Carlyle Lake, IL-(Effingham Radio)- Carlyle Lake provides diverse late summer hunting opportunities managed jointly by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. With over 10,000 acres of public lands accessible for hunting, visitors are asked to adhere to current Illinois game laws. Daily sign-in and harvest recording are mandatory at designated hunter sign-in boxes located at all public access areas around the lake. Wildlife food plots featuring sunflowers, corn, and other row crops have been planted to enhance the hunting experience.
Squirrel season, which commences on August 1, 2024, allows hunting from half an hour before sunrise until half an hour after sunset. Hunters can bag up to 5 squirrels daily with a possession limit of 10, not exceeding twice the daily bag limit. Shotguns and .22 rimfire rifles are permitted for squirrel hunting on Corps of Engineers property, excluding developed recreation areas and a 100-yard buffer zone around marked “NO HUNTING.”
Dove season begins on September 1, 2024. From September 1 to September 5, shooting hours are from noon until sunset; thereafter, shooting is permitted from sunrise to sunset. Hunters can harvest up to 15 doves daily with a possession limit of 45. Designated dove hunting areas include Bobwhite Access, Mourning Dove Access, Massasauga Access, and Elmwood Access. Lotus dove fields in the Coles Creek Recreation Area open on September 6 with shooting hours from noon until sunset. Steel shot is mandatory for dove hunting at Eldon Hazlet State Park.
For safety, ensure compliance with all Illinois hunting regulations and specific rules of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. For further information on hunting activities, contact the Carlyle Lake Project Office at 618-594-2484 or email carlyle.lake@usace.army.mil.
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