Kinkaid Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 3,752 acres of Kinkaid Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area open to hunting in Jackson County, 3 miles from Harrison. Deer archery: open at the site. Deer firearm: county permit. Hunters took 3,340 deer in Jackson 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 huntingNational forestOther IDNR and state landForest preserves, county and city landKinkaid Lake State Fish and Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 3,752 acres in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Jackson County |
| Deer harvest unit | Jackson 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) | county permit |
| Deer, muzzleloader (IDNR) | county permit |
| Deer, late-winter antlerless (IDNR) | county permit |
| Turkey, spring (IDNR) | county permit |
| Turkey, fall archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Turkey, fall firearm (IDNR) | county permit |
| Site type (IDNR) | state fish and wildlife area |
| IDNR region | 5 |
| Nearest towns | Harrison (3 mi), Gorham (4 mi) and Murphysboro (4 mi) |
What is Kinkaid Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area like?
IDNR's records divide the site into 4 hunting areas: Kinkaid Creek, Harrouff Tract, East Ponds, Main Park.
From IDNR's land records.
What can you hunt on Kinkaid Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
IDNR's records list deer (archery, firearm, muzzleloader and late-winter antlerless), turkey (spring, fall archery and fall firearm), squirrel, rabbit, dove, quail, pheasant, woodcock and waterfowl (walk-in) for Kinkaid Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Kinkaid Lake 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; county permit for deer firearm, deer muzzleloader, deer late-winter antlerless, turkey spring and turkey fall firearm.
IDNR's notes: No beach or swimming pool. Swimming only allowed from boats and not near marina.
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 Kinkaid Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Kinkaid Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area lies in Jackson County. Hunters took 3,340 deer in Jackson County in 2025-26, against 3,403 in 2024-25.
| County | Kinkaid Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 3,752 | 3,340 | 3,403 | 3,220 |
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 Kinkaid Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Harrison (3 miles), Gorham (4 miles), Murphysboro (4 miles) and Ava (5 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IL 149, IL 13, IL 127, IL 3 and IL 4.
What other public land is near Kinkaid Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
IDNR hunting sites within 10 miles:
- Lake Murphysboro State Park: 937 acres, next to it
- Burning Star No. 5: 4,413 acres, 9.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Kinkaid Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
Counting Kinkaid Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area itself, 13,056 of the 50,251 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (26%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| National forest | 8,342 |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 4,689 |
| Other IDNR and state land | 25 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Kinkaid Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
In Jackson County, 3 miles from Harrison.
Can you deer hunt on Kinkaid Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
By IDNR's records: archery, open at the site; firearm, county permit; muzzleloader, county permit; late-winter antlerless, county permit.
How much public land is around Kinkaid Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
13,056 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Kinkaid Lake 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 Lake Murphysboro State Park (next to it).
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.