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Ralph Loos

Is Michigan’s 2026 duck count a mirage?

Featured, Hunting, Michigan, News /

Michigan duck hunters received encouraging news from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2026 Waterfowl Population Status report, as a wetter spring and improved conditions produced a dramatic increase in the number of breeding waterfowl counted across the state.
The number of breeding ducks surveyed jumped sharply, according to the USFWS. The 2026 Michigan estimate totaled 505,234 ducks, a 250% increase over the 2025 estimate. However, wildlife officials caution that the jolting year-to-year increase does not necessarily mean state’s duck population suddenly exploded.

Is Michigan’s 2026 duck count a mirage? Read More »

Evergreen Lake offers trophy saugeye, muskies for Illinois’ McLean County anglers

Illinois, Lake Profile, Lake Profile /

Evergreen Lake continues to offer central Illinois anglers a diverse fishery, with excellent opportunities for saugeye and muskies and more modest prospects for bass and crappies.
The 925-acre McLean County lake has long been known for producing trophy fish. While its bass and crappie populations have fluctuated, saugeye and muskies remain the stars of the fishery.

Evergreen Lake offers trophy saugeye, muskies for Illinois’ McLean County anglers Read More »

Ralph Loos: Will solar fields create new reality for hunters, wildlife in Illinois?

Featured, Hunting, Illinois, National Hunting, Opinion /

I suspect it’s already happened, and if it has I’d certainly like to hear about it: The growing collection of solar fields across Illinois is bound to result in a situation where a bad shot by a hunter – it happens – puts a slug or a bullet into a solar panel.
What then? Who’s liable? Where and when to report such a thing?

Ralph Loos: Will solar fields create new reality for hunters, wildlife in Illinois? Read More »

Young carp found farther north in Illinois River

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

The discovery of hundreds of young silver carp in the Illinois River prompted DNR and its partner agencies to intensify monitoring of invasive carp in the river’s upper stretches.
DNR reported that sampling crews captured hundreds of juvenile silver carp measuring 4 to 6 inches in the Marseilles Pool, roughly 80 miles southwest of Lake Michigan. The discovery is significant because the fish were young enough to indicate that silver carp are reproducing in the upper Illinois River watershed rather than simply moving north from established populations farther downstream.

Young carp found farther north in Illinois River Read More »

Ralph Loos: So many rule changes for Michigan deer hunters, so many different ways to confuse them

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

We can all imagine what conversations between hunters and COs will sound like this season, especially if a hunter follows his or her habits instead of his or her aforementioned shiny new rulebook – or, more likely I guess, shiny new smartphone app..

Ralph Loos: So many rule changes for Michigan deer hunters, so many different ways to confuse them Read More »

Citizens Lake fishery continues major comeback in northwest Illinois

Illinois, Lake Profile, Lake Profile /

It may cover only 26 acres, but Citizens Lake packs plenty of fishing opportunity into a relatively small package.
Located along U.S. Route 34 on the west edge of Monmouth, the Warren County lake offers anglers a chance to catch largemouth bass, channel catfish, bluegill, redear sunfish, and several varieties of crappie. Rainbow trout also are stocked periodically through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ catchable trout program.

Citizens Lake fishery continues major comeback in northwest Illinois Read More »

Ralph Loos: Illinois record bass confusion? Just blame the flatheads

Featured, Fishing, Illinois, National Fishing, Opinion /

The tact I like to take in this job is to always assume I’m the dumbest guy in the room, and 10 times out of nine I’m pretty spot on about that. Such an approach comes in handy when I bumble the scientific name of a muskrat – go ahead, say Ondatra zibethicus three times fast – or fumble the name of, let’s say, the lake where the state’s most famous fish was caught.
Illinois bass fans, Ed Walbel and folks in Pike County know where I’m headed with this. Because last time I penned this column, I wrote about the Illinois state record largemouth bass.

Ralph Loos: Illinois record bass confusion? Just blame the flatheads Read More »

Rare American eel surprises Illinois researchers on Pool 22 of the Mississippi

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

Researchers looking for blue suckers on Pool 22 of the Mississippi River recently netted something considerably more unusual – a 3-foot-long American eel with travel stamps from the Sargasso Sea.
It is believed the rare fish swam 2,000 miles just to greet an Illinois River Biological Station crew led by Jason DeBoer.

Rare American eel surprises Illinois researchers on Pool 22 of the Mississippi Read More »

Illinois ranks low in dove hunt success

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

Are Kentucky dove hunters much better shooters than Illinois dove hunters? By the same token, are Illinois dove hunters twice as good as those who do it up in Wisconsin?
If nothing else, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provides dove hunters here a lot to ponder as the Sept. 1 season opener nears. A 2025 Mourning Dove Status Report by USFWS suggests that, among Illinois and five states that touch it, Kentucky stood out not only for its dove harvest but also for hunter success.

Illinois ranks low in dove hunt success Read More »

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