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Ralph Loos

Patience pays off for Illinois hunters as overdue ducks answer the call

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

Diving ducks finally showed up, but mallards remain somewhat shy. That’s basically how Josh Osborn summed up his recent waterfowl aerial census report on the Illinois River.
The stretch drive of the Illinois duck hunting season is in full swing, with the North Zone set to close Dec. 16 and the Central Zone shutting down Dec. 23. South Central Zone hunters will be in blinds until Jan. 13, while South Zone hunters can shoot until Jan. 27.

Patience pays off for Illinois hunters as overdue ducks answer the call Read More »

Ralph Loos: Illinois deer and turkey hunters both facing a numbers problem

Leave a Comment / Discussions, Featured, Hunting, Illinois, National Hunting, Opinion /

For 16 or 17 years in a row, I’ve gotten the same phone call from 16 or 17 different deer hunters just before the gun season.
“You’re always writing about how good of shape the Illinois deer herd is in, yet I haven’t seen a deer under my treestand in three years,” is how the call usually goes – give or take a year or two since the last time the hunter on the other end of the line saw a deer under his or her treestand. They’re not exaggerating, this I accept, because there are patches in the state where deer remain scarce.

Ralph Loos: Illinois deer and turkey hunters both facing a numbers problem Read More »

Uptick in rabbits, quail have Illinois hunters optimistic

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

Suggesting a turnaround in the upland game arena in Illinois is being a little overly optimistic, given the decline of cottontail and Bobwhite populations over the past three decades. But Don Kahl, DNR’s Agricultural and Grassland Wildlife Program Manager, did bring sprinkles of good news and dashes of hope to rabbit, quail, and pheasant hunters when he shared the 2025-26 Upland Game Forecast earlier this month.

Uptick in rabbits, quail have Illinois hunters optimistic Read More »

Illinois waterfowl seasons, zone lines face reset, drawing concern from some hunters

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

Illinois wildlife managers have shared plans to ditch the fourth waterfowl hunting zone starting next year and return to a three-zone format.
A split season is also in the mix, as is a rearrangement of duck season dates. While DNR credits duck hunters for sharing opinions that led to proposed changes to the 2026-2030 season framework, response from at least one segment of hunters to the changes appears to have the agency backpedaling a bit.

Illinois waterfowl seasons, zone lines face reset, drawing concern from some hunters Read More »

Ralph Loos: Hunters (and scarecrows) not left out of nuisance deer efforts

Featured, Hunting, Illinois, Opinion /

Spring in Springfield was an odd time and place to be for someone who’s both an avid fan of deer hunting and also a proud product of Illinois agriculture.
I speak of efforts by lawmakers to push and pull legislation designed to make it easier for farmers to secure deer removal permits and other tools to protect crops from whitetails.

Ralph Loos: Hunters (and scarecrows) not left out of nuisance deer efforts Read More »

Youth deer hunters in Illinois set harvest record

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

Brett Duby says his daughter’s first youth deer hunt included some serious decision making – which, as any experienced hunter knows, means she had a good day. The young hunter passed on a doe and tagged a 9-point buck in Iroquois County.
Meanwhile, as trends go, the one involving youth hunters in Illinois is encouraging: More seem interested in deer hunting, and more are finding success in the woods.

Youth deer hunters in Illinois set harvest record Read More »

Illinois DNR says, ‘never mind’: Trout stocking will take place at most sites before Oct. 18 season opener

Featured, Fishing, Illinois, National Fishing, News /

Whims of Illinois’ weather have created a conundrum for DNR, resulting in flip-flops on its decision to stock trout for the fall season, which is set to open Oct. 18.
Last week, DNR announced that stocking of rainbow trout in most of the 60 lakes, rivers and streams designated to open for the season had delayed due to “warmer than normal temperatures. But on Wednesday, a cool snap meant things were changing — again.

Illinois DNR says, ‘never mind’: Trout stocking will take place at most sites before Oct. 18 season opener Read More »

Striped bass remain focus at Cedar Lake in Illinois’ Jackson County

Illinois, Lake Profile, Lake Profile /

Curious anglers are eager to see what DNR has learned from a striped bass tagging program that was initiated at Cedar Lake in 2023.
The 1,750-acre water in deep southern Illinois has long been one of the top – if not the top – striper lakes in the state, with 20-pound fish reported by anglers over the past decade.

Striped bass remain focus at Cedar Lake in Illinois’ Jackson County Read More »

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