Fort Massac State Park: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 1,265 acres of Fort Massac State Park open to hunting in Massac County, next to Brookport. Deer archery: open at the site. Deer firearm: special hunt permit from Springfield. Hunters took 734 deer in Massac 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 landFort Massac State ParkCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,265 acres in 4 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Massac County |
| Deer harvest unit | Massac 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) | special hunt permit from Springfield |
| Deer, muzzleloader (IDNR) | special hunt permit from Springfield |
| Turkey, spring (IDNR) | special hunt permit from Springfield |
| Turkey, fall archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Turkey, fall firearm (IDNR) | special hunt permit from Springfield |
| Site type (IDNR) | state park |
| IDNR region | 5 |
| Nearest towns | Brookport (next to it), Joppa (8 mi) and Belknap (17 mi) |
What is Fort Massac State Park like?
IDNR's records divide the site into 4 hunting areas: Kerr Farm Unit, NP, Main Unit, Southeast.
From IDNR's land records.
What can you hunt on Fort Massac State Park?
IDNR's records list deer (archery, firearm and muzzleloader), turkey (spring, fall archery and fall firearm), squirrel, rabbit, dove, quail, pheasant, woodcock and waterfowl (walk-in) for Fort Massac State Park.
What are the rules on Fort Massac State Park?
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 deer firearm, deer muzzleloader, turkey spring and turkey fall firearm.
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 Fort Massac State Park?
Fort Massac State Park lies in Massac County. Hunters took 734 deer in Massac County in 2025-26, against 834 in 2024-25.
| County | Fort Massac State Park acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massac County | 1,265 | 734 | 834 | 808 |
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 Fort Massac State Park?
Nearest towns: Brookport (next to it), Joppa (8 miles), Belknap (17 miles) and Karnak (17 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 45, I-24 and IL 145.
What other public land is near Fort Massac State Park?
IDNR hunting sites within 10 miles:
- Sielbeck Forest: 394 acres, 5.2 miles away
- Cretaceous Hills State Natural Area: 265 acres, 8.2 miles away
- Mermet Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: 1,317 acres, 9.3 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Fort Massac State Park
Counting Fort Massac State Park itself, 1,583 of the 36,982 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (4.3%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 1,265 |
| Other IDNR and state land | 209 |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 109 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Fort Massac State Park?
In Massac County, next to Brookport.
Can you deer hunt on Fort Massac State Park?
By IDNR's records: archery, open at the site; firearm, special hunt permit from Springfield; muzzleloader, special hunt permit from Springfield.
How much public land is around Fort Massac State Park?
1,583 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Fort Massac State Park included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records. The closest other IDNR hunting site is Sielbeck Forest (5.2 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.