Fox Ridge State Park: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 1,669 acres of Fox Ridge State Park open to hunting in Coles County, 4 miles from Janesville. Deer archery: open at the site. Deer firearm: special hunt permit from Springfield. Hunters took 1,671 deer in Coles 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 landLand trusts and other open landFox Ridge State ParkCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,669 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Coles County |
| Deer harvest unit | Coles 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 |
| Turkey, spring (IDNR) | special hunt permit from Springfield |
| Turkey, fall archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Site type (IDNR) | state park |
| IDNR region | 3 |
| Nearest towns | Janesville (4 mi), Charleston (4 mi) and Lerna (6 mi) |
What is Fox Ridge State Park like?
IDNR's records divide the site into 6 hunting areas: Dove Fields, Campground, Raccoon Only, Embarras River, North, South.
From IDNR's land records.
What can you hunt on Fox Ridge State Park?
IDNR's records list deer (archery and firearm), turkey (spring and fall archery), squirrel, rabbit, dove, quail, pheasant, woodcock and waterfowl (walk-in) for Fox Ridge State Park.
What are the rules on Fox Ridge 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 and turkey spring.
IDNR's exceptions: No Opossum hunting. Raccoon only.
IDNR's notes: Camping area with cabins.
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 Fox Ridge State Park?
Fox Ridge State Park lies in Coles County. Hunters took 1,671 deer in Coles County in 2025-26, against 1,692 in 2024-25.
| County | Fox Ridge State Park acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coles County | 1,669 | 1,671 | 1,692 | 1,462 |
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 Fox Ridge State Park?
Nearest towns: Janesville (4 miles), Charleston (4 miles), Lerna (6 miles) and Westfield (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IL 130 and IL 16.
What other public land is near Fox Ridge State Park?
IDNR hunting sites within 10 miles:
- Hurricane Creek State Habitat Area: 374 acres, 1.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Fox Ridge State Park
Counting Fox Ridge State Park itself, 2,995 of the 35,254 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (8.5%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 2,031 |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 465 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 422 |
| Other IDNR and state land | 77 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Fox Ridge State Park?
In Coles County, 4 miles from Janesville.
Can you deer hunt on Fox Ridge State Park?
By IDNR's records: archery, open at the site; firearm, special hunt permit from Springfield.
How much public land is around Fox Ridge State Park?
2,995 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Fox Ridge State Park included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records. The closest other IDNR hunting site is Hurricane Creek State Habitat Area (1.7 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.