Chief’s Letter

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), established in June 1925 as the Illinois Department of Conservation, is celebrating a century of conserving and protecting the state’s natural resources and providing related services to the people of Illinois. This edition of OutdoorIllinois Journal includes an article by Director Natalie Phelps Finnie on her introduction to the concepts of conservation as a child growing up in southern Illinois. Delving into the Game and Fish Codes of Illinois 1925-1926 booklet provided two interesting stories on what has changed—and not changed—in 100 years of hunting, fishing and trapping in Illinois. Two additional articles lay out a history of conservation in Illinois over the past century.

Spring weather turns the attention of outdoor enthusiasts toward a range of activities—from tallying a list of spring migratory birds sighted to woodland walks in search of morels. And fishing. A great activity to get youth outdoors and away from electronic devices this summer is to introduce them to bluegill fishing. In this edition of OutdoorIllinois Journal you’ll find a story chock-full of tips on how to introduce youth to bluegill fishing. If crappie fishing piques your interest, be sure to access the spring crappie fishing story for tips on where to fish and what lures you may find successful. A great way to kick-start an interest in fishing is to attend a community fishing event, such as the annual Two Rivers Family Fishing Fair at Pere Marquette State Park that you can learn about in Gretchen Steele’s article.

If you’re looking for a more challenging angling opportunity, be sure your reading list includes the story “The Fascinating Journey of Coho Salmon in the Great Lakes.” Regardless of the type of angling in your future, make sure you check out our article on the 2025 Illinois Fishing Information Guide which highlights changes in regulations and identifies numerous family-friendly fishing locations.

The spring wild turkey hunting season is drawing to a close and many people are now planning their fall turkey hunts. If you’re wondering how turkey hunting changes with the seasons, be sure to read the story by Wes Littlefield on tips and techniques for beginners.

Another story covers IDNR’s announcement that chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been detected in deer in Putnam, Marshall, Adams and Peoria counties. CWD is an always-fatal neurological disease that affects the long-term health of white-tailed deer. First documented in Illinois in 2002, the February 2025 detections represent the farthest south the disease has been confirmed.

It isn’t often you hear a family member announce “there’s a bat in the house” but if you do, what should you do? Check out Laura Kammin’s story in OutdoorIllinois Journal to learn about the 13 species of bats that occur in Illinois and how, and when, you can safely remove bats from your home. Perhaps more importantly, you’ll also learn how you can keep bats from returning to the dark recesses of your home.

There’s even more for you in this edition of OutdoorIllinois Journal. Look for the article providing tips for how you can help migrating birds and another feature on a tiny native songbird with a colorful crown, the kinglet. You can learn about FrogWatch and RiverWatch and the work of biologists to track the federally endangered piping plover. Muskrats and armadillos are two species featured in articles this quarter. Interested in more stories related to fishing? Check out articles on a study to track bass movements in Chicago, the coho salmon production process and the work of organizations to manage the Lake Michigan fishery. That’s just the beginning of the storylines you can discover in this edition of OutdoorIllinois Journal.

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, the Illinois Wildlife Preservation Fund and the Fish Management Fund. 

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