Hurricane Creek State Habitat Area: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 374 acres of Hurricane Creek State Habitat Area open to hunting in Coles County, 6 miles from Westfield. 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 landHurricane Creek State Habitat AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 374 acres in 5 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Coles County |
| Deer harvest unit | Coles County |
| IDNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Squirrel, Rabbit, Quail and Pheasant |
| Deer, archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Deer, firearm (IDNR) | special hunt permit from Springfield |
| Turkey, spring (IDNR) | special hunt permit from Springfield |
| Site type (IDNR) | state habitat area |
| IDNR region | 3 |
| Nearest towns | Westfield (6 mi), Charleston (7 mi) and Casey (8 mi) |
What can you hunt on Hurricane Creek State Habitat Area?
IDNR's records list deer (archery and firearm), turkey (spring), squirrel, rabbit, quail and pheasant for Hurricane Creek State Habitat Area.
What are the rules on Hurricane Creek State Habitat Area?
How each season is hunted here, by IDNR's land records: open at the site for deer archery; special hunt permit from Springfield for deer firearm 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 Hurricane Creek State Habitat Area?
Hurricane Creek State Habitat Area lies in Coles County. Hunters took 1,671 deer in Coles County in 2025-26, against 1,692 in 2024-25.
| County | Hurricane Creek State Habitat Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coles County | 374 | 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 Hurricane Creek State Habitat Area?
Nearest towns: Westfield (6 miles), Charleston (7 miles), Casey (8 miles) and Janesville (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IL 130 and IL 49.
What other public land is near Hurricane Creek State Habitat Area?
IDNR hunting sites within 10 miles:
- Fox Ridge State Park: 1,669 acres, 1.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Hurricane Creek State Habitat Area
Counting Hurricane Creek State Habitat Area itself, 1,188 of the 26,257 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (4.5%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 1,128 |
| Other IDNR and state land | 39 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 21 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Hurricane Creek State Habitat Area?
In Coles County, 6 miles from Westfield.
Can you deer hunt on Hurricane Creek State Habitat Area?
By IDNR's records: archery, open at the site; firearm, special hunt permit from Springfield.
How much public land is around Hurricane Creek State Habitat Area?
1,188 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Hurricane Creek State Habitat Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records. The closest other IDNR hunting site is Fox Ridge State Park (1.7 miles).
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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.