Sielbeck Forest: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 394 acres of Sielbeck Forest open to hunting in Massac County, 5 miles from Joppa. Deer archery: open at the site. Deer firearm: county permit. Hunters took 734 deer in Massac 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 landSielbeck ForestCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 394 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Massac County |
| Deer harvest unit | Massac County |
| IDNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Squirrel, Rabbit, Dove, Quail, Woodcock and Waterfowl |
| Deer, archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Deer, firearm (IDNR) | county permit |
| Deer, muzzleloader (IDNR) | county permit |
| Turkey, spring (IDNR) | county permit |
| Turkey, fall archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Turkey, fall firearm (IDNR) | county permit |
| Site type (IDNR) | state natural area |
| IDNR region | 5 |
| Nearest towns | Joppa (5 mi), Metropolis (6 mi) and Brookport (10 mi) |
What can you hunt on Sielbeck Forest?
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 Sielbeck Forest.
What are the rules on Sielbeck Forest?
How each season is hunted here, by IDNR's land records: open at the site for deer archery and turkey fall archery; county permit for deer firearm, deer muzzleloader, 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 Sielbeck Forest?
Sielbeck Forest lies in Massac County. Hunters took 734 deer in Massac County in 2025-26, against 834 in 2024-25.
| County | Sielbeck Forest acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massac County | 394 | 734 | 834 | 808 |
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 Sielbeck Forest?
Nearest towns: Joppa (5 miles), Metropolis (6 miles), Brookport (10 miles) and Belknap (11 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-24, US 45 and IL 145.
What other public land is near Sielbeck Forest?
IDNR hunting sites within 10 miles:
- Mermet Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: 1,317 acres, 3.6 miles away
- Fort Massac State Park: 1,265 acres, 5.2 miles away
- Cache River State Natural Area: 15,651 acres, 8.5 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Sielbeck Forest
Counting Sielbeck Forest itself, 1,829 of the 25,052 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (7.3%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| Land trusts and other open land | 1,423 |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 394 |
| Other IDNR and state land | 12 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Sielbeck Forest?
In Massac County, 5 miles from Joppa.
Can you deer hunt on Sielbeck Forest?
By IDNR's records: archery, open at the site; firearm, county permit; muzzleloader, county permit.
How much public land is around Sielbeck Forest?
1,829 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Sielbeck Forest included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records. The closest other IDNR hunting site is Mermet Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area (3.6 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.