Season Dates:

We recommend visitors to our website search the IDNR Hunting pages for dates of upcoming seasons.

Deer Archery Permit Windshield Cards are required prior to hunting.  Cards  are available on the website at http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/landmgt/programs/windshieldcard/   
The windshield cards are available at that site free.  
You will need to know the customer number from your hunting license to fill out the permit.  Select Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area and then select print.

            NOTE:    Permits can no longer be picked up in the visitors center.

Parking permits must be displayed on the dash of your car when archery hunting.  There should be a parking permit on the dash for ever hunter that rode in the vehicle.

Please call 815-942-2899 if you have questions. 

For the Morris Wetlands:   the following rules are special to the Morris Wetlands State Fish and Wildlife Area.

1. You must first obtain a site parking permit on line.  http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/landmgt/programs/windshieldcard/ 

2. Sign in starts at 3:00 a.m.  You may not sign in prior to the beginning of your hunt. (No signing in the night before).  Sign in/sign out for yourself only.

3. You must sign in and sign out each trip.  If you leave the site for any reason you must sign out.  When you leave the site, your hunt is over and you must
   re-sign to hunt again.

4. Access is by foot.  Bicycles allowed only on Main Road to 2nd bridge.  Watercraft not allowed in the Mazon River.  Access permitted from Illinois River.

5. There is no hunter restrictions limit at this location.  You must sign in and sign out each trip.
   

There is unlimited Deer Archery Hunting at all three locations:   Goose Lake Prairie, Heidecke and Morris Wetlands,

Deer Stands can be set up 1/2 hours before sunrise.  They must be taken down the day you set them up.  They cannot stay on park property overnight.

At the end of the season Archery Deer Harvest information needs to be reported on line by Feb. 15th,  This is required in order to obtain a hunting permit for next season.  Fill in all of the blanks.  This will also be done on line.  Go to: http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/landmgt/programs/windshieldcard/index.htm  You can use your customer number and date of birth.

The Archery Platform is open during park hours - dawn to dusk.

Heidecke Lake Fishing Season Dates:
   Please check the IDNR website for season dates.
 
Boating access  is open from 6:00 a.m. to Sunset, seven days a week. 

     Heidecke Lake is a total water area of 1,955 Acres. 
     Of this area, 1,300 acres are fishable.  Heidecke is a sport fishing lake. 
     No recreational boats, etc are permitted on this lake.