Illinois Department of Natural 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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A message from Chief Ann Holtrop
Welcome to the February 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.
Nov 30, 2022
La pesca es un pasatiempo que une a las familias, ya que es una actividad que puede crear recuerdos e historias que perdurarán a lo largo de los años. Es sorprendente que una actividad que es relativamente baja en cantidad de tiempo y costo monetario pueda crear una experiencia que permitirá que amigos y familiares de varias generaciones se reúnan y pasen tiempo de calidad juntos. Siga leyendo para obtener consejos que le ayudarán a pescar libre de estrés.
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Nov 17, 2022
Ubicada a lo largo de la línea estatal de Illinois e Indiana en el extremo sur de Chicago, el Área Recreativa Estatal de 631 acres William W. Powers, normalmente atrae a pescadores y cazadores de aves acuáticas que utilizan Wolf Lake, y es un destino para salidas familiares y picnics. Además, el sitio hizo historia en el otoño de 2022 cuando acogió un programa de caza de ciervos con tiro con arco, lo que resultó en el primer ciervo de cola blanca cazado en Chicago en más de 150 años.
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Nov 1, 2022
Located on the far south side of Chicago, the William W. Powers State Recreation Area typically attracts anglers and waterfowl hunters utilizing Wolf Lake, and is a destination for family outings. But history was made in the fall of 2022 when the site hosted an archery deer hunting program—resulting in the first white-tailed deer harvested in Chicago in more than 150 years.
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Nov 1, 2022
The excitement of the harvest remains fresh in your mind, and you are anxious to snap a photo to help you recount the experience for years to come. Smartphones and tablets make quick work of taking photos of your harvest. But are those photos suitable for sharing with friends, family, or even a wider audience on social media?
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Nov 1, 2022
The thought of introducing muskie into Illinois’ lakes began in the early 1980s when muskie fishing enthusiasts vacationing in the Northwoods began talking to administrators and Fisheries Biologists from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources about introducing muskies. The Fox Chain O’ Lakes (Chain), in Lake and McHenry counties was one of the first stocking locations chosen.
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Nov 1, 2022
Besides a comprehensive understanding of furbearers, lures and baits are the most common strategy trappers use to try to increase their odds of success. Folks might be wondering what’s the difference between the two. Read on to learn more.
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Nov 1, 2022
A la gente le gusta ayudar, especialmente cuando se trata de vida silvestre joven, pero también es muy probable que la ayuda humana sea perjudicial en lugar de útil. El truco es saber cuándo y cómo ayudar adecuadamente a la vida silvestre joven y cuándo dejar que la naturaleza siga su curso.
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Nov 1, 2022
Con el invierno cada vez más cerca y la disminución de los suministros de alimentos en sus zonas de reproducción en el norte del Ártico, más de 350 especies de aves en América del Norte están migrando hacia el sur, hacia sus zonas de invierno. Algunos viajarán distancias cortas desde sus casas de verano; otros volarán miles de millas.
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Nov 1, 2022
Illinois, known for its vast prairies, fertile soils and diverse species, can add one more distinction to this ever-growing list—cranes. Once a rarity, large flocks of sandhill cranes (Antigone canadensis) can be found in northern Illinois year-round, and whooping cranes (Grus americana) are seasonal migrants and occasional wintering residents of Illinois.
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Nov 1, 2022
Plant natives! That’s a cardinal rule, and excellent advice almost all of the time. However, to every axiom there are exceptions. Planting native conifers for windbreaks can become problematic in some situations.
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Nov 1, 2022
With winter pressing closer and food supplies dwindling on their breeding grounds in the Arctic north, over 350 species of birds in North America are migrating south toward their winter grounds. Some will travel short distances from their summer homes; others will fly thousands of miles.
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Nov 1, 2022
The recent International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) designation of the monarch as “endangered” sparked misunderstandings. The IUCN and the U.S. Federal Endangered Species List both include a designation of “endangered,” but each means something different. Learn about these differences here.
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Nov 1, 2022
By August 1 each year—when the new hunting and trapping licenses take effect—the latest version of the Illinois Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations is available. What few people know is that developing each Digest is a year-long process for IDNR staff.
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Nov 1, 2022
Aldo Leopold wrote “To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering.” That principle holds particularly true when it comes to wildlife management. Supporting biodiversity is critical for functional ecosystems and a healthy planet. How we choose to coexist with wildlife, or not, is based on our value systems and closely tied to our sense of place.
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Nov 1, 2022
Invasive species problems can be complex and involve many different stakeholders. Fortunately, there is lots of great work under way in Illinois to combat invasive species. Even with the extensive amount of work happening, some approaches to managing invasive species are best tackled in cooperation and at a large scale.
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Nov 1, 2022
Interested in restoring wetlands and/or creating a duck hole on your property, but not sure if it’s possible? Each year, the USFWS Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and associated agency and conservation partners field many inquiries from landowners interested in building wetlands. We have the tools to help!
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Nov 1, 2022
Rut is trigged by photoperiod, or the amount of daylight available in a given day that triggers testosterone levels to increase in white-tailed bucks. This results in a rut that is similarly timed each year and offers hunters the opportunity to experience one of the greatest periods in midwestern outdoors.
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Nov 1, 2022
Little did the author know what she’d find on her early morning kayaking trip. The 5 a.m. wake-up call encouraged by her father “to see the cool stuff” did not disappoint. Read on to learn what she discovered on her paddle around the lake.
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Nov 1, 2022
Channel catfish are one of the most highly sought-after fish species in Illinois. Many smaller water bodies lack substantial reproduction and require periodic supplemental stockings by fish hatcheries to sustain a fishable population.
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Nov 1, 2022
For 27 years, Brenda McKinney has worked for the Illinois Urban Fishing Program, teaching Chicago-area youth the meaning of being an ethical angler.
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Nov 1, 2022
As the days get shorter and the temperatures cooler, the wildlife management professionals of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) find ourselves preparing for our 21st consecutive season of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) management. The approach we use to manage the disease consists of two elements: surveillance and management.
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Nov 1, 2022
At the lake of Sam Parr State Fish and Wildlife Area, near Newton, on September 15th and 16th, crappie were being targeted for study. Targeted surveys may provide fisheries managers with information on the success of stocking efforts and help determine management strategies.
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Nov 1, 2022
Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Project Manager Wade Louis provides an overview of upland game populations with a look toward the 2022–23 hunting season.
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Nov 1, 2022
Ready for waterfowl hunting season? Check out the insights gathered on habitat and populations of waterfowl by IDNR Division of Wildlife Resources Waterfowl Project Manager Dan Holm and Urban Waterfowl Project Manager Ben Williams.
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Nov 1, 2022
Miriam Schlessinger is captivated with exploring the relationship between infectious disease and wildlife ecology, especially since it sits at the intersection of many scientific fields. The Summer Research Opportunities Program allowed her delve further into her research interests.
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Nov 1, 2022
COVID-19 mandates suspended the operation of fishing industries in coastal communities around the country and the Great Lakes. Thanks to the CARES Act, the Illinois charter fishing industry, significantly impacted by the recent pandemic, has been revitalized.
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Nov 1, 2022
Black vultures’ adaptable nature and increasing populations contribute to numerous conflicts between vultures and people in agricultural settings, as well as suburban and urban areas. USDA Wildlife Services and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources work to help resolve such conflicts.
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Nov 1, 2022
Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Deer Project Manager Peter Schlichting provides insights into the hunting forecasts for the 2022–2023 white-tailed deer hunting season.
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Nov 1, 2022
Named for pioneer physician Dr. William Blanding (1773-1857), who discovered it in the Fox River region in the 1830s, Blanding’s turtles have an upturned mouth and seemingly smiling expression. Until recently there hasn’t been much to smile about regarding this state-endangered reptile.
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Nov 1, 2022
The Green River Lowland is what we believe the landscape looked like thousands of years ago, and how forces of nature formed a diverse mosaic of habitats. This area covers parts of Bureau, Henry, Lee and Whiteside counties in Illinois was created by glacial retreat some 19,000 years ago.
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Nov 1, 2022
It is said that the late Ernest Thompson Seton (naturalist, author, wildlife artist, and one of the founding pioneers of the Boy Scouts of America), once described the skunk as the “emblem of America.” And when you think about it that statement is so true.
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