Fulton County |
| IDNR lists for hunting | Deer, Rabbit, Dove, Quail, Pheasant and Waterfowl |
| Deer, archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Site type (IDNR) | state fish and wildlife area |
| IDNR region | 1 |
| Nearest towns | Banner (next to it), Glasford (2 mi) and Kingston Mines (2 mi) |
What is Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area like?
IDNR's records divide the site into 3 hunting areas: Disabled Waterfowl Hunting, Main Park, Dove Field.
From IDNR's land records.
What can you hunt on Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area?
IDNR's records list deer (archery), rabbit, dove, quail, pheasant and waterfowl (blinds) for Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area?
How each season is hunted here, by IDNR's land records: open at the site for deer archery.
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 Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area lies in 2 counties. Hunters took 2,141 deer in Peoria County in 2025-26, against 1,871 in 2024-25.
| County | Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peoria County | 2,189 | 2,141 | 1,871 | 1,960 |
| Fulton County | 1,070 | 4,267 | 4,255 | 3,924 |
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 Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Banner (next to it), Glasford (2 miles), Kingston Mines (2 miles) and Mapleton (4 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IL 9 and US 24.
What other public land is near Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area?
IDNR hunting sites within 10 miles:
- Rice Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: 5,104 acres, next to it
- Spring Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: 1,455 acres, 1.9 miles away
- Sand Ridge State Forest: 7,276 acres, 4.1 miles away
- Powerton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: 850 acres, 4.2 miles away
- Manito State Habitat Area: 79 acres, 5.3 miles away
- Clear Lake SWMA: 417 acres, 5.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area
Counting Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area itself, 10,480 of the 50,154 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (20.9%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 7,371 |
| Other IDNR and state land | 2,574 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 535 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area?
In Peoria and Fulton counties, next to Banner.
Can you deer hunt on Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area?
By IDNR's records: archery, open at the site.
How much public land is around Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area?
10,480 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Banner Marsh 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 Rice Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area (next to it).
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.