Hidden Springs State Forest: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 1,009 acres of Hidden Springs State Forest open to hunting in Shelby County, 2 miles from Strasburg. Deer archery: open at the site. Deer firearm: special hunt permit from Springfield. Hunters took 2,769 deer in Shelby 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 landHidden Springs State ForestCounty lineHighway
| Size | 1,009 acres in 6 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Shelby County |
| Deer harvest unit | Shelby 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 |
| Site type (IDNR) | state forest |
| IDNR region | 3 |
| Nearest towns | Strasburg (2 mi), Stewardson (4 mi) and Windsor (8 mi) |
What is Hidden Springs State Forest like?
IDNR's records divide the site into 2 hunting areas: Richland Creek, South Main.
From IDNR's land records.
What can you hunt on Hidden Springs State Forest?
IDNR's records list deer (archery, firearm and muzzleloader), turkey (spring and fall archery), squirrel, rabbit, dove, quail, pheasant, woodcock and waterfowl (walk-in) for Hidden Springs State Forest.
What are the rules on Hidden Springs State Forest?
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 Hidden Springs State Forest?
Hidden Springs State Forest lies in Shelby County. Hunters took 2,769 deer in Shelby County in 2025-26, against 2,833 in 2024-25.
| County | Hidden Springs State Forest acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby County | 1,009 | 2,769 | 2,833 | 2,607 |
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 Hidden Springs State Forest?
Nearest towns: Strasburg (2 miles), Stewardson (4 miles), Windsor (8 miles) and Shelbyville (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IL 32 and IL 16.
What other public land is near Hidden Springs State Forest?
IDNR hunting sites within 10 miles:
- Wolf Creek State Park: 1,161 acres, 8.4 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Hidden Springs State Forest
Counting Hidden Springs State Forest itself, 1,137 of the 38,993 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (2.9%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 1,009 |
| Other IDNR and state land | 128 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Hidden Springs State Forest?
In Shelby County, 2 miles from Strasburg.
Can you deer hunt on Hidden Springs State Forest?
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 Hidden Springs State Forest?
1,137 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Hidden Springs State Forest included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records. The closest other IDNR hunting site is Wolf Creek State Park (8.4 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.