Baby, It’s Cold Outside! The February 2024 issue of
OutdoorIllinois Journal covers an array of stories about connecting with nature during the winter. While we are bundled up warm inside, wildlife use a variety of adaptations to cope with the winter conditions. Not to be outdone, the color scheme that a fish expresses is far more than just eye candy to the devout angler, but an integral component of a fish’s ability to navigate life in a harsh aquatic ecosystem.
Speaking of fish, this issue is packed with stories for anglers. The new 2024 fishing regulations are out. Beyond using fish filets, the 100% Fish effort is looking at the commercial viability of fish leather, collagen, meal, oil and protein hydrolystates. We’ve got stories about ice fishing safety, prime time fly tying season, a fishing day on Lake Springfield, and more.
For the hunters, we’ve got new information about the spring season. There are indications that Illinois wild turkey populations are on an upward trend and two emergences of periodical cicada broods in 2024 will provide rich foods for turkey poults during the reproductive season. And waterfowl hunters won’t want to miss the story about improving duck ID using GISS.
Other stories in the February issue include tick-bite induced food allergies, love affairs with owls, differentiating deer diseases, conserving a wet prairie species of snake, the population growth of “light geese,” and bringing back beneficial insects. You won’t want to miss the Meet the Staff articles introducing new staff in the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Division of Wildlife. In this issue we also cover the invasive spotted lanternfly and efforts that the IDNR is making for a brighter, greener future with their Climate Action Plan. Ready to start reading? We begin with a story of elk #357, the first documented wild elk in Illinois in more than 150 years.
