Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife Area: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 1,729 acres of Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife Area open to hunting in Pike County, next to Valley City. Deer archery: open at the site. Deer firearm: special hunt permit from Springfield. Hunters took 4,724 deer in Pike 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 huntingFederal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakesOther IDNR and state landLand trusts and other open landRay Norbut State Fish and Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,729 acres in 7 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Pike County |
| Deer harvest unit | Pike County |
| IDNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Squirrel, Rabbit, Dove, Quail, Woodcock and Waterfowl |
| Deer, archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Deer, firearm (IDNR) | special hunt permit from Springfield |
| Deer, muzzleloader (IDNR) | county permit |
| Turkey, spring (IDNR) | special hunt permit from Springfield and 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 | 4 |
| Nearest towns | Valley City (next to it), Florence (2 mi) and Rockport (2 mi) |
What is Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife Area like?
IDNR's records divide the site into 5 hunting areas: East Hannibal Unit, Dutch Creek Unit, Blue Creek, Big Blue Island, Main Park.
From IDNR's land records.
What can you hunt on Ray Norbut 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, woodcock and waterfowl (walk-in) for Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Ray Norbut 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; county permit for deer muzzleloader and turkey fall firearm; special hunt permit from Springfield and county permit, depending on the hunting area for turkey spring.
IDNR's notes: AKA East Hannibal Unit. Island in the river.
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 Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife Area lies in Pike County. Hunters took 4,724 deer in Pike County in 2025-26, against 4,555 in 2024-25.
| County | Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pike County | 1,728 | 4,724 | 4,555 | 4,306 |
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 Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Valley City (next to it), Florence (2 miles), Rockport (2 miles) and Detroit (3 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 36, I-72, IL 106, IL 100 and IL 110.
What other public land is near Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife Area?
IDNR hunting sites within 10 miles:
- Mississippi River Pool #22: 4,099 acres, 0.6 miles away
- Mississippi River Pool #24: 3,078 acres, 2.9 miles away
- Fall Creek Scenic Overlook State Natural Area: 218 acres, 4.5 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife Area
Counting Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife Area itself, 3,534 of the 81,639 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (4.3%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 2,622 |
| Federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes | 766 |
| Other IDNR and state land | 146 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife Area?
In Pike County, next to Valley City.
Can you deer hunt on Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife Area?
By IDNR's records: archery, open at the site; firearm, special hunt permit from Springfield; muzzleloader, county permit.
How much public land is around Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife Area?
3,534 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Ray Norbut 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 Mississippi River Pool #22 (0.6 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.