OutdoorIllinois Journal's May issue featured many fantastic articles about timely, natural resource-based topics. While our team works to curate our August issue, you can still find great information on the wildlife around you this spring. Here are six more stories from the current edition you don't want to miss!
Take a look back in time with a feature on the Illinois Department of Natural Resources' Division of Fisheries! Not only have the costs of fishing licenses changed over time, but the species outlined for protection might also surprise you. However, one thing remains the same-- fishing regulations are set to help bolster native species to further improve opportunities for Illinois anglers.
Learn about one of the most unpredictable challenges to reestablishing piping plover- the weather. These small feathered friends make their nests along the shoreline of lakes and oceans, typically above high tide levels. However, in June of 2024, with storms threatening the shores of Lake Michigan that these birds inhabit, biologists working with the Great Lakes Piping Plover Conservation Team undertook unusual efforts to save a nest.
Conservation efforts require time, money, and the efforts of countless individuals. But one lesser-known requirement is the purchase of sportsmen and women for equipment. Under the Pittman-Robertson (PR) and Dingle-Johnson (DJ) Acts, a percentage of those purchases is returned to Illinois for the implementation of conservation projects. To learn more about the projects that PR and DJ money have funded throughout the state, read more in the article below.
If you're looking for a fun outdoor activity for the family this summer, perhaps bluegill fishing is a great start! Fishing is a great way to teach things like patience and focus while also making memories that will last a lifetime. And what's more rewarding than spending a day catching fish only to learn how to clean and cook your catch?
Oftentimes, confusion arises between an animal's colloquial name and their actual species name. Sometimes the name assigned has little to do with the animal's actual habits. For example, the woodchuck. Does a woodchuck actually chuck wood? No, they have little interaction with wood compared to a beaver or muskrat. Then, how has such a term become attributed to them? Learn more about how common names like the woodchuck came to be and how you can correctly identify species that are often misidentified.
Trapping is a time-honored tradition, especially in Illinois, where our history is deeply intertwined with the fur trade. Today, trapping serves as a means to control populations of animals that no longer have natural predators and often cause damage to crops, homes, and/or property. Learn more about how Conservation Police Officers and Wildlife Biologists team up to teach a course on trapping, focusing on the best practices and ways to stay vigilant about safety and ethical take.
2025 is a year of celebrating nature in Illinois, with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources commemorating 100 years as a state agency dedicated to conservation. OutdoorIllinois Journal will be featuring articles throughout the upcoming year to highlight the ongoing work of the agency and all of the, perhaps overlooked, achievements of its 100-year corporality.
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