Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 3,933 acres of Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area open to hunting in Will County, next to Wilmington. Deer archery: open at the site. Deer firearm: special hunt permit from Springfield. Hunters took 1,063 deer in Will 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 huntingNational forestOther IDNR and state landForest preserves, county and city landLand trusts and other open landDes Plaines State Fish and Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 3,933 acres in 12 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Will County |
| Deer harvest unit | Will County |
| IDNR lists for hunting | Deer, Rabbit, Dove, Quail, Pheasant and Waterfowl |
| Deer, archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Deer, firearm (IDNR) | special hunt permit from Springfield |
| Site type (IDNR) | state fish and wildlife area |
| IDNR region | 2 |
| Nearest towns | Wilmington (next to it), Lorenzo (next to it) and Channahon (2 mi) |
What is Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area like?
IDNR's records divide the site into 14 hunting areas: Blinds 20-27, Des Plaines River, Blinds 2-6, Area A, Area C, Area B, Field F, Blinds 11-19, Area B, Area B, Field G, Area A, Field C and more.
From IDNR's land records.
What can you hunt on Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area?
IDNR's records list deer (archery and firearm), rabbit, dove, quail, pheasant, waterfowl (walk-in), waterfowl (blinds) and controlled pheasant for Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area?
How each season is hunted here, by IDNR's land records: open at the site for deer archery; special hunt permit from Springfield for deer firearm.
IDNR's exceptions: Odd year F. Even year G. Even year F. Even year C. Even year B. Even year A. Odd year C. Odd year B. Odd year A. Odd year G. Even year D. Odd year D. Even year E. Odd year E.
IDNR's notes: East Fork Unit. Handicap Fishing available.
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 Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area lies in Will County. Hunters took 1,063 deer in Will County in 2025-26, against 1,032 in 2024-25.
| County | Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Will County | 3,933 | 1,063 | 1,032 | 1,022 |
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 Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Wilmington (next to it), Lorenzo (next to it), Channahon (2 miles) and Elwood (3 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-55, IL 53, I-80, US 6 and IL 113.
What other public land is near Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area?
IDNR hunting sites within 10 miles:
- Des Plaines Game Propagation Center: 145 acres, next to it
- Illinois and Michigan Canal: 506 acres, next to it
- Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area: 2,982 acres, 2 miles away
- Wilmington Shrub Prairie State Natural Area: 343 acres, 2.9 miles away
- Heidecke Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: 1,299 acres, 3.2 miles away
- Mazonia-Braidwood State Fish and Wildlife Area: 3,077 acres, 6.6 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area
Counting Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area itself, 22,727 of the 71,913 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (31.6%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| National forest | 8,798 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 6,355 |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 5,168 |
| Other IDNR and state land | 1,496 |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 910 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area?
In Will County, next to Wilmington.
Can you deer hunt on Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area?
By IDNR's records: archery, open at the site; firearm, special hunt permit from Springfield.
How much public land is around Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area?
22,727 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Des Plaines 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 Des Plaines Game Propagation Center (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.