OutdoorIllinois Journal Newsletter

May 2026 Issue


Five Canada geese fly in low at sunrise.

Living with Wildlife: Canada Geese

They’re known for pooping all over walkways, hissing at people and causing crop damage. Canada geese are just going about the daily business of survival, but often end up on the nuisance wildlife list. Read on for tips on coexisting with these handsome birds.

Wildlife


An adult male wild turkey with his tail feathers fanned and feathers puffed in full mating display.

Mentoring New Hunters Opens the Doorway to a Lifelong Journey

Dan Stephens, Program Manager for the Illinois Learn to Hunt program, recounts mornings in a spring turkey hunting blind with a new hunter. Despite leaving with an unfilled tag, the experience was unforgettable for both the mentee and mentor.

Recreation | Hunting | Turkey


Two young boys stand together on the bank of a freshwater lake. One of the boys holds up a fishing rod and reel. In the background are a group of children and adults fishing.

Youth Fishing in the Shawnee

As the days grow longer and warmer, school children grow restless for summer break. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Fisheries prepares its seasonal workers for summer Urban and Community Fishing Programs. The program has inspired generations of young Illinoisans to explore the natural resources of our Prairie State.

Recreation | Fisheries Pick | Fishing | Places to Visit


Three young boys and men in the background watch as a woman teaches all how to clean a fish for the table. In the background is a sun dappled lawn with trees and a parking lot.

Gar in Illinois: The misunderstood native “dinosaur” fish

Let’s celebrate gar not as “trash fish,” but as treasured natives — remarkable, misunderstood and undeniably Illinois residents. Three species of gar occur commonly in Illinois waters and provide a firm, clean white meat that has become the perfect fish-fry tradition.

Aquatic Organisms | Fish | Fishing


An orange and black butterfly nectars on clusters of orange flowers. The butterfly and flowers are surrounded by green lush vegetation.

A Decade for the Monarch Butterfly: How Illinois has rallied to restore a species in flight

The monarch butterfly has been a familiar sight drifting across Illinois fields, prairies, and backyards, but in recent decades it has experienced significant population declines. In response, the Illinois Monarch Project was formed in 2016 and set a goal of adding 150 million milkweed stems by 2038. A new evaluation of 10 years of voluntary conservation efforts shows that Illinois is over two-thirds of the way toward its goal.

Wildlife | Habitat Management or Enhancement | Insects | Monarch | Natural Heritage Pick


A view from a hill prairie overlooking agricultural fields. Pink flowers are interspersed throughout the prairie.

Protecting Insects Preserves Prairie Ecosystems

Small and often silent, insects are frequently overlooked by casual visitors to a prairie ecosystem. When scientists with a passion for insects visit a prairie, however, they’re tabulating what species they find, how many of each are present and what plants they associate with. Decades of this information was reviewed by the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board in resulting in the 2025 addition of several prairie insects to the endangered and threatened species list.

Wildlife | Endangered and Threatened Species | Insects | Prairie or Grassland