Illinois Mixed Bag: Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame nominations sought

Springfield — DNR is accepting nominations for the Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame class of 2025.

Each year the Illinois Conservation Foundation honors individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to conservation and outdoor recreation in the state.

Inductees in the Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame include people who have fought for habitat restoration, clean water, and preservation.

“These are the people who don’t just enjoy the outdoors, they make it better for everyone,”said Jenny Vaughn, executive director of the Illinois Conservation Foundation.

Nomination forms can be found at the Hall of Fame website. The deadline for nominations is July 15.

The 2025 class will be inducted during a ceremony scheduled for next spring.

MORE COVERAGE FROM ILLINOIS OUTDOOR NEWS:

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With population dwindling, gray foxes now under Illinois DNR control

Top duck hunting club in southern Illinois closed after baiting case

Former INHS Tech Receives Baldwin Scholarship

Champaign, Ill. — A former research technician at the University of Illinois’ Sam Parr Biological Field Station received the Norman S. Baldwin Fishery Science Scholarship at the International Association for Great Lakes Research conference in early June.

Max Moran, currently a master’s degree student at Purdue University, accepted the Baldwin scholarship, an award sponsored by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and given to graduate students conducting research pertaining to Great Lakes fisheries.

Moran’s research topic “Ecomorphological Diversity in Lake Charr Morphology and Visual Sensory System at Klondike Reef, Lake Superior” is the culmination of his interest in all things aquatic as both a high school and undergraduate student as well as his work as a research technician in Illinois, where Moran focused on aquatic ecology and fisheries biology for the Illinois Natural History Survey.

While at Sam Parr, he conducted research on sport fish ecology in southern and central Illinois and also was part of behavioral assessments of the true sunfish. That position proved to be pivotal in shaping Moran’s future research interests and in bringing him to Purdue.

“What pointed me in my current direction was a project I worked on with Dr. Mike Nannini,” Moran said. “What actually ended up being the most interesting for me in that research was seeing how even within the same species there was this crazy amount of diversity. Seeing how two bluegills could be just as different as a bluegill and a redear (sunfish), that interspecific diversity, made me realize that I was interested in that type of research.”

SIU Wildlife Scientist Roseberry Passes Away at 88

Carbondale, Ill. — John Roseberry, a Springfield native who spent 38 years as a research scientist at Southern Illinois University’s Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, passed away June 14 at the age of 88.

Roseberry was a member of numerous scientific and conservation-oriented organizations, and a nationally recognized authority on bobwhite quail and white-tailed deer. In 2012, he was featured in an Illinois Outdoor News series on efforts to restore the state’s quail populations.

A lifelong fisherman and outdoorsman, Roseberry was a U.S. Army veteran who received a bachelor of science degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a master’s degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Roseberry’s career and contributions will be recognized at the 75th anniversary celebration of the Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory this Fall. A Celebration of Life will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16, in the SIU Recreation Center Alumni Lounge.

Outdoor Industry Icons JB Hodgdon, Frank Brownell Both Pass Away

Lenexa, Kansas — The outdoor industry lost two prominent figures last month. John Brewster “JB” Hodgdon, co-founder of the Hodgdon Powder Co., passed away on June 13.

JB, as he was known, held many roles at the Hodgdon Powder Co. In the early days, he packaged powder at the family dining room table. He led international sales and served as the face of Hodgdon at industry trade shows. He served on the Hodgdon board as board chair for many years and was named chairman emeritus in 2025. With his brother Bob, JB Hodgdon continued the legacy of Hodgdon Powder Co. started by their father and grew the company into a pre-eminent supplier of gunpowder and black powder substitutes for handloading and muzzleloading enthusiasts.

Outdoor retailer Brownells announced the death of long-time family patriarch Frank Brownell, who held the positions of president, CEO, and chairman of the board at Brownells. Brownell passed away in Grinnell, Iowa, on June 18 after a lengthy illness. He was six days shy of his 86th birthday.

Workshops for Educators at Emiquon Preserve

Lewistown, Ill. — The Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon is offering a series of professional development workshops for educators to provide information and resources for Project WET, Project Learning Tree, and Project Wild’s Growing up Wild. Workshop participants will learn a variety of methods and activities to enhance their teaching of environmental science by incorporating hands-on activities to their lesson plans. State of Illinois licensed teachers may earn certified professional development units for participation and completion.

Cost is $50 per workshop, which includes supplies, an activity guide, certificate of completion, and ISBE credits if applicable. Registration is required at https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/328845119

• July 16 – Project Learning Tree, Pre-K-8th grade

• July 23 – Project WET, 3rd-8th grade

• July 30 – Project WET, 9-12th grade

All workshops are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.