Upland hunters in Illinois setting bar low, but open to surprises

Bird hunters in Illinois rarely hear the words “up and coming” in reference to areas that show promise for upland game species.
But this year, the west-central part of the state is being branded as such for pheasants, of all things. It’s certainly a breath of fresh air for a hunting endeavor that has gotten stale. Upland game hunting continues to wane up and down the state, as do populations of rabbits, quail, and pheasants. So any good news is widely accepted by the dedicated group of hunters.