Hennepin Canal: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 344 acres of Hennepin Canal open to hunting in Bureau County, 2 miles from Sheffield. Deer archery: open at the site. Hunters took 1,848 deer in Bureau 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 landHennepin CanalCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 344 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Bureau County |
| Deer harvest unit | Bureau County |
| IDNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey and Dove |
| Deer, archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Turkey, fall archery (IDNR) | site permit from the site office |
| Nearest towns | Sheffield (2 mi), Buda (3 mi) and Manlius (5 mi) |
What is Hennepin Canal like?
IDNR's records divide the site into 5 hunting areas: Zone B, Zone A, Zone E, Zone C, Zone D.
From IDNR's land records.
What can you hunt on Hennepin Canal?
IDNR's records list deer (archery), turkey (fall archery) and dove for Hennepin Canal.
What are the rules on Hennepin Canal?
How each season is hunted here, by IDNR's land records: open at the site for deer archery; site permit from the site office for turkey fall archery.
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 Hennepin Canal?
Hennepin Canal lies in Bureau County. Hunters took 1,848 deer in Bureau County in 2025-26, against 1,906 in 2024-25.
| County | Hennepin Canal acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bureau County | 344 | 1,848 | 1,906 | 1,915 |
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 Hennepin Canal?
Nearest towns: Sheffield (2 miles), Buda (3 miles), Manlius (5 miles) and Wyanet (5 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-80, US 34, US 6 and IL 40.
What other public land is near Hennepin Canal?
IDNR hunting sites within 10 miles:
- Mautino State Fish and Wildlife Area: 797 acres, 2.7 miles away
- Johnson-Sauk Trail State Recreation Area: 942 acres, 9.6 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Hennepin Canal
Counting Hennepin Canal itself, 903 of the 24,931 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (3.6%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| Other IDNR and state land | 437 |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 420 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 39 |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 7 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Hennepin Canal?
In Bureau County, 2 miles from Sheffield.
Can you deer hunt on Hennepin Canal?
By IDNR's records: archery, open at the site.
How much public land is around Hennepin Canal?
903 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Hennepin Canal included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records. The closest other IDNR hunting site is Mautino State Fish and Wildlife Area (2.7 miles).
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.