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A night looking for poachers with an Illinois Conservation Police officer

A retired Illinois Conservation Police officer says the work begins after the sun sets, monitoring activity of poachers who use the dark as cover. (Photos by Steve Beltran)

The woods do not go to sleep when the sun goes down.
Most recreational outdoor enthusiasts pack up their gear, dock their boats, and head for the warmth of a cabin or truck the moment legal shooting light ends. But for those patrolling the dark stretches of Illinois backroads and riverbeds, sunset is when the real work begins.

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