Illinois Mixed Bag: Youth goose hunt Jan. 19 in Fulton County

Springfield — Youth between the ages of 10 and 17 are invited to participate in the annual Central Illinois Youth Goose Hunt, scheduled for Jan. 19 in Fulton County.

Registration is open through Dec. 31. To participate, youth hunters must go online for additional information and to register.

The hunt will be hosted at private waterfowl hunting clubs near Canton in Fulton County, and hunters selected to participate will be pre-assigned to hunting locations.

A lottery drawing involving all youth hunters who register will be conducted, and those who are selected will be notified by email. First-time applicants will be given priority over previous participants.

All applicants must possess a valid Illinois hunting or sportsman’s license, have a Harvest Information Program (HIP) registration number, and have a 20 gauge or larger shotgun. Youth hunt participants must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who must possess a valid firearm owner’s identification (FOID) card.

Visit here for more information or to register for the hunt, or call 217-785-8060.

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Learn to Hunt December Workshops Scheduled

Champaign, Ill. — Learn to Hunt has released information on a series of workshops that offer Illinois residents a path to learn traditional hunting skills. The series of free workshops will give new hunters an opportunity to learn from experienced mentors and to get hands-on experience hunting for deer, turkey, squirrels, pheasants, ducks, geese and other game.

The Learn to Hunt program was developed by the Illinois Natural History Survey with support from DNR and other partners. Some upcoming workshops include:

• Introduction to Water Trapping in Illinois Workshop — Dec. 13 at 9 a.m. (Moraine Hills State Park)

• Wild Game Cooking with Tasting — Dec. 18 at 4 p.m. (SITKA Gear, Vernon Hills)

• Late Season Deer Hunting Tactics (webinar) — Dec. 18 at 6 p.m.

• Late Season Squirrel Hunting in Illinois with Mentored Hunt — Dec. 20 at 7 a.m. (Sand Ridge State Forest Headquarters)

Advance registration is required. For more information, visit https://hunt.inhs.illinois.edu

Illinois Leopold Conservation Award Applications

Springfield — Applications are now accepted for the 2026 Illinois Leopold Conservation Award. The award honors farmers and forestland owners who go above and beyond in their management of soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat on working land.

Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes landowners who inspire others to consider conservation opportunities on their land. In his influential 1949 book, “A Sand County Almanac,” Leopold advocated for “a land ethic,” an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage.

Award applications may be submitted on behalf of a landowner, or landowners may nominate themselves. The application can be found at www.sandcountyfoundation.org/ApplyLCA.

The application deadline is Feb. 15. Applications must be emailed to IllinoisLCA@sandcountyfoundation.org.

Forest Preserve District Acquires More Land

Joliet, Ill. — The Forest Preserve District of Will County acquired 40 acres of land adjacent to Riverview Farmstead Preserve. The new parcel helps fill a critical gap in the DuPage River Greenway and brings Riverview Farmstead Preserve, which also stretches north into Naperville, closer to the Plainfield Park District’s Eaton Preserve.

This purchase is part of the Forest Preserve’s 2025–2030 Capital Improvement Program, which was approved by the Board of Commissioners in 2024. The program is funded by a $50 million bond issue.

The Riverview addition follows two large acquisitions completed earlier this year:

• A 241-acre parcel in Custer Township, purchased June 19, lies among a network of protected areas known for sandy soils and rare plant and animal species. It sits at Coal City Road and Route 53 near two state-owned preserves – Hitts Siding Prairie Nature Preserve and Wilmington Shrub Prairie – and three Forest Preserve-owned sites.

• A 495.27-acre parcel, the second largest in District history, was acquired Aug. 15. Located north of Illinois 394 and adjacent to Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve in Crete Township, it is now part of a 3,300-acre Plum Creek Greenway acquisition program that began in 1938 and is nearing completion.

With the 2025 acquisitions, the Forest Preserve now owns, leases or manages 23,978 acres of land that will be preserved in perpetuity.

Lawsuit Filed Against USFWS Over Wolf Plan

Washington — A lawsuit is being filed against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding a gray wolf recovery plan.

The Center for Biological Diversity announced its plans to sue the service, alleging that it is not developing a national gray wolf recovery plan under the Endangered Species Act.

Last month, the Trump administration published a finding stating that protecting the gray wolf under the act isn’t appropriate anymore, and the agency wouldn’t prepare an updated recovery plan.

“We’re challenging the Trump administration’s unlawful decision to once again abandon wolf recovery, and we’ll win,” Collette Adkins, a senior attorney and the carnivore conservation director at the Center for Biological Diversity, said. “The Fish and Wildlife Service must live up to the reality of what science and the law demand. That means a comprehensive plan that addresses gray wolf recovery across the country.” According to the Center for Biological Diversity, the Endangered Species Act requires parties to submit a 60-day notice of intent to sue before a lawsuit is formally filed.