Friends of Nachusa Grasslands
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Hunting at Nachusa Grasslands

​No public hunting of any species on the preserve

​​Several of Nachusa’s units are closed during shotgun hunting season:
  • Stone Barn Savanna (Tellabs)
  • Bennett
  • Big Jump (Orland)
  • Bishop
  • Brandt
  • Clear Creek Knolls South
  • Didier
  • Juanita Williams
  • Senger
  • Williams
There are units with a partial closing. The following are closed before 9am and after 2pm during shotgun hunting season:
  • ​Meiners Wetlands
  • Clear Creek Knolls North
  • Thelma Carpenter
Shotgun Season Dates
The season runs the Friday through Sunday before Thanksgiving (1st season) and the first full Thursday through Sunday in December (2nd season).
2022
2023
2024
Nov. 18-20
Nov. 17-19
Nov. 22-24
Dec. 1-4
Dec. 7-10
Dec. 5-8
Who Can Hunt at Nachusa?
Nachusa’s hunters are an important resource to the preserve, as they help control our deer population. Nachusa’s hunting program, which is operated by The Nature Conservancy (TNC), is very unique, as it is not open to the public, and each hunter is required to volunteer a minimum of 20 hours annually. Most of them volunteer much more.
TNC limits the number of hunters to 20 for safety reasons. Due to the nature of the preserve with visitors, volunteers, and stewardship activities, the same hunters are kept year–to–year as long as they complete their stewardship hours.

Nachusa currently has no openings for new hunters, and adding any in the near future is not anticipated.

TNC allows no public hunting of any species on the preserve, although they do partner with several local agencies in providing a place for youth turkey and pheasant hunting.
​
Archery deer season is from the beginning of October through the middle of January.

​The Nachusa State Habitat Area on the north side of Stone Barn Road west of Carthage Road is a 72–acre property owned by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The Nature Conservancy currently has a 15–year lease for management and restoration of the site. Upland game (pheasant, quail, rabbit, and Hungarian partridge) hunting permits may be obtained through an online lottery conducted each August. For additional information, see these links about the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Online Permit Application and the Nachusa Hunting Facts.
UPDATED 12/2021

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2075 Lowden Road             |           Franklin Grove, IL 61031              |             Contact Us


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  • Home
  • About Friends
    • Mission and Leadership
    • Endowments
    • Heritage Heroes Initiative
    • Friends Annual Reports
    • Newsletters >
      • PrairiE–Update (email)
      • A Prairie Calling (print and digital)
    • Friends Annual Meeting 2022
    • Commenting Policy
  • Plan Your Visit
    • Hours & Parking
    • Directions and Map
    • Visitor Center
    • Teacher Resources
    • Pet Policy
    • Public Bison Tours
    • Bison Viewing
    • Hiking >
      • Hiking Guidelines
      • Hiking Destinations
      • Stone Barn Savanna Tour
      • Visitor Center Trail
      • Scavenger Hunt
    • What's In Bloom?
    • Autumn on the Prairie
    • Exploring Nachusa Grasslands on Your Own
    • Things to Do
    • Places to Eat and Stay
    • Local Sites to Visit and Explore
  • Donate
  • Calendar
  • Volunteer
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Thursday and Saturday Workdays >
      • Workday Signup
      • Volunteer Workday Safety Protocols
      • Workdays – November to February
      • Leader Workday Safety Protocols
      • Steward Workday Tips
    • Stewardship Teams
    • Workday Email List
    • Steward Login
  • Stewardship
    • Nachusa Stewardship
    • Restorations
    • Planting Histories >
      • Stewardship Unit Planting Histories
      • Planting Histories in Chronological Order
    • Stewards and Staff
    • Groups and Committees
    • Available Units
    • Controlled Burns
    • Prescribed Fire Recruitment
    • Restoration Publications
    • Stewardship Resources >
      • Weekly Top Picks
      • Seed Collection Guides
      • Invasive Plant Management
      • Invasive Identification
      • Monitoring
      • Links & Resources
  • Science
    • Science at Nachusa Grasslands
    • Science Grants >
      • Science Grants 2023
      • Science Grants 2022
      • Science Grants 2021
      • Science Grants 2020
      • Science Grants 2019
      • Science Grants 2018
      • Science Grants 2017
      • Science Grants 2016
      • Science Grants 2015
      • Science Grants 2014
      • Science Grants 2013/2012/2011
    • Science Symposium 2022
    • Science Symposium Abstracts >
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2019
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2018
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2017
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2016
    • Potential Research Topics
    • Scientific Publications
    • Testimonials >
      • Dr. Holly Jones
      • Dr. Nick Barber
      • Kimberly Elsenbroek
    • Science Videos
    • Become a Community Scientist >
      • About Community Scientists
      • Butterfly Monitoring
      • Calling Frog Monitoring
      • Dragonflies & Damselflies
      • RiverWatch
  • About Nachusa
    • General Info
    • Prairie Smoke Annual Reports
    • Plant Inventory >
      • Common Names
      • Genus Species
    • Animal Inventory >
      • Amphibians
      • Birds
      • Bison Bison >
        • Bison
        • Bison Babies Broadcast Videos
      • Fish
      • Insects
      • Mammals
      • Other Arthropods
      • Reptiles
    • History
    • Jobs
    • Hunting
    • Geology >
      • Geology Part 1
      • Geology Part 2
      • Geology Part 3
    • 30th Anniversary Memories
    • Websites of Interest
  • BLOG AND MEDIA
    • Nachusa Blog
    • In The News
    • Photo Gallery >
      • Spring Photos
      • Summer Photos
      • Autumn Photos
      • Winter Photos
      • Visitor Photos
    • Submit Your Photos
    • Videos
  • Contact Us / FAQs