Number of state sites open for youth waterfowl hunting

A number of Illinois state parks, fish and wildlife areas, conservation areas and recreation areas will be open to youth waterfowl hunting during the 2019 youth waterfowl hunting seasons, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, IDNR, has announced.

Federal sites that fall under the IDNR waterfowl administrative rule that will be open for the youth hunts also are noted.

At most sites, regulations that apply during the regular waterfowl hunting season apply during the youth hunt.

IDNR noted that hunters should check for site-specific regulations, including changes in legal shooting hours.  

During the youth hunt, the bag limits are the same as during regular seasons.

As part of the youth hunt, hunters age 17 or younger may hunt ducks, geese, coots and mergansers as long as they are accompanied by an adult at least 18 years of age. 

The accompanying adult cannot hunt these species but may participate in other open seasons.

Youth hunters must have a hunting license, youth hunting license or apprentice hunting license. 

The youth hunter or his or her accompanying adult must have a valid FOID card. 

The supervising adult does not need to have a hunting license if they are not hunting other species. 

Youth hunters age 15 or younger are not required to have state or federal duck stamps; however, youth hunters age 16 and older must have federal duck stamps even if they are using an Illinois youth license. 

Hunters are not required to have an Illinois duck stamp unless they are age 18 or older. 

Although Illinois youth hunting licenses are available for hunters up to age 18, federal waterfowl hunting regulations do not allow hunters over age 17 to participate in youth hunts.

Special youth hunts taking place through the youth waterfowl hunting permit, or other youth only hunts at IDNR sites, are only open to youth hunters age 10-17. 

These special hunts include the Southern Illinois youth waterfowl hunt  at Union County and Horseshoe Lake state fish and wildlife areas on Dec. 28. All other youth hunts are open to those age 17 and younger.

All waterfowl hunters, including those participating in the youth hunt, are required to register with the Harvest Information Program, HIP. 

In order to register with HIP, hunters will need to have their hunting license number available. 

IDNR said that hunters should register for HIP at the license vendor when they buy their hunting license, by calling 1-888-6PERMIT (1-888-673-7648) or online through the IDNR website at www.dnr.illinois.gov.

The lists of state and federal sites to be open during the youth waterfowl hunts in the South Central and South zones follow:

2019 South Central Zone youth waterfowl hunt, Nov. 2-3, state and federal sites open: 

Campbell Pond. Carlyle Lake SFWA. Kaskaskia SFWA. Kinkaid Lake SFWA. Mississippi River. Oakwood Bottoms.

Pyramid State Recreation Area (Captain, Denmark, Galum, and East Conant Units). Rend Lake Project Land and Waters. Shawnee National Forest. Ten Mile Creek SFWA.

2019 South Zone youth waterfowl hunt, Nov. 16-17, state and federal sites open:

Bluff Lakes. Cache River SNA. Cape Bend SFWA. Chauncey Marsh SNA. Crab Orchard NWR. Cypress Pond SNA. Deer Pond SNA

Devil’s Island. Dog Island. Embarras River Bottoms SHA. Fort Massac (Kerr Farm Unit). Horseshoe Lake SFWA (Alexander County).

LaRue Swamp. Mermet Lake SFWA. Mississippi River. Newton Lake SFWA. Saline County SFWA. Sielbeck Forest SNA. Shawnee National Forest. Union County SFWA.

More information about Illinois waterfowl seasons can be found by checking the IDNR Illinois Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations 2019-20, which is available online at https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/documents/HuntTrapDigest.pdf. 

Information about IDNR’s youth waterfowl hunting permit special hunts can be found online at https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/waterfowl/Pages/OnlinePermitApplica....

The Gazette-Democrat

112 Lafayette St.
Anna, Illinois 62906
Office Number: (618) 833-2158
Email: news@annanews.com

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