May 1, 2023
Technological advances are offering amazing insights into nature. Here are two videos, one produced from trail cam images and the second a video picked up on a Ring doorbell. Have you captured fun or amazing footage of wildlife? We’d love to see what wildlife wonders are happening near you!
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May 1, 2023
Safety in numbers is the strategy employed by great blue herons and other breeding heron species that nest in rookeries. Check out this fun piece on the life history of the great blue heron.
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May 1, 2023
In 1985, natural area managers faced the need to address a host of natural resource issues, including the onslaught of invasive and exotic species and damage created by deer.
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May 1, 2023
When many of us put our hunting gear away for the year we feel a twinge of sadness that the season is over. But, when hunting season is over habitat season begins. Here’s some tips for what you can do to help provide quality habitat to support wildlife.
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May 1, 2023
As we flock further into the second decade of this millennium, many programs and projects are switching to online-based features in an effort to better promote eco-friendliness, reduce wasted postage, and, more importantly, increase ease of access for constituents and data recovery. The IDNR Turkey Brood Survey is one such project.
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A message from Chief Mike McClelland
Welcome to the May 2023 edition of the online magazine OutdoorIllinois Journal, featuring timely, seasonally based stories about the Prairie State’s wildlife resources, with an expansion of content to include a broader range of subjects—including endangered and threatened species and Illinois’ unique, high-quality habitats and the people working to preserve, protect and manage these resources.
Feb 1, 2023
Clint Carter es el presidente de Midwest Fish Cooperative, un grupo de tripulaciones de pesca comercial que, en 18 meses, extrajo 8 millones de libras de carpa cabezona, plateada, herbívora y negra del río. Hoy, se une a un esfuerzo para exhibir estas cuatro especies invasoras bajo el lema “Copi” y el eslogan “Come bien. Haz el bien.”
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Feb 1, 2023
The Illinois-endangered short-eared owl is a fascinating, low-flying inhabitant of grasslands and marshes. Here two writers share their perspectives of this owl—one is a conservation ecologist researching the winter ecology of the owl and the other a lifelong student of the natural resources.
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Feb 1, 2023
The Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory at SIU-C has been working on identifying the best method for attaching GPS transmitters on beavers. Some success was found with glued-on transmitters, and the data revealed interesting facts about beaver movement.
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Feb 1, 2023
With sport fish licenses expiring annually on March 31, thoughts turn to the upcoming season and that it holds. One eagerly anticipated event is the release of the annual Illinois Fishing Information guide, which holds a wealth of information on fishing regulations and places to fish.
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Feb 1, 2023
Since introduction in the late 19th century, the ring-necked pheasant has been an important avian species in Illinois. Pheasants were introduced over much of North America but only established self-maintaining populations where grain farming was common on the landscape.
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Feb 1, 2023
Nutria are considered one of the planet’s most ecologically harmful invasive species. Since 2019, a handful of credible reports indicate that nutria are making their way northward into Illinois. The ecological damage that nutria may cause creates concern shared by natural resource managers throughout North America.
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Feb 1, 2023
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), Division of Fisheries completes fish community surveys on the small stream basins in Illinois. The data collected from these surveys has been valuable in assessing the health of our streams and has been used to upgrade the IDNR’s strategic plan.
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Feb 1, 2023
My goodness, did you hear the owls lately? Courtship time for Bubo virginianus, the great horned owl, occurs in early winter when both males and females hoot up a storm. It is an unmistakable sound—repetitive hoots that seem to be saying, “Who’s up late? Me too!” In fact, if you listen closely, you’ll even be able to tell wh-who’s who.
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Feb 1, 2023
In 2023 the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission celebrates its 60th anniversary. More than 600 sites are now protected as Illinois nature preserves and land and water reserves.
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Feb 1, 2023
Sand prairie habitats are sparse and scattered throughout a majority of the upper half of the state. Continued support by conservation and research in sand prairies could greatly improve the few left in Illinois which support many amazing species.
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Feb 1, 2023
Illinois may be known as a premier deer hunting state but there are some compelling reasons to diversify your hunting repertoire. Whether it is to increase your skills or just to spend more time outdoors, don’t look past furbearers as a new hunting possibility.
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Feb 1, 2023
Nothing beats the light and airy look of tall, distinctive grasses in a landscape arrangement. Interest is growing for incorporating native prairie grasses into landscape plantings given their inherent adaptability to our climate and their exceptional ecological value.
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Feb 1, 2023
Whether in urban Chicago or rural southern Illinois or any point in-between, encounters with wildlife may occur. Preventing problems that may occur with Illinois wildlife starts with understanding the basics of wildlife management and actions to take to avoid creating any problems.
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Feb 1, 2023
In Illinois, the continued persistence of mottled sculpins in the wild is in jeopardy. IDNR has developed a conservation management strategy, called species recovery, for evaluating a species’ status, identifying conservation actions to maintain or enhance that status, and prioritizing resources to support those actions.
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Feb 1, 2023
Ice fishing is fun but just being out on the ice and enjoying the great outdoors is special, too. Children grow up fast. Start ice fishing today with them today and this fun activity may continue throughout their lifetime, and be handed down to the future generation.
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Feb 1, 2023
Throughout the years, a few groups of fish—namely carp, buffalo and catfish—have accounted for the majority of harvest. While harvest of native fish, such as buffalo and channel catfish, has remained stable, carp harvest has increased and shifted from common carp to Asian carp.
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Feb 1, 2023
Licensed Illinois deer hunters with permits allowing for participation in the January 2023 Late Winter and CWD seasons had the opportunity to be among the first to hunt with single-shot rifles and ammunition. On January 1, 2023, Illinois joined other midwestern states (Ohio, Indiana, Iowa and Michigan) in allowing straight-wall rifles for deer hunting.
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Feb 1, 2023
Turkey-hunting season is approaching in Illinois, and there are many important factors to consider when preparing. An often-overlooked concern is the presence of ticks in Illinois woods. Many of the areas where wild turkeys are found contain ticks, which can transmit a variety of diseases.
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Feb 1, 2023
Planning hunts on public hunt sites can be tricky for resident and nonresident hunters who do not have the information needed on where and when to hunt. The beginning step for any hunter, no matter their experience hunting public sites, is to visit HuntIllinois.
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Feb 1, 2023
With about 97 percent of Illinois under private ownership, it quickly becomes apparent that wildlife management on private lands is critical to the long-term survival of wildlife. The decisions of private landowners to share the land (or not) with a diverse array of species plays a large role in which species survive, which thrive, and which could even become extinct.
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Feb 1, 2023
Why sit in a tree stand layered in oversized clothes, or schlep through mud and ice on your day off school? The initial answers from youth may range from a hesitant “My dad signed me up to do this” to “I wanted to try hunting.” By the end of the day of their first hunt, most participants have a definitive answer: because hunting is fun!
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Feb 1, 2023
Less than 600 acres of hill prairie remain in Illinois, making this one of the rarest habitats in the state. A group of private non-profit organizations have teamed up with Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to bring attention and resources to hill prairie restoration through the Illinois Hill Prairie Partnership.
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Feb 1, 2023
Siloam Springs State Park is the perfect place to visit for those who want to explore the Western Forest-Prairie Natural Division. Within the park, visitors can explore the remnant oak-hickory forests, open woodlands, savannas and prairies present in the dissected glacial till plain of the Division.
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Feb 1, 2023
Along the Illinois River Valley in west-central Illinois, a continuum of prairie and woodland habits once spanned the landscape. Today the Western Forest-Prairie Natural Division is known for several remnant natural communities.
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Feb 1, 2023
Sauger and walleye produced at the LaSalle Fish Hatchery supplement existing fish populations where poor recruitment has occurred, establish and maintain sport fisheries in the public waters of Illinois and increase successful angling opportunities throughout the state.
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