Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 7,354 acres of Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area open to hunting in Fayette and Clinton counties, 3 miles from Keyesport. Deer archery: open at the site. Deer firearm: site permit from the site office and county permit. Hunters took 4,025 deer in Fayette 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 landCarlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 7,354 acres in 15 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Fayette County and Clinton County |
| Deer harvest unit | Fayette County, Clinton County |
| IDNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Squirrel, Rabbit, Dove, Quail, Pheasant, Woodcock and Waterfowl |
| Deer, archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Deer, firearm (IDNR) | site permit from the site office and county permit |
| Deer, muzzleloader (IDNR) | site permit from the site office and county permit |
| Turkey, spring (IDNR) | site permit from the site office and county permit |
| Turkey, fall archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Site type (IDNR) | state fish and wildlife area |
| IDNR region | 4 |
| Nearest towns | Keyesport (3 mi), Vernon (4 mi) and Patoka (4 mi) |
What is Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area like?
IDNR's records divide the site into 48 hunting areas: East Fork Unit, Pump Ditch, Moist Soil Unit C, Hem Lake, Unit B, 2, 1, Caterpillar Field, Unit A, Wade North and more.
From IDNR's land records.
What can you hunt on Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
IDNR's records list deer (archery, firearm and muzzleloader), turkey (spring and fall archery), squirrel, rabbit, dove, quail, pheasant, woodcock and waterfowl (walk-in) for Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Carlyle 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; site permit from the site office and county permit, depending on the hunting area for deer firearm, deer muzzleloader and turkey spring.
IDNR's notes: Moist Soil Unit C (Half Mile Pond). Moist Soil Unit B. Moist Soil Unit A.
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 Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area lies in 2 counties. Hunters took 4,025 deer in Fayette County in 2025-26, against 3,700 in 2024-25.
| County | Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayette County | 6,957 | 4,025 | 3,700 | 3,221 |
| Clinton County | 397 | 1,748 | 1,803 | 1,557 |
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 Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Keyesport (3 miles), Vernon (4 miles), Patoka (4 miles) and Mulberry Grove (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 51.
What other public land is near Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
IDNR hunting sites within 10 miles:
- Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area: 2,086 acres, 6.3 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
Counting Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area itself, 7,431 of the 78,786 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (9.4%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 7,354 |
| Other IDNR and state land | 45 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 32 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
In Fayette and Clinton counties, 3 miles from Keyesport.
Can you deer hunt on Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
By IDNR's records: archery, open at the site; firearm, site permit from the site office and county permit; muzzleloader, site permit from the site office and county permit.
How much public land is around Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
7,431 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Carlyle 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 Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area (6.3 miles).
Get a Illinois hunt plan when they open
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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.