“Mature white oaks are a good bet to find deer in the late season around Rend Lake,” said DNR district biologist John Tippitt. “If the acorn crop is down, I’d look to standing corn fields and transition routes in between.”

Rend Lake WMA, (618) 279-3110, also offers good bowhunting access, and Mt. Vernon Game Propagation Center, (618) 242-0830, has both bow and muzzleloader hunting. In Franklin County on the lower end of Rend Lake, Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park, (618) 629-2320, provides superb bowhunting.

“Effingham County is also a pretty decent county late in the winter,” biologist Potts said. “Wildcat Hollow SHA (618/547-3381) offers archery and muzzleloading. In Jasper County, Newton Lake FWA (618/783-3478) and Sam Parr State Park (618/783-2661) provide a compliment of heavy cover with agricultural ground, and both offer superb bowhunting. Sam Parr also has a muzzleloader program. And Crawford County has an important corridor in the Wabash River basin. Crawford County FWA (618/563-4405) provides access for all the late-winter seasons.”

The late-winter season may be the most challenging time of the year to hunt, but if you’re hunting some of these areas our state has to offer, chances are good you’ll have no trouble filling your tag. Be sure to call ahead before making a trip to the public lands mentioned to find out about any site-specific regulations that could be in place for the late season.

For information on our public lands, surf to www.dnr.state.il.us. Click on the “Hunting” link at the right side of the page, then scroll down to “General Information” and click on “Hunter Fact Sheet Directory.”

Have a good late hunt, and try to stay warm!