Sand Ridge State Forest: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 7,276 acres of Sand Ridge State Forest open to hunting in Mason and Tazewell counties, next to Goofy Ridge. Deer archery: open at the site. Deer firearm: special hunt permit from Springfield. Hunters took 1,071 deer in Mason 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 huntingNational wildlife refugesOther IDNR and state landForest preserves, county and city landSand Ridge State ForestCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 7,276 acres in 4 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Mason County and Tazewell County |
| Deer harvest unit | Mason County, Tazewell 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) | county permit |
| Turkey, spring (IDNR) | special hunt permit from Springfield |
| Turkey, fall archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Turkey, fall firearm (IDNR) | county permit |
| Site type (IDNR) | state forest |
| IDNR region | 4 |
| Nearest towns | Goofy Ridge (next to it), Forest City (next to it) and Topeka (3 mi) |
What is Sand Ridge State Forest like?
IDNR's records divide the site into 5 hunting areas: North Campground, Trap Range, Archery Range, Equestrian Campground, Main Park.
From IDNR's land records.
What can you hunt on Sand Ridge State Forest?
IDNR's records list deer (archery, firearm and muzzleloader), turkey (spring, fall archery and fall firearm), squirrel, rabbit, dove, quail, pheasant, woodcock and controlled pheasant for Sand Ridge State Forest.
What are the rules on Sand Ridge State Forest?
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 and turkey spring; county permit for deer muzzleloader and turkey fall firearm.
IDNR's notes: Horseman's Park Campground.
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 Sand Ridge State Forest?
Sand Ridge State Forest lies in 2 counties. Hunters took 1,071 deer in Mason County in 2025-26, against 1,052 in 2024-25.
| County | Sand Ridge State Forest acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason County | 7,271 | 1,071 | 1,052 | 1,007 |
| Tazewell County | 5 | 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 Sand Ridge State Forest?
Nearest towns: Goofy Ridge (next to it), Forest City (next to it), Topeka (3 miles) and Manito (3 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 136.
What other public land is near Sand Ridge State Forest?
IDNR hunting sites within 10 miles:
- Henry Allan Gleason State Natural Area: 112 acres, next to it
- Spring Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: 1,455 acres, next to it
- Sparks Pond State Natural Area: 375 acres, 0.8 miles away
- Rice Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: 5,104 acres, 0.9 miles away
- Clear Lake SWMA: 417 acres, 1.2 miles away
- Manito State Habitat Area: 79 acres, 3.6 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Sand Ridge State Forest
Counting Sand Ridge State Forest itself, 16,770 of the 62,731 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (26.7%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 12,333 |
| Other IDNR and state land | 2,624 |
| National wildlife refuges | 1,813 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Sand Ridge State Forest?
In Mason and Tazewell counties, next to Goofy Ridge.
Can you deer hunt on Sand Ridge State Forest?
By IDNR's records: archery, open at the site; firearm, special hunt permit from Springfield; muzzleloader, county permit.
How much public land is around Sand Ridge State Forest?
16,770 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Sand Ridge State Forest included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records. The closest other IDNR hunting site is Henry Allan Gleason State Natural Area (next to it).
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.