Sahara Woods State Recreation Area: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 2,420 acres of Sahara Woods State Recreation Area open to hunting in Saline County, 2 miles from Carrier Mills. Deer archery: open at the site. Deer firearm: special hunt permit from Springfield. Hunters took 1,814 deer in Saline 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 landLand trusts and other open landSahara Woods State Recreation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 2,420 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Saline County |
| Deer harvest unit | Saline County |
| IDNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Squirrel, Rabbit, Dove, Quail, Pheasant and Woodcock |
| 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) | special hunt permit from Springfield |
| Turkey, spring (IDNR) | special hunt permit from Springfield |
| Turkey, fall archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Turkey, fall firearm (IDNR) | special hunt permit from Springfield |
| Site type (IDNR) | state recreation area |
| IDNR region | 5 |
| Nearest towns | Carrier Mills (2 mi), Harrisburg (5 mi) and Stonefort (5 mi) |
What can you hunt on Sahara Woods State Recreation 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 and woodcock for Sahara Woods State Recreation Area.
What are the rules on Sahara Woods State Recreation 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, deer late-winter antlerless, 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 Sahara Woods State Recreation Area?
Sahara Woods State Recreation Area lies in Saline County. Hunters took 1,814 deer in Saline County in 2025-26, against 1,785 in 2024-25.
| County | Sahara Woods State Recreation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saline County | 2,420 | 1,814 | 1,785 | 1,723 |
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 Sahara Woods State Recreation Area?
Nearest towns: Carrier Mills (2 miles), Harrisburg (5 miles), Stonefort (5 miles) and Crab Orchard (6 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IL 13 and US 45.
What other public land is near Sahara Woods State Recreation Area?
IDNR hunting sites within 10 miles:
- Wise Ridge Bedrock Trail: 560 acres, 7.4 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Sahara Woods State Recreation Area
Counting Sahara Woods State Recreation Area itself, 7,159 of the 37,359 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (19.2%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| Land trusts and other open land | 2,999 |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 2,420 |
| Other IDNR and state land | 1,740 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Sahara Woods State Recreation Area?
In Saline County, 2 miles from Carrier Mills.
Can you deer hunt on Sahara Woods State Recreation 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, special hunt permit from Springfield.
How much public land is around Sahara Woods State Recreation Area?
7,159 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Sahara Woods State Recreation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records. The closest other IDNR hunting site is Wise Ridge Bedrock Trail (7.4 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.