Illinois’ Outdoor Calendar
A look at upcoming outdoors-related events from across Illinois published in the Oct. 31, 2025 edition of Outdoor News.
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October 24, 2025
Nebraska angler lands Iowa record blue catfish
The Iowa DNR confirmed a new state record blue catfish was caught this month. The fish, which weighed 105 pounds and was 60 inches long, was reeled in by Nebraska resident George Thompson, who was fishing on the Missouri River near the Nebraska-Iowa state line on Oct. 12.
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Illinois Mixed Bag: State, federal sites hosting youth waterfowlers
Numerous Illinois state parks, state fish and wildlife areas, and other public lands will be open to youth waterfowl hunting during the 2025 youth waterfowl hunts.
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Illinois Letters to the Editor: Fish, fishermen stand to lose if sonar takes hold on our lakes
Reader-submitted letters to the editor published in the Oct. 31, 2025 edition of Illinois Outdoor News.
Ralph Loos: Hunters (and scarecrows) not left out of nuisance deer efforts
Spring in Springfield was an odd time and place to be for someone who’s both an avid fan of deer hunting and also a proud product of Illinois agriculture.
I speak of efforts by lawmakers to push and pull legislation designed to make it easier for farmers to secure deer removal permits and other tools to protect crops from whitetails.
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Illinois’ statewide fishing report on Oct. 24, 2025
Crappie stick to fall patterns, catfish taking surprise bites. Here’s a look at the Illinois fishing report on Oct. 24, 2025.
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Youth deer hunters in Illinois set harvest record
Brett Duby says his daughter’s first youth deer hunt included some serious decision making – which, as any experienced hunter knows, means she had a good day. The young hunter passed on a doe and tagged a 9-point buck in Iroquois County.
Meanwhile, as trends go, the one involving youth hunters in Illinois is encouraging: More seem interested in deer hunting, and more are finding success in the woods.
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Dan Small Outdoors Radio: Show 2043
On this week’s show, tips for bowhunting the rut. Hot
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Bill Hilts, Jr.: New York’s later Canada goose opener is frustrating … again
It was opening day of New York’s 2025 duck season on Oct. 11, and I found myself in a waterfowl blind in Beaver Island State Park with long-time friend Thure Larson of East Amherst and his 79-year-old hunting buddy, Tom Cuerton, of Amherst. Thure’s dog, Ginger, was along for the hunt, too, even though she’s “more of a pheasant dog.”
While putting out a couple big bags of duck decoys into the Niagara River in front of our base of operations, the first thing I discovered was that I had a leak in my waders.
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