Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 5,460 acres of Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area open to hunting in Marshall, Peoria and Putnam counties, next to Sparland. Deer archery: open at the site. Deer firearm: special hunt permit from Springfield. Hunters took 1,167 deer in Marshall 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 wildlife refugesOther IDNR and state landForest preserves, county and city landLand trusts and other open landMarshall State Fish and Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 5,460 acres in 10 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Marshall County, Peoria County and Putnam County |
| Deer harvest unit | Marshall County, Peoria County, Putnam 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 |
| Deer, late-winter antlerless (IDNR) | county permit |
| Turkey, spring (IDNR) | special hunt permit from Springfield |
| Turkey, fall archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Site type (IDNR) | state fish and wildlife area |
| IDNR region | 1 |
| Nearest towns | Sparland (next to it), Lacon (next to it) and Henry (next to it) |
What is Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area like?
IDNR's records divide the site into 7 hunting areas: Duck Ranch Unit, Sparland Unit, Marshall Unit, Marshall Unit Zone 3, Marshall Unit Zone 4, Marshall Unit Zone 2, Marshall Unit Zone 1.
From IDNR's land records.
What can you hunt on Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area?
IDNR's records list deer (archery, firearm, muzzleloader and late-winter antlerless), turkey (spring and fall archery), squirrel, rabbit, dove, quail, pheasant, woodcock, waterfowl (walk-in) and waterfowl (blinds) for Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Marshall 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 and turkey spring; county permit for deer late-winter antlerless.
IDNR's notes: Boat in access only for Archery Deer.
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 Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area lies in 3 counties. Hunters took 1,167 deer in Marshall County in 2025-26, against 1,123 in 2024-25.
| County | Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marshall County | 4,465 | 1,167 | 1,123 | 1,106 |
| Peoria County | 960 | 2,141 | 1,871 | 1,960 |
| Putnam County | 36 | 763 | 739 | 704 |
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 Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Sparland (next to it), Lacon (next to it), Henry (next to it) and Hopewell (next to it). Highways within 5 miles: IL 29, IL 26, IL 17 and IL 18.
What other public land is near Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area?
IDNR hunting sites within 10 miles:
- Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area: 2,078 acres, 1.9 miles away
- George S. Park Memorial Woods State Natural Area: 82 acres, 2.7 miles away
- Whitefield State Habitat Area: 119 acres, 4.8 miles away
- Miller-Anderson Woods State Natural Area: 509 acres, 8.5 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area
Counting Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area itself, 11,831 of the 87,531 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (13.5%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 6,137 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 1,870 |
| Other IDNR and state land | 1,818 |
| National wildlife refuges | 1,805 |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 201 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area?
In Marshall, Peoria and Putnam counties, next to Sparland.
Can you deer hunt on Marshall 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; late-winter antlerless, county permit.
How much public land is around Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area?
11,831 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Marshall 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 Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area (1.9 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.
Illinois hunting Marshall County Peoria County Putnam County