Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 5,197 acres of Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area open to hunting in Jasper County, 4 miles from Newton. Deer archery: open at the site. Deer firearm: special hunt permit from Springfield. Hunters took 2,531 deer in Jasper 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 landNewton Lake State Fish and Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 5,197 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Jasper County |
| Deer harvest unit | Jasper 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 |
| Turkey, spring (IDNR) | site permit from the site office |
| Turkey, fall archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Turkey, fall firearm (IDNR) | site permit from the site office |
| Site type (IDNR) | state fish and wildlife area |
| IDNR region | 5 |
| Nearest towns | Newton (4 mi), Wheeler (6 mi) and Sailor Springs (8 mi) |
What is Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area like?
IDNR's records divide the site into 4 hunting areas: Main Park, West Arm, East Arm, Island.
From IDNR's land records.
What can you hunt on Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
IDNR's records list deer (archery and firearm), turkey (spring, fall archery and fall firearm), squirrel, rabbit, dove, quail, pheasant, woodcock, waterfowl (walk-in) and waterfowl (blinds) for Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Newton 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; special hunt permit from Springfield for deer firearm; site permit from the site office for 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 Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area lies in Jasper County. Hunters took 2,531 deer in Jasper County in 2025-26, against 2,253 in 2024-25.
| County | Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jasper County | 5,197 | 2,531 | 2,253 | 2,125 |
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 Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Newton (4 miles), Wheeler (6 miles), Sailor Springs (8 miles) and Dieterich (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IL 33 and IL 130.
What other public land is near Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
IDNR hunting sites within 10 miles:
- Prairie Ridge-Jasper State Natural Area: 2,696 acres, next to it
- Sam Parr State Park: 962 acres, 6.8 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
Counting Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area itself, 5,978 of the 60,416 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (9.9%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 5,959 |
| Other IDNR and state land | 19 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
In Jasper County, 4 miles from Newton.
Can you deer hunt on Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
By IDNR's records: archery, open at the site; firearm, special hunt permit from Springfield.
How much public land is around Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
5,978 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Newton 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 Prairie Ridge-Jasper State Natural Area (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.