Spoon River State Forest: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 1,588 acres of Spoon River State Forest open to hunting in Knox County, next to Oak Run. Deer archery: open at the site. Deer firearm: disabled hunters, Springfield permit. Hunters took 2,339 deer in Knox 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 landSpoon River State ForestCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,588 acres in 23 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Knox County |
| Deer harvest unit | Knox County |
| IDNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Squirrel, Rabbit, Dove, Quail, Pheasant and Woodcock |
| Deer, archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Deer, firearm (IDNR) | disabled hunters, Springfield permit |
| Deer, muzzleloader (IDNR) | disabled hunters, Springfield permit |
| Deer, late-winter antlerless (IDNR) | county permit |
| Turkey, spring (IDNR) | site permit from the site office |
| Turkey, fall archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Turkey, fall firearm (IDNR) | county permit |
| Site type (IDNR) | state forest |
| IDNR region | 1 |
| Nearest towns | Oak Run (next to it), Williamsfield (3 mi) and Victoria (5 mi) |
What can you hunt on Spoon River State Forest?
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 Spoon River State Forest.
What are the rules on Spoon River State Forest?
How each season is hunted here, by IDNR's land records: open at the site for deer archery and turkey fall archery; disabled hunters, Springfield permit for deer firearm and deer muzzleloader; county permit for deer late-winter antlerless and turkey fall firearm; site permit from the site office for 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 Spoon River State Forest?
Spoon River State Forest lies in Knox County. Hunters took 2,339 deer in Knox County in 2025-26, against 2,206 in 2024-25.
| County | Spoon River State Forest acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knox County | 1,588 | 2,339 | 2,206 | 2,437 |
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 Spoon River State Forest?
Nearest towns: Oak Run (next to it), Williamsfield (3 miles), Victoria (5 miles) and Gilson (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-74, US 150 and IL 180.
What other public land is near Spoon River State Forest?
IDNR hunting sites within 10 miles:
- Snakeden Hollow State Fish and Wildlife Area: 2,704 acres, 2.5 miles away
- Victoria State Habitat Area: 244 acres, 6 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Spoon River State Forest
Counting Spoon River State Forest itself, 2,065 of the 34,581 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (6%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 1,965 |
| Other IDNR and state land | 100 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Spoon River State Forest?
In Knox County, next to Oak Run.
Can you deer hunt on Spoon River State Forest?
By IDNR's records: archery, open at the site; firearm, disabled hunters, Springfield permit; muzzleloader, disabled hunters, Springfield permit; late-winter antlerless, county permit.
How much public land is around Spoon River State Forest?
2,065 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Spoon River State Forest included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records. The closest other IDNR hunting site is Snakeden Hollow State Fish and Wildlife Area (2.5 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.