Harry Babe Woodyard State Natural Area: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 1,324 acres of Harry Babe Woodyard State Natural Area open to hunting in Vermilion County, 3 miles from Georgetown. Deer archery: open at the site. Deer firearm: special hunt permit from Springfield. Hunters took 1,938 deer in Vermilion 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 landHarry Babe Woodyard State Natural AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,324 acres in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Vermilion County |
| Deer harvest unit | Vermilion County |
| IDNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Squirrel, Rabbit, Dove, Quail, Pheasant and Woodcock |
| 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 |
| Site type (IDNR) | state natural area |
| IDNR region | 3 |
| Nearest towns | Georgetown (3 mi), Olivet (3 mi) and Westville (4 mi) |
What can you hunt on Harry Babe Woodyard State Natural Area?
IDNR's records list deer (archery, firearm and muzzleloader), turkey (spring and fall archery), squirrel, rabbit, dove, quail, pheasant and woodcock for Harry Babe Woodyard State Natural Area.
What are the rules on Harry Babe Woodyard State Natural Area?
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 and turkey spring.
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 Harry Babe Woodyard State Natural Area?
Harry Babe Woodyard State Natural Area lies in Vermilion County. Hunters took 1,938 deer in Vermilion County in 2025-26, against 1,791 in 2024-25.
| County | Harry Babe Woodyard State Natural Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vermilion County | 1,324 | 1,938 | 1,791 | 1,822 |
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 Harry Babe Woodyard State Natural Area?
Nearest towns: Georgetown (3 miles), Olivet (3 miles), Westville (4 miles) and Belgium (5 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 150 and IL 1.
What other public land is near Harry Babe Woodyard State Natural Area?
Public land within 3 miles of Harry Babe Woodyard State Natural Area
Counting Harry Babe Woodyard State Natural Area itself, 1,624 of the 39,838 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (4.1%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 1,324 |
| Other IDNR and state land | 222 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 69 |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 9 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Harry Babe Woodyard State Natural Area?
In Vermilion County, 3 miles from Georgetown.
Can you deer hunt on Harry Babe Woodyard State Natural Area?
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 Harry Babe Woodyard State Natural Area?
1,624 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Harry Babe Woodyard State Natural Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
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.