Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 16,256 acres of Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area open to hunting in Cass County, next to Chandlerville. Deer archery: open at the site. Deer firearm: special hunt permit from Springfield. Hunters took 1,475 deer in Cass 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 landJim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 16,256 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Cass County |
| Deer harvest unit | Cass 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 |
| Turkey, fall firearm (IDNR) | special hunt permit from Springfield |
| Site type (IDNR) | state fish and wildlife area |
| IDNR region | 4 |
| Nearest towns | Chandlerville (next to it), Virginia (4 mi) and Ashland (5 mi) |
What is Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area like?
IDNR's records divide the site into 5 hunting areas: Prairie Lake, Controlled Unit, West Open Unit, Quail Management Unit, East Open Unit.
From IDNR's land records.
What can you hunt on Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area?
IDNR's records list deer (archery, firearm and muzzleloader), turkey (spring, fall archery and fall firearm), squirrel, rabbit, dove, quail, pheasant, woodcock and waterfowl (blinds) for Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife 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, turkey spring and turkey fall firearm.
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 Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area lies in Cass County. Hunters took 1,475 deer in Cass County in 2025-26, against 1,530 in 2024-25.
| County | Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cass County | 16,256 | 1,475 | 1,530 | 1,396 |
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 Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Chandlerville (next to it), Virginia (4 miles), Ashland (5 miles) and Tallula (6 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IL 125 and IL 78.
What other public land is near Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area?
IDNR hunting sites within 10 miles:
- Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area: 10,701 acres, 6.5 miles away
- Oakford State Natural Area: 110 acres, 8.7 miles away
- Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: 1,908 acres, 9.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area
Counting Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area itself, 16,662 of the 86,661 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (19.2%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 16,256 |
| Other IDNR and state land | 406 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area?
In Cass County, next to Chandlerville.
Can you deer hunt on Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife 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 Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area?
16,662 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records. The closest other IDNR hunting site is Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area (6.5 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.