Big Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 2,655 acres of Big Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area open to hunting in Whiteside County, 2 miles from Erie. Deer archery: open at the site. Hunters took 1,496 deer in Whiteside 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 huntingForest preserves, county and city landBig Bend State Fish and Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 2,655 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Whiteside County |
| Deer harvest unit | Whiteside County |
| IDNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Squirrel, Rabbit, Dove, Quail, Pheasant and Woodcock |
| Deer, archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Turkey, spring (IDNR) | special hunt permit from Springfield |
| Turkey, fall archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Site type (IDNR) | state fish and wildlife area |
| IDNR region | 1 |
| Nearest towns | Erie (2 mi), Prophetstown (3 mi) and Lyndon (6 mi) |
What can you hunt on Big Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area?
IDNR's records list deer (archery), turkey (spring and fall archery), squirrel, rabbit, dove, quail, pheasant and woodcock for Big Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Big Bend 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; special hunt permit from Springfield for turkey spring.
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 Big Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Big Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area lies in Whiteside County. Hunters took 1,496 deer in Whiteside County in 2025-26, against 1,394 in 2024-25.
| County | Big Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whiteside County | 2,655 | 1,496 | 1,394 | 1,293 |
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 Big Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Erie (2 miles), Prophetstown (3 miles), Lyndon (6 miles) and Hillsdale (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IL 5, I-88 and IL 78.
What other public land is near Big Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Public land within 3 miles of Big Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area
Counting Big Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area itself, 2,656 of the 38,127 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (7%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 2,655 |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 1 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Big Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area?
In Whiteside County, 2 miles from Erie.
Can you deer hunt on Big Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area?
By IDNR's records: archery, open at the site.
How much public land is around Big Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area?
2,656 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Big Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
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.