Wildcat Hollow State Habitat Area: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 700 acres of Wildcat Hollow State Habitat Area open to hunting in Effingham County, 2 miles from Mason. Deer archery: open at the site. Deer firearm: county permit. Hunters took 2,180 deer in Effingham 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 landWildcat Hollow State Habitat AreaCounty lineHighway
| Size | 700 acres in 12 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Effingham County |
| Deer harvest unit | Effingham County |
| IDNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Squirrel, Rabbit, Dove, Quail, Pheasant and Woodcock |
| Deer, archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Deer, firearm (IDNR) | county permit |
| Deer, muzzleloader (IDNR) | county permit |
| Deer, late-winter antlerless (IDNR) | county permit |
| Turkey, spring (IDNR) | county permit |
| Turkey, fall archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Site type (IDNR) | state habitat area |
| IDNR region | 5 |
| Nearest towns | Mason (2 mi), Watson (2 mi) and Edgewood (5 mi) |
What can you hunt on Wildcat Hollow State Habitat Area?
IDNR's records list deer (archery, firearm, muzzleloader and late-winter antlerless), turkey (spring and fall archery), squirrel, rabbit, dove, quail, pheasant and woodcock for Wildcat Hollow State Habitat Area.
What are the rules on Wildcat Hollow State Habitat Area?
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, 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 Wildcat Hollow State Habitat Area?
Wildcat Hollow State Habitat Area lies in Effingham County. Hunters took 2,180 deer in Effingham County in 2025-26, against 2,207 in 2024-25.
| County | Wildcat Hollow State Habitat Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Effingham County | 700 | 2,180 | 2,207 | 1,864 |
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 Wildcat Hollow State Habitat Area?
Nearest towns: Mason (2 miles), Watson (2 miles), Edgewood (5 miles) and Altamont (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-57, IL 37 and US 45.
What other public land is near Wildcat Hollow State Habitat Area?
Public land within 3 miles of Wildcat Hollow State Habitat Area
Counting Wildcat Hollow State Habitat Area itself, 757 of the 29,280 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (2.6%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 700 |
| Other IDNR and state land | 57 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Wildcat Hollow State Habitat Area?
In Effingham County, 2 miles from Mason.
Can you deer hunt on Wildcat Hollow State Habitat Area?
By IDNR's records: archery, open at the site; firearm, county permit; muzzleloader, county permit; late-winter antlerless, county permit.
How much public land is around Wildcat Hollow State Habitat Area?
757 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Wildcat Hollow State Habitat Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
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.