The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has announced public squirrel hunting opportunities are available from Aug. 1 through Sept. 15 at more than 30 private land hunting sites enrolled in the Illinois Recreational Access Program. The department has leased more than 4,400 acres of private land in 18 counties, including Sangamon, Christian, Morgan, Macoupin, and Montgomery Counties. Sites are available at no cost to participants.
According to the IDNR, small game hunting is a great way to introduce a youngster to hunting since it teaches everything one needs to know for hunting larger species, just on a smaller scale. Small game hunters must register and reserve a hunting site online through the Illinois Recreational Access Program Reservation System which connects hunters to places to hunt while keeping the identity of the hunter and landowner separate. Thus, hunters are not to contact the landowner, and landowners are not to contact the hunter.
Any legally licensed hunter who complies with all Illinois hunting laws may register – hunters born in 1980 or after must have completed a hunter safety course. IRAP‘s Squirrel hunting period runs from August 1 through September 15, while IRAP’s Rabbit-only hunting period runs from December 10-31.
IRAP is funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service known as the Voluntary Public Access Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP). More information can be found below
