![A link the Living with White-tailed Deer web site with advertisements for its three sections: ecology, management, and history.](/images/wtdi/wtdi-gem.jpeg)
Feb 3, 2025
On the timescale of nature, the passing of 100 years seems almost unimportant. But, the formation of the Illinois Department of Conservation, later to become the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, came at a time when coordinated action was needed to restore wildlife populations and manage those resources for the future.
MoreFeb 3, 2025
After the deer hunting season has ended many passionate sportsmen and sportswomen continue the adventure outdoors in search of the ever-elusive antler shed. A successful shed hunter has to consider a few things: when, where and how to hunt.
MoreFeb 3, 2025
On a visit to a state park, the author and her companions found a pond that usually held water was dry. Scrambling down the bank, they employed their detective skills to explore the dry pond bed, discovering natural history evidence of life in an aquatic habitat.
MoreFeb 3, 2025
Based on eDNA information, a team of researchers donned waders and wetsuit gear to search under slab habitats in the Sangamon River. Encountering hidden catfish, crayfish and mudpuppies, they also located the first salamander mussels encountered in more than a century. Their uncommon dedication reminds us that species thought to have been long lost can be found again.
MoreFeb 3, 2025
As a federally endangered species, piping plovers have a host of wildlife agencies and volunteers looking out for them. Illinois fans nervously await the plovers’ migratory return each spring. Fortunately, dedicated birders watch for the plovers throughout their migratory routes and on their wintering grounds.
MoreNov 1, 2024
Ciężko pracujący, współpracujący zespół wolontariuszy i pracowników podejmuje pionierską restaurację na terenie Volo Bog State Natural Area, jedynego torfowiska z otwartą wodą w Illinois. Mchy torfowce, dzbaneczniki, kalie, storczyki – wraz z niezliczonymi rzadkimi grzybami, pająkami, motylami i innymi organizmami przystosowanymi do tego niezwykłego siedliska – mogą zależeć od tych działań, mających na celu przywrócenie naturalnej równowagi tam, gdzie opanowały je gatunki inwazyjne.
Nov 1, 2024
Chicago No Limits Fishing organizuje wyprawę wędkarską dla członków Vaughan Chapter Paralyzed Veterans of America, działającego przy szpitalu Hines VA w Maywood. Odrobina zachęty i integracyjne środowisko wystarczyły, aby otworzyć ekscytujący świat wędkarstwa i żeglarstwa dla uczestników.
Nov 1, 2024
Populacja wschodnich motyli monarchów osiągnęła historycznie niskie liczby od połowy lat 90. XX wieku. Zmiany klimatyczne, praktyki użytkowania gruntów i przekształcanie łąk są głównymi czynnikami, które zmniejszyły dostępne siedliska na tym obszarze. W odpowiedzi mieszkańcy Illinois współpracują z ludźmi z całej Ameryki Północnej, aby pomóc odwrócić te niekorzystne trendy.
Nov 1, 2024
Lauren Dean, która została wprowadzona w świat polowań jako dziecko, dziś poluje nie tylko dla satysfakcji z pozyskiwania własnego mięsa, ale także po to, by spędzać czas w lesie z mężem i psem oraz doświadczać niezwykłych momentów w naturze. Nowa w Illinois, swoje sukcesy w nauce przepisów i znajdowaniu miejsc do polowań przypisuje programowi Illinois Learn to Hunt.
Nov 1, 2024
Podobnie jak wiele innych stanów, Illinois zmaga się z problemem gatunków inwazyjnych, a jednym z nich, budzącym szczególne zaniepokojenie, jest czarny karp. Ten ryba dennożerna jest żarłocznym drapieżnikiem małży, stanowiąc poważne zagrożenie dla rodzimych populacji małży oraz dla przemysłu rybackiego. Dowiedz się, jak agencje stanowe i federalne pracują nad rozwiązaniem problemu czarnego karpia w Illinois oraz w innych częściach dorzecza rzeki Missisipi.
Nov 1, 2024
It’s that time of year again—cold and dreary and a great time to search for American bald eagles. The Fulton-Mason Eagle Day is a popular winter event for all ages that celebrates the American bald eagle and wildlife in general. Make plans to attend the February 1, 2025 event to participate in the hands-on activities and wildlife viewing opportunities at multiple locations in Fulton and Mason counties.
Nov 1, 2024
Hunting participation in the United States has declined over the past several decades. A special youth waterfowl hunting season to reverse, or at least mitigate, declines in hunting participation started in 1996. After 27 years an important question remains: has the youth waterfowl hunting season had an impact on youth hunting participation in Illinois?
Nov 1, 2024
According to the American Sportfishing Association, more than 24 million people annually participate in bass fishing. In 2009, the Illinois High School Association included bass fishing as a competitive team sport, with 324 Illinois high schools participating in the 2024 spring season. In addition to the school-sanctioned events, competitive tournament trails have been created to provide youth anglers with opportunities to fish all year long.
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.
Nov 1, 2024
When you are in the deer stand during archery deer season and the deer aren’t present you have time to watch wildlife from a new perspective. Join author Tom Hintz as he recounts his first-ever archery hunt and enjoying the moment with black-capped chickadees.
Nov 1, 2024
The osprey was listed as a state-endangered species in Illinois in 1997. It struggled to thrive following years of habitat loss and the degradation of waterways essential to their food source and nest site selection. In 2012, Illinois Department of Natural Resources biologists Patrick McDonald and Joe Kath designed a program to give osprey a boost in building a self-sustaining breeding population in Illinois.
Nov 1, 2024
Chinook and coho salmon migrate to the Lake Michigan shorelines each fall looking for a place to spawn, signaling the onset of the Illinois snagging season. More than just an opportunity to land a large fish, for many anglers this unique approach to fishing is a cultural event.
Nov 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.
Nov 1, 2024
Even though muskrat harvest has declined, and their populations are lower today, there are still plenty of muskrats in Illinois. Grab some binoculars and perhaps a camera and get out and learn first-hand about muskrats and how these interesting animals utilize wetland habitats.
Nov 1, 2024
An acorn fallen on a lawn doth not a mighty oak make. It was that fact that made me gather acorns and move them elsewhere. As I did so, I discovered that other creatures did likewise.
Nov 1, 2024
The Bats in Small Cities Project was organized to learn how urban bat ecology relates to the context of the city, specifically to learn how bats respond to their environment in a city with lots of tree cover versus one with little tree cover. Check out the findings here.
Nov 1, 2024
Several lines of evidence demonstrate the recurrence of fires in our past: layers of charcoal in sediments, burn scars on trees rings, journals of pioneers and historical records. Today, Shawnee National Forest personnel, along with numerous state and local agencies, non-profit organizations and private landowners, are increasing their use of prescribed fire to manage natural communities.