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Kaleigh Gabriel

Mitch Oswald steps into ‘conduit’ role with Illinois DNR

Featured, Illinois, Nature Page & Night Sky, News /

The Illinois DNR has a new Field Operations Section Head, as Mitch Oswald stepped into the role in late November. Oswald previously worked for USDA’s Animal and Plant Heath Inspection Service. At DNR, he filled the position of Don Kahl, who made the move to DNR Ag and Grassland Manager.
Oswald’s career in wildlife conservation began early while he was studying at Blackburn College in Carlinville for a degree in Environmental Biology.

Mitch Oswald steps into ‘conduit’ role with Illinois DNR Read More »

Will EHD affect the Illinois deer herd in 2024?

Featured, Home Page News, Hunting, Illinois, National Hunting, National News /

The Illinois  archery deer season is less than a month away, which means the waiting and watch has begun. Will 2024 be an EHD year, or won’t it?
Between August and October each year –  especially during hot and dry summers – landowners, hunters, and wildlife watchers are encouraged to keep an eye open for deer with signs of EHD, the acronym for Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease.

Will EHD affect the Illinois deer herd in 2024? Read More »

Behind the scenes: Illinois DNR wildlife biologist has a passion for teaching

Featured, Illinois, Nature Page & Night Sky, News /

Jared Trickey is a firm believer in the adage, ‘Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.’
Whether he is helping the public, through his new role as an Illinois DNR district wildlife biologist, or helping to train individuals through his volunteer work with Pheasants Forever chapters of Illinois, Trickey believes that best practices in wildlife resource preservation involve teaching a little while helping.

Behind the scenes: Illinois DNR wildlife biologist has a passion for teaching Read More »

Illinois native Matthew Hunsaker returns home as district wildlife biologist

Featured, Fishing, Hunting, Illinois, Nature Page & Night Sky, News /

Hudson, Ill., native Matthew Hunsaker has returned to his home state to continue his career in natural resource conservation.
Hunsaker joined Illinois DNR in late fall of 2023 as a district wildlife biologist serving Grundy, Iroquois, and Kankakee counties in northeastern Illinois. Serving DNR properties such as Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area, Iroquois County State Fish and Wildlife Area Kankakee River State Park, and Mazonia-Braidwood SFWA, Hunsaker has many goals for work on such areas.

Illinois native Matthew Hunsaker returns home as district wildlife biologist Read More »

New Illinois DNR district wildlife biologist Jacob Lux had early waterfowl experiences

Featured, Hunting, Illinois, Nature Page & Night Sky, News /

For Illinois DNR District Wildlife Biologist Jacob Lux, involvement in natural resource conservation started young, at just 4 years of age. “I really started to learn about conservation when I started waterfowl hunting with my dad,” he explained.
From there, Lux, a Beardstown, Ill., native, with the waterfowl-dense Illinois River flowing nearby, continued to find opportunities involving wildlife conservation.

New Illinois DNR district wildlife biologist Jacob Lux had early waterfowl experiences Read More »

Behind the scenes: Illinois DNR wildlife biologist Ross Albert has a diverse background of experience

Featured, Illinois, Nature Page & Night Sky /

As is the case with many working in wildlife conservation, Ross Albert credits his inspiration to his early experiences.
Albert fondly recalls memories of a childhood spent in nature chasing frogs, catching snakes, practicing with his bow, and building forts in the woods near his childhood home. Additionally, Albert reflects on time spent with his father and grandfather as they taught him to hunt and fish.

Behind the scenes: Illinois DNR wildlife biologist Ross Albert has a diverse background of experience Read More »

Childhood in goose blinds put Doug McClain on solid track for Illinois DNR waterfowl role

Featured, Hunting, Illinois, News /

Sometimes, when determining your life’s trajectory and future career path, it’s not a matter of knowing what to do, it’s doing what you know. For new Illinois DNR Waterfowl Program Manager Doug McClain, nothing could be closer to the truth.
Despite initially intending to pursue a career in medicine, McClain cites a lifelong connection to waterfowl hunting, and a few well-timed job shadows as an undergraduate, for showing him that a career in what he knows – waterfowl – is entirely possible.

Childhood in goose blinds put Doug McClain on solid track for Illinois DNR waterfowl role Read More »

Commentary: Hunters are ‘eyes and ears’ of Illinois DNR’s watch for EHD in deer

Hunting, Illinois, National Hunting, Opinion /

Each year between August and October, especially during hot and dry summers, landowners, deer hunters and wildlife enthusiasts are encouraged to keep an eye open for signs of an outbreak of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) in the local white-tailed deer herd.
In Illinois, DNR continually monitors the status of this disease with the assistance of the many individuals who report dead deer observed in the field.

Commentary: Hunters are ‘eyes and ears’ of Illinois DNR’s watch for EHD in deer Read More »

Illinois DNR’s turkey brood surveys taking online approach

Featured, Hunting, Illinois, National Hunting, National News, News /

As we step further into the second decade of this millennium, many DNR programs and projects are switching to online-based features in an effort to better promote eco-friendliness, reduce wasted postage, and more importantly, increase ease of access for constituents and data recovery.
One notable project that will be making this switch soon is the Illinois DNR turkey brood survey.

Illinois DNR’s turkey brood surveys taking online approach Read More »

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