Kaskaskia River Fish and Wildlife Area

In this series we examine Illinois state sites benefiting from sportsmen’s contributions through the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration (Pittman-Robertson or PR) program. One of the largest, and longest running, projects is the Statewide Public Lands Wildlife Habitat Development Project (W-76-D), designed to create wildlife habitat on public lands, provide facility access and recreation opportunities, and establish wildlife management demonstration areas for Illinois citizens.

Spanning both sides of the Kaskaskia River from the Mississippi River to Fayetteville, Kaskaskia River State Fish and Wildlife Area is one of Illinois’ largest state-owned and managed sites. The nearly 20,000-acre complex contains channelized river, oxbows, sloughs, backwater lakes, bottomland timber, cultivated fields, native grass patches, brushy areas and fallow fields, as well as Baldwin Lake, a 2,018–acre reservoir popular with anglers and serving as a waterfowl refuge. Federal monies were utilized in the purchase of 235 acres of habitat at the site.

The 500-acre Doza Creek Waterfowl Management Area is located on the east side of the river and managed to provide waterfowl hunting. A nearby 60-acre impoundment is managed as a waterfowl refuge.

“Our objective at Doza Creek is to provide quality waterfowl habitat for both fall and spring migrants by providing refuge and food opportunities,” said Illinois Department of Natural Resources District Wildlife Biologist Carl Handel. “A manmade impoundment, we are able to drain the Doza Creek Area annually to promote moist-soil plants for food, and we enhance the food sources by planting several agricultural plots.”

Those food plots total about 300 acres annually. In addition to plots providing food for waterfowl are plots specifically managed for mourning doves.

Management of the complex is a partnership between numerous organizations. “In addition to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, property within the complex is owned by the Illinois Power Company, Illinois Department of Transportation and the Kaskaskia Regional Port District,” Handel explained. “Working hand-in-hand, we are able to meet the needs each organization has to fulfill their mission, and provide quality recreational opportunities for Illinoisans.”

Ducks Unlimited also partnered with the state through a Marsh Project that contributed funds for wetland enhancement projects at Beaver Lodge, Riley Lake and Baldwin Access. Such projects improve the habitat as a feeding and resting area for waterfowl, shorebirds and other water-dependent species.

Kaskaskia River Fish and Wildlife Area staff annually coordinate about two dozen agricultural leases on about 688 acres. Revenue from these leases generates about $110,000 that is used to further habitat enhancement projects and operate managed hunt programs.

Available Game Species

Species available are deer, turkey, rabbit, quail, squirrel, dove, teal, rail, snipe, woodcock, duck, goose, raccoon, opossum, skunk, fox and coyote.

Hunter Fact Sheet with Hunting and Trapping Regulations for Kaskaskia River SFWA

https://huntillinois.org/sites/kaskaskia-river-sfwa/

About the Site

10981 Conservation Road, Baldwin, IL 62217

(618) 785-2555

Counties: St. Clair, Monroe, Randolph

Website: https://dnr.illinois.gov/parks/park.kaskaskiariver.html

Email: dnr.r4parks@illiois.gov

Directions: Kaskaskia River State Fish and Wildlife Area is 4 miles north of Baldwin off of Illinois Route 154, or 6 miles south of New Athens off of Illinois Route 13.

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Kathy Andrews Wright is retired from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources where she was editor of Outdoor Illinois magazine. She is currently the editor of Outdoor Illinois Wildlife Journal and Illinois Audubon magazine.