Wise Ridge Bedrock Trail: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 560 acres of Wise Ridge Bedrock Trail open to hunting in Johnson County, next to New Burnside. Deer archery: open at the site. Deer firearm: county permit. Hunters took 1,993 deer in Johnson 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 forestOther IDNR and state landLand trusts and other open landWise Ridge Bedrock TrailCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 560 acres in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Johnson County |
| Deer harvest unit | Johnson County |
| IDNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Squirrel, Rabbit, Dove, Quail, Pheasant, Woodcock and Waterfowl |
| 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 |
| Turkey, fall firearm (IDNR) | county permit |
| Nearest towns | New Burnside (next to it), Stonefort (3 mi) and Creal Springs (4 mi) |
What is Wise Ridge Bedrock Trail like?
IDNR's records divide the site into 2 hunting areas: Inholding, Wise Ridge.
From IDNR's land records.
What can you hunt on Wise Ridge Bedrock Trail?
IDNR's records list deer (archery, firearm, muzzleloader and late-winter antlerless), turkey (spring, fall archery and fall firearm), squirrel, rabbit, dove, quail, pheasant, woodcock and waterfowl (walk-in) for Wise Ridge Bedrock Trail.
What are the rules on Wise Ridge Bedrock Trail?
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, 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 Wise Ridge Bedrock Trail?
Wise Ridge Bedrock Trail lies in Johnson County. Hunters took 1,993 deer in Johnson County in 2025-26, against 2,015 in 2024-25.
| County | Wise Ridge Bedrock Trail acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County | 559 | 1,993 | 2,015 | 2,017 |
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 Wise Ridge Bedrock Trail?
Nearest towns: New Burnside (next to it), Stonefort (3 miles), Creal Springs (4 miles) and Simpson (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 45 and IL 166.
What other public land is near Wise Ridge Bedrock Trail?
IDNR hunting sites within 10 miles:
- Sahara Woods State Recreation Area: 2,420 acres, 7.4 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Wise Ridge Bedrock Trail
Counting Wise Ridge Bedrock Trail itself, 23,394 of the 27,772 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (84.2%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| Land trusts and other open land | 20,618 |
| National forest | 2,064 |
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 560 |
| Other IDNR and state land | 152 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Wise Ridge Bedrock Trail?
In Johnson County, next to New Burnside.
Can you deer hunt on Wise Ridge Bedrock Trail?
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 Wise Ridge Bedrock Trail?
23,394 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Wise Ridge Bedrock Trail included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records. The closest other IDNR hunting site is Sahara Woods State Recreation Area (7.4 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.