May 4, 2022
When considering the effects of predators on their environment, the first thing that comes to mind is that predators kill prey through hunting. However, reality is more complex.
MoreMay 2, 2022
The first case of Avian Flu in a wild bird was found in Illinois in March 2022. Since that time, wild bird mortality from HPAI has been confirmed in Champaign, Fulton, Sangamon, Will, and more recently Cook Counties.
MoreMay 2, 2022
Hidden within the substrate of streams, rivers, and lakes, freshwater mussels are easy to miss. They go about their business without much notice from humans. But their contributions to the ecosystem and their utility as biological indicators of water quality are under appreciated.
MoreMay 2, 2022
Ducks Unlimited was recently awarded a $1 million North American Wetlands Conservation Act grant to protect, restore, and enhance 1,668 acres of wetlands and uplands on public and private lands across northwestern Illinois.
MoreMay 2, 2022
Four Pontiac Township High School students join the 24-member Illinois Thirty-by-Thirty Conservation Task Force to help plan how to best to achieve conserving 30 percent of our lands and waters by 2030.
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A message from Chief Ann Holtrop
Welcome to the May 2022 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 3, 2022
Patrick McDonald, Wildlife Biometrician for the Forest Wildlife Program with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, sits down with us to talk about osprey in Illinois. Listen in to learn about the osprey conservation efforts, the hacking process, and more.
MoreFeb 1, 2022
Regenerative agriculture may be a new term but the central theme—the use of cover crops—isn’t. Dating back more than 10,000 years, cover crops were used by farmers in ancient China, India and Italy.
MoreFeb 1, 2022
If you’ve ever spent much time around naturalists, you’ve likely noticed that they tend to live in a world all their own. It’s a place where time stops when a rare bird flies overhead, or an unusual insect lands on a sleeve. Conversations proceed in hushed tones and, I swear, in a different language.
MoreFeb 1, 2022
Grassy strips between an agricultural field and a woodland edge provide food, cover and shelter for a host of organisms, and are beneficial in reducing soil erosion and improving water quality by trapping sediments and nutrients. Such habitat buffers exists as a result of a Conservation Reserve Program practice known as a CP33.
MoreFeb 1, 2022
The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, born in a time of crisis for wildlife, is a system of policies and laws that protect and sustain wildlife populations. Everything the IDNR Wildlife Division does or recommends is guided by these seven principals.
MoreFeb 1, 2022
Even though he didn’t pull the trigger or fill a tag, this was a hunt to be cherished and remembered for years to come. The author, Dan Stephens, shares an exciting and inspiring moment as a mentor to a new hunter.
MoreFeb 1, 2022
Keeping up with cutting-edge wildlife research, as well as changes in state and national wildlife-oriented programs and legislation, can be a daunting task. Here we briefly summarize some of the current, key work.
MoreFeb 1, 2022
Do you have an interest in deer management in Illinois? There are two new tools available which allow you to query recent deer harvest data and track deer statistics. Find the new tools on the White-tailed Deer Illinois and Hunt Illinois websites.
MoreFeb 1, 2022
Grackles are one of the species of birds that we all collectively call blackbirds. But when you look more closely, there are several different “blackbird” species, with grackles being the most “colorful.” Black doesn’t begin to describe these fascinating creatures.
MoreFeb 1, 2022
Many people view the American robin as a sign of spring but—confoundingly—it pops up throughout Illinois all winter long. Perhaps a truer prediction that our seasons are changing are redheads.
MoreFeb 1, 2022
Spring is right around the corner, and that means it’s almost time to match wits with Illinois longbeards. Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Wild Turkey Project Manager Luke Garver provides insights into the spring 2022 turkey hunting seasons.
MoreFeb 1, 2022
What is the status of large carnivores —cougars, gray wolves and black bears—in Illinois? Despite several confirmed sightings of these species during the past decade, there is no strong evidence of breeding populations. And research shows little suitable, contiguous habitat exists in the Prairie State to support a breeding population of any of these animals.
MoreFeb 1, 2022
Long before the first blush of springtime green covers the land, before the first of the male red-winged blackbirds arrive to claim their stake, it is the musky smell of the striped skunk that announces that spring is on its way.
MoreFeb 1, 2022
The presence of numerous small refuges from hunting scattered throughout the landscape, and the reluctance of some hunters to kill female white-tailed deer, has allowed many Illinois does to survive well past the prime reproductive ages.
MoreFeb 1, 2022
Far back into antiquity, owls have been shrouded with superstition. The sound of an owl often portended dire events. The call or hoot of an owl in early spring can, however, be taken much differently as it is certain that such sounds foretell the onset of the annual breeding season and procreation of owls that will continue to inhabit our forests, fields, skies and waterways.
MoreFeb 1, 2022
Nestled in the soaring bluffs along the Great Scenic Byway, Palisades Nature Preserve was made possible through the hard work and cooperation of multiple organizations. Within these bluffs, remnant hill prairies and significant species are protected.
MoreFeb 1, 2022
Within this awe-inspiring natural division, one is immediately struck by the defining limestone bluffs stretching from the edge of the floodplain ever upwards towards the sky. Worn by wind and water they are studies in cliffs, crags and patterns that invite the imagination to wander.
MoreFeb 1, 2022
It only takes a few years for willows and cottonwoods to take over a wetland and reduce duck food and pollinator habitat. To help fight back against woody succession, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Ducks Unlimited have been grinding out woody vegetation.
MoreFeb 1, 2022
Migrating species remind us that the Natural World extends far beyond our backyards and other nearby habitats. From the treetops a diverse assembly of warblers proclaim these messages about this greater biodiversity.
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