Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area: hunting and access
IDNR's records mark 2,078 acres of Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area open to hunting in Woodford and Peoria counties, next to Rome. Deer archery: open at the site. Hunters took 1,722 deer in Woodford 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 landForest preserves, county and city landLand trusts and other open landWoodford State Fish and Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 2,078 acres |
|---|---|
| Counties | Woodford County and Peoria County |
| Deer harvest unit | Woodford County, Peoria County |
| IDNR lists for hunting | Deer, Squirrel, Woodcock and Waterfowl |
| Deer, archery (IDNR) | open at the site |
| Site type (IDNR) | state fish and wildlife area |
| IDNR region | 1 |
| Nearest towns | Rome (next to it), Chillicothe (next to it) and Spring Bay (2 mi) |
What is Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area like?
IDNR's records divide the site into 2 hunting areas: Forest Wetland Management Unit, Upper Peoria Lake.
From IDNR's land records.
What can you hunt on Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area?
IDNR's records list deer (archery), squirrel, woodcock and waterfowl (walk-in) for Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area?
How each season is hunted here, by IDNR's land records: open at the site for deer archery.
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 Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area lies in 2 counties. Hunters took 1,722 deer in Woodford County in 2025-26, against 1,782 in 2024-25.
| County | Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodford County | 2,075 | 1,722 | 1,782 | 1,660 |
| Peoria County | 3 | 2,141 | 1,871 | 1,960 |
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 Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Rome (next to it), Chillicothe (next to it), Spring Bay (2 miles) and Bay View Gardens (2 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IL 29, IL 26, IL 6 and IL 40.
What other public land is near Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area?
IDNR hunting sites within 10 miles:
- Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area: 5,460 acres, 1.9 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area
Counting Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area itself, 4,468 of the 45,734 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (9.8%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 3,003 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 738 |
| Other IDNR and state land | 428 |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 299 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area?
In Woodford and Peoria counties, next to Rome.
Can you deer hunt on Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area?
By IDNR's records: archery, open at the site.
How much public land is around Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area?
4,468 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records. The closest other IDNR hunting site is Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area (1.9 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.