A hobby rocket that came down in a tree caused a big commotion in unincorporated Woodstock on Tuesday.
A homeowner on Kishwaukee Valley Road reported what appeared to them to be some kind of military rocket about 30-feet up in a tree.
A parachute was attached.
The response was fairly large.
The Sheriff’s bomb unit, Woodstock Fire-Rescue, National Guard personnel from the Illinois Armory, and the FBI.
A perimeter was established for safety.
After about three hours, and a closer look, it was determined to been a harmless hobby rocket.
Woodstock Fire-Rescue Battalion Chief Jeff Lesniak said, “From a distance, this looked like it could be a real military rocket, and we had to take that possibility seriously.”
The hobby rocket after it was removed from the treeWoodstock Fire/Rescue
PRESS RELEASE
On Tuesday, November 10, 2026, the Woodstock Fire/Rescue District responded to the 15300 block of Kishwaukee Valley Road in unincorporated Woodstock to assist McHenry County Sheriff’s Office deputies with an investigation involving a suspected military-style rocket in a tree.
McHenry County Sheriff’s Office deputies were initially dispatched at approximately 8:20 a.m. after a homeowner discovered the object suspended approximately 30 feet above the ground.
Firefighters were requested a short time later to help assess the situation and establish safety measures.
With it still unclear whether the object was a genuine military device or a replica, a safety perimeter was established around the immediate area.
Firefighters worked alongside the Kane County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Unit and representatives from the nearby Illinois National Guard Armory and the FBI’s Chicago Field Office to examine the object more closely.
Using specialized camera equipment, responders obtained detailed images that gave them a high level of confidence the object was a replica before proceeding with its removal.
Shortly before noon, the object was removed from the tree and confirmed to be a hobby model rocket.
“From a distance, this looked like it could be a real military rocket, and we had to take that possibility seriously,” said Battalion Chief Jeff Lesniak.
“Each agency brought expertise and equipment that helped us assess the situation and work through it safely.
“Although it turned out to be a hobby model, the precautions taken were necessary to protect everyone if it had been a live device.”
The incident remains under investigation by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office.
