Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge was established on August 5, 1947. The refuge is made up of 44,000 acres of land with a great diversity of flora and fauna. The major habitats on the refuge include oak hickory upland forest, bottomland hardwood forest, cropland, grazing units, brushland, prairie, wetlands and lakes. The refuge also includes a 4,050 acre congressionally designated wilderness area.

Latest News

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Celebrating 75 years of conservation at Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge marked a milestone recently, celebrating its 75th birthday with a special day-long event. While we at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recognize that all of America’s national wildlife refuges have special aspects, this refuge really stands out for its...
A man teaching a woman how to handle a crossbow while she aims at an archery target
Recreation
2022-2023 Station-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing Final Rule
The 2022-2023 Station-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing Final Rule makes changes at the following national wildlife refuges.
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Land Management
Great American Outdoors Act Makes Public Lands More Accessible
The nation’s public lands are for everyone, and we at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are celebrating the two-year anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act, which is helping make greater access possible.
A wood cabin stands in the snow at the edge of a forest.
Recreation
Camping is a Treat at These National Wildlife Refuges
Some national wildlife refuges offer public campsites or cabin rentals.
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Recreation
Wild Facts About Wild Turkeys
Amuse your Thanksgiving Day guests with some offbeat trivia about wild turkeys.
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Wildlife Management
Trapping
The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service carefully manages trapping activities on national wildlife refuges to ensure that safe, effective practices are used, to ensure the sustainability of wildlife populations, and to protect refuge infrastructure. Trapping may be used as a wildlife management tool...
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Visit Us

National wildlife refuges offer us all a chance to unplug from the stresses of daily life and reconnect with our natural surroundings. A visit to a national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge
A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.

Learn more about national wildlife refuge is a great way to enjoy the great outdoors and discover a new place. Whether you enjoy hiking, canoeing, hunting, camping, picnicking, wildlife photography or birdwatching a visit to Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge is a great way to explore nature.

Location and Contact Information

      What We Do

      Services
      Silhouette of a person walking with a shotgun on the tundra
      Apply for a Special Use Permit on National Wildlife Refuges

      Some commercial, recreational and research activities are allowed on national wildlife refuges only with a special use permit issued by the local office, and are subject to specific conditions and fees. This permit requirement is meant to ensure that all activities at the federal site are...

      Service
      Communication
      Permits
      Business Owner/Commercial Business
      Educator/Education Facility
      Landowner - Commercial
      Landowner - Individual
      Oil/Gas Company
      Private Land Owners/Managers
      Researcher or Research Facility - Commercial Scientific
      Kayakers navigating a swamp full of trees and lily pads.
      Federal Recreational Lands Passes

      Some 30 national wildlife refuges  charge visitors a nominal entrance fee (generally $3-$5 daily)  to cover road and facility maintenance.  If you are a regular visitor or would like to visit other public lands, you could save by buying an America the Beautiful Federal...

      Service
      Entrance Passes
      Children in yellow shirts run down a path or trail at Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
      Every Kid Outdoors Pass

      The Every Kid Outdoors program allows 4th-graders to see America’s natural wonders and historic sites for free.

      Annual 4th Grade Pass

      Cost: Free, non-transferable, valid for the duration of the 4th-grade schoolyear though the following summer (September-August...

      Service
      Land Management and Conservation Assistance
      Educator/Education Facility
      Cattle grazing at a USFWS refuge
      Cooperative Agriculture Opportunities at Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge

      Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge near Crainville, Illinois, is accepting bids for four agriculture opportunities. Cooperators will have opportunities to row crop, clover, and hay for up to five years. Units vary in size from 959 to 1,371 acres.

      To be considered,...

      Service
      Agriculture
      Farmer/Rancher
      Farmer/Rancher

      Our Species

      Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge is a great place to spot a variety of wildlife. Visitors are likely to see bald eagles, including the six pairs that nest on the refuge. Watch for flocks of wild turkeys, white-tailed deer and a wide variety of songbirds including eastern bluebirds, indigo buntings, white-eyed vireos and summer tanagers.

      Our Library

      Currently, this is under construction. Our most recent hunt brochure and Draft Grazing EA is in here.