Southern Illinois is an outdoor lover’s paradise, no matter the time of year – even in winter. When the temperatures drop and the crowds thin, the region transforms into a peaceful wonderland with frosty landscapes and serene views.
Gretchen Steele: Southern Illinois offers plenty of winter spectacle Read More »
It’s been a short bit since the great winter storm of 2025 hit southern Illinois, and frankly, we are still digging things out and dealing with its by-products.
As is typical down here in the hills and hollers, we ended up dealing with our usual “winter mix.” Roads, yards, fields, and trees were all covered in a delightful layer cake of ice, sleet, and snow on top, just for good measure.
Gretchen Steele: For outdoor folk, winter mayhem creates opportunity Read More »
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.
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 »
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 »
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.
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 »
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.
The “Hit n Miss Bragging Rights” annual youth weekend activities have played a significant role in introducing more young hunters to the tradition of deer hunting.
Sign up for the Outdoor News Weekly Newsletter and get 2 months of FREE access to OutdoorNews.com – packed with hunting, fishing, and conservation news. No Catch.
This offer includes digital access only (not the printed edition)
We’ve simplified things. Now you only need one password to access all your Outdoor News digital content.
If you hit the help page, follow the directions so you don’t miss out on any of our great content.
Let’s get you reading!
We’ve simplified things. Now you only need one password to access all your Outdoor News digital content.
• Click Continue below.
• You’ll be taken to the OutdoorNews.com sign-in screen.
• Don’t have an account yet? Create one—it’s quick!
• After signing in, click the E-Edition Login button again. When the pop-up appears, just click Continue. You’ll either:
If you hit the help page, follow the directions so you don’t miss out on any of our great content.
We know you love the outdoors—now we want to make OutdoorNews.com the ultimate destination for all things hunting, fishing, and conservation.
Take our brief 3 minute survey to share your thoughts, and help us build the best outdoor website on the planet. As a thank you, we’ll send you a special offer!
Together, we can make OutdoorNews.com even better.
For a limited time, you can get full access to breaking news, all original Outdoor News stories and updates from the entire Great Lakes Region and beyond, the most up-to-date fishing & hunting reports, lake maps, photo & video galleries, the latest gear, wild game cooking tips and recipes, fishing & hunting tips from pros and experts, bonus web content and much, much more, all on your smartphone, tablet or desktop For just a buck per month!
Some restrictions apply. Not valid with other promotions. $1 per month for 6 months (you will be billed $6) and then your subscription will renew at standard subscription rates. For more information see Terms and Conditions. This offer only applies to OutdoorNews.com and not for any Outdoor News print subscriptions. Offer valid thru 3/31/23.
Already a subscriber to OutdoorNews.com? Click here to login.
