Burning Star No. 5: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 4,413 acres of Burning Star No. 5 open to hunting in Jackson County, next to Elkville. Deer archery: open at the site. Deer firearm: special hunt permit from Springfield. Hunters took 3,340 deer in Jackson 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 landBurning Star No. 5County lineLakeHighway
| Size | 4,413 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Jackson County |
| Deer harvest unit | Jackson County |
| IDNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Squirrel, Rabbit, Dove, Quail, Woodcock and Waterfowl |
| Deer, archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Deer, firearm (IDNR) | special hunt permit from Springfield |
| Deer, muzzleloader (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Turkey, spring (IDNR) | special hunt permit from Springfield |
| Nearest towns | Elkville (next to it), Hurst (next to it) and De Soto (2 mi) |
What is Burning Star No. 5 like?
IDNR's records divide the site into 15 hunting areas: 4, 2, 5, 9, 12, 6, 1, 3, 7, 8 and more.
From IDNR's land records.
What can you hunt on Burning Star No. 5?
IDNR's records list deer (archery, firearm and muzzleloader), turkey (spring), squirrel, rabbit, dove, quail, woodcock and waterfowl (walk-in) for Burning Star No. 5.
What are the rules on Burning Star No. 5?
How each season is hunted here, by IDNR's land records: open at the site for deer archery and deer muzzleloader; special hunt permit from Springfield for deer firearm and turkey spring.
IDNR's exceptions: Open to Teal Hunting.
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 Burning Star No. 5?
Burning Star No. 5 lies in Jackson County. Hunters took 3,340 deer in Jackson County in 2025-26, against 3,403 in 2024-25.
| County | Burning Star No. 5 acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 4,413 | 3,340 | 3,403 | 3,220 |
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 Burning Star No. 5?
Nearest towns: Elkville (next to it), Hurst (next to it), De Soto (2 miles) and Bush (2 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IL 149, US 51, IL 14 and IL 184.
What other public land is near Burning Star No. 5?
IDNR hunting sites within 10 miles:
- Campbell Pond State Habitat Area: 521 acres, 2.6 miles away
- Lake Murphysboro State Park: 937 acres, 9.3 miles away
- Kinkaid Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: 3,752 acres, 9.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Burning Star No. 5
Counting Burning Star No. 5 itself, 4,525 of the 49,389 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (9.2%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 4,521 |
| Other IDNR and state land | 4 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Burning Star No. 5?
In Jackson County, next to Elkville.
Can you deer hunt on Burning Star No. 5?
By IDNR's records: archery, open at the site; firearm, special hunt permit from Springfield; muzzleloader, open at the site.
How much public land is around Burning Star No. 5?
4,525 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Burning Star No. 5 included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records. The closest other IDNR hunting site is Campbell Pond State Habitat Area (2.6 miles).
Get a Illinois hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Illinois are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
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.