Friday, March 21st, 2025

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Friday, March 21st, 2025

Breaking News for

Sportsmen Since 1968

Gretchen Steele

Gretchen Steele: Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary a winter cure for ‘big white bird’ fever

While many think only of a warm fire and hot toddy during the dark cold months of winter, I think of big white birds. Trumpeter and tundra swans, pelicans and of course snow geese. Big white birds, and lots of them!
Perhaps one of my favorite places in winter is across the river at the Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary in West Alton. Riverlands is just a quick trip across the Lewis and Clark Bridge from historic Alton, Ill.

Gretchen Steele: Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary a winter cure for ‘big white bird’ fever Read More »

Gretchen Steele: Volunteering for conservation benefits everyone, everything involved

Outdoor adventurers, nature lovers, and wildlife enthusiasts of Illinois, 2025 is calling you to action. The trails we hike, the rivers we paddle, and the forests we explore owe their existence to ongoing conservation efforts.
This year, I challenge every outdoor user in Illinois to commit to at least one volunteer conservation act. Together, we can make a tangible impact on the places we love.

Gretchen Steele: Volunteering for conservation benefits everyone, everything involved Read More »

Gretchen Steele: Southern Illinois public lands in for big changes in ‘25

It’s been a busy couple of weeks with announcements concerning some southern Illinois public lands.
The first announcement we received was from DNR outlining a change in management duties at Carlyle Lake. DNR and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) announced changes to management responsibilities at the Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area. About 2,600 acres at Eckert’s Woods and Speaker Lake sub-impoundments will be returned to the USACE for wildlife management efforts.

Gretchen Steele: Southern Illinois public lands in for big changes in ‘25 Read More »

Gretchen Steele: Don’t be fooled by myths and misinformation from ‘armchair wildlife experts’

It’s that time of year when Illinois DNR releases a wealth of crucial data and numbers.
From harvest figures to wildlife surveys and grant awards, these numbers hold significant value. The abundance of data being published and shared with the general public is not to be overlooked. This has led to a relatively new phenomenon: the social media/Internet commenter biologist/land manager/wildlife expert. It usually peaks around this time of year, especially regarding deer harvest and waterfowl harvest/survey numbers.

Gretchen Steele: Don’t be fooled by myths and misinformation from ‘armchair wildlife experts’ Read More »

Gretchen Steele: Delta Waterfowl welcomes new regional director for Illinois

Delta Waterfowl has recruited a new regional director for the state of Illinois to boost chapter committees as the organization’s volunteer chapter system continues to grow.
According to the Delta Waterfowl website, Matt Ward will lead Delta’s existing chapters in the state, pioneer new chapters, and provide crucial support to volunteers as they hold fundraising events that support Delta’s mission to produce ducks and secure the future of waterfowl hunting in North America.

Gretchen Steele: Delta Waterfowl welcomes new regional director for Illinois Read More »

Gretchen Steele: Delta Waterfowl Foundation opposes the proposed Great Rivers National Park in Illinois

AltonWorks, an organization that, according to its website, “is a social impact development company focused on the revitalization of Historic Downtown Alton, Ill., as a healthy, thriving, walkable city and as a regional hub for reinvention and resiliency in Metro North,” continues to promote its proposition for seeking the formation of a new National Park — the Great Rivers National Park.
To meet the criteria for managing a national park, AltonWorks is proposing 135,000 acres in the Great Rivers Confluence Region. This area is managed by 20 federal, state, and local jurisdictions.

Gretchen Steele: Delta Waterfowl Foundation opposes the proposed Great Rivers National Park in Illinois Read More »

Gretchen Steele: A new variety of bug in southern Illinois? It stinks!

I had to laugh when, just a few days ago, I received a press release from the Illinois Department of Agriculture with the headline “Cooler Temperatures Drive Stink Bugs Indoors.” I don’t know about your neighborhood, but here in southern Illinois, we’ve been under siege by the dreaded stink bugs.
While Illinois is home to multiple varieties of stink bugs, which I think we are familiar with from our gardens and ag fields, these particular stink bugs are relatively new invaders.

Gretchen Steele: A new variety of bug in southern Illinois? It stinks! Read More »

Gretchen Steele: Why are these spring bloomers flowering again in fall?

Over the past few weeks, we’ve witnessed something unexpected in southern Illinois. Our spring flowering plants are blooming again, a sight that has puzzled us all.
It’s truly a sight to behold. It all began with a few peculiar blooms on a lilac; before we knew it, the crab apple trees were joining in. Since then, I’ve either stumbled upon or received reports of many plants that seem to have lost track of their blooming schedule.

Gretchen Steele: Why are these spring bloomers flowering again in fall? Read More »

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