Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 788 acres of Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area open to hunting in Tazewell County, next to North Pekin. Deer archery: open at the site. Hunters took 1,548 deer in Tazewell 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 landPekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 788 acres in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Tazewell County |
| Deer harvest unit | Tazewell County |
| IDNR lists for hunting | Deer and Waterfowl |
| Deer, archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Site type (IDNR) | state fish and wildlife area |
| IDNR region | 1 |
| Nearest towns | North Pekin (next to it), Marquette Heights (next to it) and Creve Coeur (next to it) |
What is Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area like?
IDNR's records divide the site into 2 hunting areas: Archery Deer Hunting, Slim Lake.
From IDNR's land records.
What can you hunt on Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
IDNR's records list deer (archery), waterfowl (walk-in) and waterfowl (blinds) for Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
How each season is hunted here, by IDNR's land records: open at the site for deer archery.
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 Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area lies in Tazewell County. Hunters took 1,548 deer in Tazewell County in 2025-26, against 1,598 in 2024-25.
| County | Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tazewell County | 788 | 1,548 | 1,598 | 1,398 |
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 Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: North Pekin (next to it), Marquette Heights (next to it), Creve Coeur (next to it) and Pekin (2 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-474, IL 29, US 24, IL 9 and I-74.
What other public land is near Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
IDNR hunting sites within 10 miles:
- Powerton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: 850 acres, 3 miles away
- Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area: 3,259 acres, 8.1 miles away
- Spring Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: 1,455 acres, 8.9 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
Counting Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area itself, 3,827 of the 33,672 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (11.4%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 2,272 |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 788 |
| Other IDNR and state land | 740 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 27 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
In Tazewell County, next to North Pekin.
Can you deer hunt on Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
By IDNR's records: archery, open at the site.
How much public land is around Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
3,827 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Pekin 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 Powerton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area (3 miles).
Get a Illinois hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Illinois are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
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.