More information on hunting at Horseshoe Lake is available by contacting the state park at (618) 931-0270 or the St. Louis district of the Army Corps of Engineers at (636) 899-2600. For information on travel, lodging and dining, contact the Granite City Chamber of Commerce at (618) 876-6400.

MATTHIESSEN STATE PARK
LaSalle County
Approximately 60 acres are planted and managed for dove hunting at Matthiessen State Park near Utica in LaSalle County. Last year's data indicated more than 3,500 doves taken at Matthiessen.

Dove hunters must obtain a free hunting permit from the Springfield DNR office before hunting. Hunters must also register and participate in a drawing for site selection on the day they hunt. Check out and harvest reporting is required.

During the first five days of the season, hunting is limited to the hours between noon and 5 p.m. On the sixth day and continuing through the remainder of the season, hunting hours are governed by statewide regulations.

The park requires hunters to attend a pre-hunt safety talk, hunt at their assigned stakes only and abide by regulations governing the size shot allowed and which fields may be hunted.

Matthiessen State Park is located about three miles south of Utica on Illinois Hwy. 178.

For more information, contact the site superintendent at (815) 667-4726. For travel information, contact the Illinois Valley Area Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development at (815) 223-0227 .

PYRAMID STATE RECREATION AREA
Perry County
Five separate units make up the Pyramid property. The former surface mining property is a mix of habitats, including ample open fields, grasslands, row crops, food plots and timbered areas. The diversity of the property is a huge draw to doves and other wildlife.

Hunters are drawn as well, and subsequent success keeps them returning. During the 2006-2007 season, hunters took nearly 6,000 birds.

Dove hunting is allowed on all five tracts, but certain fields planted in sunflowers or wheat are designated as management fields. A lottery drawing is required to hunt those areas during the first five days of the season. Additionally, persons that do not draw a permit may not hunt within 200 yards of the quota hunt areas.

Hunting hours are from noon to 5 p.m. during the first five days of the season and follow statewide regulations thereafter. There are also regulations governing types and sizes of shot. Other regulations and hunting availability vary from tract to tract, so hunters should familiarize themselves with the site-specific regulations before hunting. A site permit is required before hunting on any Pyramid tract.

The state park is located at 1562 Pyramid Park Road near Pinckneyville. Further directions to individual tracts may be obtained from the state park. All properties are located in Perry County.

For more information, contact Pyramid State Park at (618) 357-2574 or the Pinckneyville Chamber of Commerce at (618) 357-3243.

JIM EDGAR PANTHER CREEK STATE FISH AND WILDLIFE AREA
Cass County
This property consistently ranks high on dove hunters' lists of favorite places. Hunter success accounted for nearly 9,000 birds last year.

Two-thirds of JEPC's 16,550 acres -- a mixture of cropland, food plots, idled farm ground and open fields -- attract thousands of doves every year providing optimum hunting opportunities. Several areas are planted in sunflowers and used as dove management fields. Additionally, wheat fields are burned, which helps attract area doves.