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Ralph Loos

Ralph Loos: Heat map is an acceptable use of technology in Michigan’s woods

Featured, Home Page News, Hunting, Michigan, National Hunting, Opinion /

I’m still a little wishy-washy on cellphones in the treestand, or reliance on technology in the outdoors altogether. A big part of me believes that when you head into the woods or climb into a boat, the rest of the world can get along just fine without you for a few hours.
You can certainly get along without the rest of the world. But I’ll admit there are times when that little gadget in my pocket can be useful, if not to me personally, then at least to the greater good. 

Ralph Loos: Heat map is an acceptable use of technology in Michigan’s woods Read More »

Mystery about winter survival follows armadillos into Illinois

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

Steve Washko has seen his share of central Illinois roadkill over the years. But on a recent drive, his eyes caught something off-kilte.
“First time seeing an armadillo in Springfield,” Washko emailed Illinois Outdoor News on Oct. 22.
He included a photo of a deceased armadillo on Koke Mill Road, near the intersection with Old Jacksonville Road, just west of  the capital city’s downtown.

Mystery about winter survival follows armadillos into Illinois Read More »

Stockings boost angling rebirth at Lake Le-Aqua-Na in northwest Illinois

Illinois, Lake Profile, Lake Profile /

Recent DNR surveys and stocking efforts offer a snapshot of ongoing efforts to boost Lake Le-Aqua-Na a handful of years after it was temporarily “taken off the grid.”
The 43-acre lake’s fishing potential, backed by improved habitat and expanded access for shore fishermen, has anglers anticipating the fisheries’ recovery.

Stockings boost angling rebirth at Lake Le-Aqua-Na in northwest Illinois Read More »

Longtime Illinois DNR fisheries biologist leaves behind legacy for anglers

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

He referred to himself as a “river rat” and spent his career working to better Illinois’ fisheries. Wayne Herndon Jr., a DNR fisheries biologist who worked over a span that covered five different decades, died Oct. 18 at his home in Pekin at the age of 81.
Herndon had many stories to tell, including the one when he and a fellow biologist had to abandon a sinking boat while on the job. But most of his stories involved fish – the various species he managed.

Longtime Illinois DNR fisheries biologist leaves behind legacy for anglers Read More »

Illinois high school officials weighing impact of technology on bass fishing

Featured, Fishing, Illinois, National Fishing, National News, News /

As professional bass fishing continues a split-season approach to forward-facing sonar, Illinois high school officials are weighing how the rapidly advancing technology should be handled in student competition.
B.A.S.S. recently announced that its Bassmaster Elite Series next season will retain the format introduced this season, dividing tournaments between those that permit forward-facing live sonar and those that prohibit it. A coin flip determined which rules apply to each event in 2027.

Illinois high school officials weighing impact of technology on bass fishing Read More »

Ralph Loos: Friday of Illinois’ old ‘shotgun season’ was a lesson in hunting heritage

Featured, Hunting, Illinois, Opinion /

Where and when I grew up, the opening Friday of “shotgun season” in Illinois was practically a holiday. We just had to convince the school administrators that we had a legitimate reason to celebrate it – and we did so with wildly illegitimate explanations.
We came up with excuses to skip school that probably sounded a whole lot better to us than they did to the adults listening. Surely, we figured, nobody would suspect that a sudden fever, cough, headache, sore throat or ringing ears had anything to do with the blaze orange vests wrapped around our flannel shirts.

Ralph Loos: Friday of Illinois’ old ‘shotgun season’ was a lesson in hunting heritage Read More »

Illinois’ youth deer season harvest sets new record

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

Young deer hunters continue to set a challenging pace for their elders, with Illinois DNR reporting another record youth-season harvest.
DNR reported that a total of 4,852 deer were taken, 110 more than the 4,742 taken last year. The 2025 harvest had also broken the state record. Cheyenne Cavanagh, a 9-year-old hunter from Chatsworth, serves as a perfect example of the upward trend. She took her first deer on the first shot of her first hunt.

Illinois’ youth deer season harvest sets new record Read More »

South Lake balances panfish, pike, and big bass in Michigan’s Washtenaw County

Lake Profile, Lake Profile, Michigan /

Ten-inch redear sunfish aren’t what most anglers expect to find at the end of their line, but South Lake has built a reputation for producing these trophy panfish. Three redears caught there since 2022 have earned spots in the Michigan DNR’s Master Angler program, confirming that this 197-acre lake remains a destination for anglers chasing oversized sunfish.

South Lake balances panfish, pike, and big bass in Michigan’s Washtenaw County Read More »

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