Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 1,184 acres of Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area open to hunting in Wayne County, 2 miles from Johnsonville. Deer archery: open at the site. Hunters took 3,288 deer in Wayne 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 landSam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,184 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Wayne County |
| Deer harvest unit | Wayne County |
| IDNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Squirrel, Rabbit, Dove, Quail, Woodcock and Waterfowl |
| Deer, archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| 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 |
| Site type (IDNR) | state fish and wildlife area |
| IDNR region | 5 |
| Nearest towns | Johnsonville (2 mi), Xenia (6 mi) and Cisne (7 mi) |
What is Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area like?
IDNR's records divide the site into 2 hunting areas: South Pond, Main Park.
From IDNR's land records.
What can you hunt on Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
IDNR's records list deer (archery and late-winter antlerless), turkey (spring and fall archery), squirrel, rabbit, dove, quail, woodcock and waterfowl (walk-in) for Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Sam Dale 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 late-winter antlerless and turkey spring.
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 Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area lies in Wayne County. Hunters took 3,288 deer in Wayne County in 2025-26, against 3,266 in 2024-25.
| County | Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County | 1,184 | 3,288 | 3,266 | 2,859 |
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 Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Johnsonville (2 miles), Xenia (6 miles), Cisne (7 miles) and Flora (9 miles).
What other public land is near Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Public land within 3 miles of Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
Counting Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area itself, 1,324 of the 31,074 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 | 1,184 |
| Other IDNR and state land | 140 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
In Wayne County, 2 miles from Johnsonville.
Can you deer hunt on Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
By IDNR's records: archery, open at the site; late-winter antlerless, special hunt permit from Springfield.
How much public land is around Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area?
1,324 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
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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.