Nov 1, 2024
What should you do when an Illinois Conservation Police Officer checks you in the field? Many factors come into play when a field check is performed. This article provides a few suggestions for a basic standard check.
MoreNov 1, 2024
Many people are familiar with the saying that pertains to the real estate business: “The First Rule in real estate is Location, Location, Location!” That same axiom might be properly applied to trapping, as well. This article highlights some elements that help trappers decide where to make a set and how those decisions can change with changing circumstances.
MoreNov 1, 2024
A hard-working, collaborative team of volunteers and staff are embarking on a pioneering restoration at Volo Bog State Natural Area, Illinois’ only open-water bog. Sphagnum mosses, pitcher plants, calla lilies, orchids – along with countless rare fungi, spiders, butterflies, and other creatures adapted to this remarkable habitat – may depend on this effort to recreate a natural balance where invasive species have taken over.
MoreNov 1, 2024
On a cool summer morning, the author visits Pete Fandel’s farm to learn more about soil. It becomes clear to the author that Fandel’s healthy soil is affecting more than his bottom line. Read on to learn more about the impact of healthy soil on the environment.
MoreAug 1, 2024
Ahora en très idiomas!
Teraz w trzech językach!
If you are fluent in English, Spanish and Polish, please forgive the title duplication but we can’t help but be excited about the internationalization of OutdoorIllinois Journal and having articles available for a multitude of readers. With approximately 1.7 million Spanish speakers and 185,000 Polish speakers in Illinois, this initiative ensures that a significant portion of our population can fully engage with and appreciate our natural resources.
MoreAug 1, 2024
It is State Fair season (August 8-18, 2024) and one of the popular exhibits at Conservation World, located on the northwest corner of the Illinois State Fairgrounds, is the Fisheries tent. Back by popular demand will be a variety of fish exhibits and hands-on fishing opportunities. New this year will be two days with early opening hours to allow sensory-minded interactions, a display on the sea lamprey and a series of banners highlighting record catches of sportfish in Illinois.
MoreAug 1, 2024
Volunteers truly are the lifeblood of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Safety Education Program. Check out this article to learn about some of the volunteers recently recognized for their commitment to providing quality hunting, trapping, boating and snowmobiling education programs to the youth of Illinois.
MoreAug 1, 2024
One Lake County homeowner was partly inspired to convert her 1.2-acre yard into one brimming with native plants by visiting natural areas. She has gradually come to feel that she is a steward of the land and is proud that she can contribute to the ecological health of the land and of the flora and the fauna living there. Take a virtual tour of this landscape and learn how anyone, no matter the size of their yard is, can create a colorful and beneficial landscape.
MoreAug 1, 2024
Do rural coyotes travel farther distances than urban coyotes? Do male or female coyotes cover more area? Where do coyotes spend most of their time? Explore data from GPS-collared coyotes in Illinois with the Coyote Track website to find answers to these questions and many more.
MoreAug 1, 2024
After a recent workshop on Aquatic Invasive Species, Illinois Conservation Police Officers are now also functioning as “force multipliers,” aiding in the detection of exotic crayfish, plants and fishes that threaten the health of Illinois’ native aquatic ecosystems.
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A message from Chief Mike McClelland
Welcome to the November 2024 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.
