Chief’s Letter

At this time of year many people break out their fishing equipment and hit the water. We kick off the May 2026 edition of OutdoorIllinois Journal with a first-hand account about the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ fish hatchery system and the production process for rearing largemouth bass. Stocking represents months of careful planning and hard work by hatchery staff and fisheries biologists. Ultimately, the purchase of your annual fishing license means that you may experience the tug on your line of a lunker largemouth bass, or one of the approximately 22 million other fish annually produced at an Illinois hatchery and stocked in Illinois waters.

Inspiring youngsters to embrace angling as a lifetime sport is one goal of the Division of Fisheries and we’ve got a team of staff and seasonal Conservation Education Representatives (CER) providing fishing clinics through our Urban and Community Fishing Program. Two CER’s are recognized in this issue of the Journal for their continued service: Ethan Stephenson for programs offered across southern Illinois and Eliah Perez for sharing his love of fishing with youth in central Illinois and beyond. And as a reminder, Illinois’ annual Illinois Free Fishing Days will take place June 19-22, 2026. We invite new anglers, women, families and youngsters to go fishing that weekend, even if they have not purchased a fishing license.

The 100% Great Lakes Fish Initiative was featured in an earlier edition of the Journal but there’s great news to share! A follow-up article here talks about the work under way to ensure that every fish caught, raised or processed is used as fully and productively as possible. Another article shares the notable news about the work of state and federal agricultural, environmental and public health agencies that has led to diminished levels of pesticides in today’s sediments and fish.

Also check out the story celebrating gar, a treasured native fish often misunderstood but an excellent addition to the dinner table. Stories on the selection of the correct line and rope, and which knot is best for your situation, will prove handy in advance of a summer outdoors.

Summer is a celebration of insects, and we’ve got plenty for the avid entomologist to read. First off is an article about Illinois’s state insect, the monarch butterfly, and provides a recap of the first 10 years of the Illinois Monarch Project. This partnership effort has resulted in the addition of more than a million milkweed stems across the Prairie State. Then check out the article on the Urban Butterfly Initiative, a program in east-central Illinois that promotes the creation of pollinator-friendly urban green spaces. You’ll also find an article about the state and federally endangered Karner blue butterfly, which unfortunately has not been seen in Illinois since 1992. For insects commonly seen over prairies and aquatic habitats, read about dragonflies and damselflies.

There’s even more on the topic of insects with an article on the addition of several prairie insects to the Illinois endangered and threatened species list. Featured in that piece are some of the people whose field work helped make those protections possible.

Other stories in this edition offer you the opportunity to plan future outings to explore the nature of Illinois. Learn about giant cane and where it naturally occurs in southern Illinois, then discover the cave ecosystem in southwest Illinois and transition to a story that illustrates how birding helps build communities.

Between May and July nature’s seasonal events (see Nature’s Seasonal Events: May-July) revolve around migration, insect emergences, nesting and spawning. Many of these annual events take place in shallow wetlands. Check out two stories we have prepared that showcase how landowners are working with partner organizations to recreate wetlands. Prominent among wildlife observations in the spring and early summer are two species that can become problematic in some situations: urban Canada geese and coyotes. Learn what you can do to handle situations if these species become challenging.

On the research front are three stories explaining how trail cameras are helping scientists understand the distribution, abundance and life cycles of wildlife. Another article summarizes work that has been undertaken to learn if the fetal growth of fawns is impacted when a white-tailed deer doe has chronic wasting disease.

There’s even more for you in this edition of OutdoorIllinois Journal that will help you learn about the nature of Illinois.

OutdoorIllinois Journal is a collaborative effort led by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Divisions of Wildlife Resources, Natural Heritage and Fisheries, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration and the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center. Funding for OutdoorIllinois Journal was made available through Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Project W-147-T and the Fish Management Fund. 

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