National Wildlife Refuge · Illinois · FWS Region 3

Great River National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Great River National Wildlife Refuge is located in Adams County, Illinois, with about 5,229 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Its lands extend into Missouri. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 5 mapped hunt units: 5 open with special regulations, covering about 11,348 huntable acres.

5 with special regs
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
5hunt units
11.3Khuntable acres
5.2KFWS-owned acres
7game categories

Great River NWR hunt unit map

Hunt units are colored by 2026–2027 status. Toggle layers for FWS-owned land, the approved refuge boundary and private easements. Use satellite imagery to scout marshes, timber edges and access points.

Loading interactive map…
OpenSpecial regulationsClosedFWS-owned landWPA (public)Refuge boundaryEasement (private) Tip: switch to Satellite or USGS Topo in the layer menu · click the map for GPS coordinates
Take it into the field: KML (Google Earth / onX) GPX waypoints GeoJSON

Hunting at Great River NWR

Permitted hunting categories are big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, upland birds, migratory birds, small game, and feral & exotic, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — freshwater fishing.

Great River National Wildlife Refuge offers various hunting opportunities on five of its six divisions.

Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large mammalsWaterfowlDucks, geese, brant, swans (where legal) and cootsWild TurkeySpring and fall wild turkeyUpland BirdsPheasant, quail, grouse, prairie chicken and partridgeMigratory BirdsMourning dove, woodcock, snipe, rails, gallinules and sandhill craneSmall GameSquirrel, rabbit, hare, raccoon, opossum and other small mammalsFeral & ExoticFeral hogs and other non-native species where refuge rules allow

Categories are those listed by USFWS for this station; exact species, seasons and bag limits follow Illinois regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (5)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 11,348 (100%)11.3Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations11,348 ac 100%
Units by size (acres)
Long Island
6,604 ac
Fox Island
2,009 ac
Delair
1,710 ac
Slim Island
728 ac
Cherry Box
298 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Cherry Box
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 298 —
Delair
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 1,710 —
Fox Island
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 2,009 —
Long Island
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 6,604 —
Slim Island
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 728 —

Great River NWR by the numbers

With about 11,348 huntable acres, Great River NWR ranks #3 of 9 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Illinois and #174 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 100% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Long Island (6,604 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Cherry Box, covers 298 acres.

Besides 5,229 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 1,745 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

When to hunt Great River NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Illinois sets the exact dates, and refuges often open fewer days than the statewide season — use this to plan scouting, then confirm the 2026–2027 dates in the state regulations and the refuge hunt brochure.

Typical season windows — Big Game, Waterfowl, Wild Turkey, Upland Birds, Migratory Birds, Small Game, Feral & Exotic
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🦆 Waterfowl
Early teal & gooseRegular duck & goose
🦃 Wild Turkey
Spring gobblerFall (some states)
🐦 Upland Birds
Pheasant, quail, grouse
🕊️ Migratory Birds
Dove (Sept. 1 opener)Woodcock & snipeLate dove split
🐇 Small Game
Squirrel & rabbit
🐗 Feral & Exotic
Feral hog (often year-round)

Permits & licenses

Refuge permit

Not listed

USFWS does not list a separate refuge permit for this station. Specific units or hunts (e.g. quota deer hunts) may still require one — check the hunt brochure.

You'll also need

  • A valid Illinois hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Illinois Department of Natural Resources
  • Federal Duck Stamp (waterfowl hunters 16+) and HIP certification for migratory birds
  • Non-toxic shot for waterfowl (federal requirement)
  • Hunter education certification where your state requires it
  • The current refuge hunt brochure / regulations (often must be signed and carried)

Fishing at Great River NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Available species include crappie and channel catfish. Boat access to Long Island Lake and Indian Graves Lake is limited to times of high river levels. Anglers may walk to lakes at any time.

State fishing licenses and regulations apply. Some waters close seasonally to protect wildlife.

How to get to Great River NWR

Navigate

Destination: Great River National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
40.04660, -91.47747
DMS
40°02′47.8″N 91°28′38.9″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Quincy, IL8.2 mi NW of town
  • Havana, IL77 mi W of town
  • Columbia, MO88 mi NE of town
  • Springfield, IL99 mi W of town

Closest airports

  • PIA Peoria Intl103 mi
  • STL St. Louis Lambert107 mi

Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.

The navigation point is the station reference location published by USFWS — often the headquarters or main entrance. For a specific hunt unit, open its page or click it on the map for coordinates and parking planning.

Sunrise, sunset & shooting hours

Today at Great River NWR

Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–

*½ hour before sunrise — the standard federal shooting-hour start for migratory game birds. Times in Chicago local time.

Full season calculator →

2026–2027 season sun table

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20266:02 AM6:32 AM7:39 PM13h 07m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:15 AM6:45 AM7:16 PM12h 31m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:30 AM7:00 AM6:50 PM11h 49m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:44 AM7:14 AM6:28 PM11h 13m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:04 AM6:34 AM5:05 PM10h 31m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:20 AM6:50 AM4:50 PM10h 00m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:38 AM7:08 AM4:42 PM9h 34m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:50 AM7:20 AM4:41 PM9h 21m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:57 AM7:27 AM4:50 PM9h 22m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:56 AM7:26 AM5:03 PM9h 37m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:45 AM7:15 AM5:22 PM10h 08m

Computed for 40.047, -91.477 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.

7-day hunting weather

Loading National Weather Service forecast…

Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.

Guides for hunting Great River NWR

Deer Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges: Quota Hunts, Archery Units and Stand Rules

How refuge deer hunts work — lotteries and quota permits, archery-only and muzzleloader units, tree-stand rules…

Public-Land Duck Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges: Tactics That Work

How to find ducks, beat the crowds and set up on refuge marshes and WPAs — scouting, timing, small decoy spreads for…

Federal Duck Stamp Explained: Who Needs One, Where to Buy It and Where the Money Goes

Everything waterfowl hunters need to know about the Federal Duck Stamp — who must carry it, signing rules, the…

Nontoxic Shot Guide for Refuge and WPA Hunters

Why lead shot is banned for waterfowl, which nontoxic loads are approved, how steel, bismuth and tungsten compare, and…

Turkey Hunting on Wildlife Refuges: Lotteries, Pressured Birds and Safety

How spring and fall turkey hunts work on National Wildlife Refuges, how to scout and call public-land gobblers, and…

Pheasant and Upland Bird Hunting on Waterfowl Production Areas

Why WPAs are some of the best walk-in pheasant ground in the Midwest, how to hunt them early and late in the season…

Great River NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Great River NWR?

Yes. Great River National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 5 units (11,348 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, upland birds, migratory birds, small game, and feral & exotic. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.

Do I need a permit to hunt Great River NWR?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Great River NWR. You still need a valid state license, any required state tags or stamps, and (for waterfowl hunters 16+) a Federal Duck Stamp.

Can you fish at Great River NWR?

Yes. Fishing is permitted (freshwater fishing). State fishing licenses and regulations apply along with refuge rules.

Where is Great River NWR located?

Great River National Wildlife Refuge is in Adams County, Illinois, about 8 miles NW of Quincy, IL (straight-line). GPS: 40.04660, -91.47747.

What are legal shooting hours at Great River NWR?

Migratory game bird shooting hours are generally one-half hour before sunrise to sunset; big game and other seasons follow state rules. See the sunrise/sunset table on this page and confirm in the refuge hunt brochure.

Nearby refuges & public land

Meredosia NWR

Morgan County, IL · 50 mi E

2 closed
🎣

Clarence Cannon NWR

Pike County, MO · 65 mi SE

1 open2 special
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

3.9K huntable acres

Emiquon NWR

Fulton County, IL · 76 mi E

1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

894 huntable acres

Chautauqua NWR

Mason County, IL · 81 mi E

1 special1 closed
🦆🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

810 huntable acres

Port Louisa NWR

Louisa County, IA · 83 mi N

4 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

15.4K huntable acres

Two Rivers NWR

Calhoun County, IL · 90 mi SE

8 special
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

9K huntable acres

All refuges in Illinois →

Data: USFWS National Hunt Units 2026–2027, Hunting & Fishing Opportunities, Realty Boundaries & Tracts. Page updated October 28, 2026.