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Ralph Loos

Illinois squirrel hunters remain positive with season opener near

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

Days leading up to the much-anticipated Aug. 1 opening of the Illinois squirrel season often get dampened by depressing numbers depicting declines in participation and harvest.
So let’s start with this: Hunters harvested 265,000 squirrels during 2022-23, the most recent season documented by the Illinois Natural History Survey. If those numbers brighten your outlook, maybe skip the next lines, because a decade prior –  during the 2012-23 season – the harvest was 475,000.

Illinois squirrel hunters remain positive with season opener near Read More »

Ralph Loos: Dogs finding turtles to help with science provide proof of best friends’ talents

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

“Find turtle! Find turtle!” is how the amazing scene is described.
We’re all aware how the talents and skills of hunting dogs consistently cover up and make up for bumbling mistakes of hunters. But if you’re like me, you never really thought about the depths of those talents and skills.
That’s why I can’t wait to provide you an example shared by The Nature Conservancy on July 2, just as this issue of Illinois Outdoor News was being put to bed, so to speak.

Ralph Loos: Dogs finding turtles to help with science provide proof of best friends’ talents Read More »

Illinois high school bass fishing finals moving to Lake Shelbyville

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

Not only will next spring’s high school bass fishing Illinois state championship series feature a new regional round and a new structure, it also will crown a new champion on a new lake.
Lake Shelbyville is about to step into the spotlight.
After years of discussion by the Illinois High School Association’s Bass Fishing Advisory Committee, the IHSA Board of Directors signed off on moving the finals from Carlyle Lake, where it has been held since the ground breaking series launched in 2009.

Illinois high school bass fishing finals moving to Lake Shelbyville Read More »

Illinois turkey hunts can now feature .410 shotguns

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

Illinois turkey hunters will be able to use .410 shotguns next year, the result of an ongoing effort by lawmakers to help DNR attract new participants to the sport.
Senate Bill 2767, which wound its way through the Senate and House during the spring session before being signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker on July 1, takes effect Jan. 1. Specifically, the law “Provides that it is unlawful to take wild turkey except by use of a bow and arrow or a shotgun of not larger than 10 gauge nor smaller than .410 bore.” As defined, the new law also allows 28 gauge shotguns during the turkey season.

Illinois turkey hunts can now feature .410 shotguns Read More »

Ralph Loos: It’s now illegal to “interact” with bears in Illinois as they continue to make appearances in the state

Featured, Featured, Illinois, Iowa, Nature Page & Night Sky, Opinion, Opinion /

Suspicions that black bears are headed our way once again – Illinois has become somewhat of a summertime destination for the wandering species – means I wasn’t really surprised when the following question landed in my inbox on June 20.

Isn’t it now illegal to interact with bears?
While it sounds like a silly email, there actually is a new state law that “prohibits anyone to allow any member of the public to come into direct contact with a bear.”

Ralph Loos: It’s now illegal to “interact” with bears in Illinois as they continue to make appearances in the state Read More »

Deadline nearing for Illinois to sign on to project designed to keep invasive carp out of Lake Michigan

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

The clock has been running for 18 months, but groups partnered with Illinois on a project to keep invasive carp out of Lake Michigan say Gov. JB Pritzker isn’t hearing the tick, tick, tick toward a looming deadline.
Illinois must agree to the Project Partnership Agreement with Michigan and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers by June 30. The signing date is important because an agreement will allow parties to take advantage of a planned closure in the river at Lockport Lock near Brandon Road and move forward to construction later this year.

Deadline nearing for Illinois to sign on to project designed to keep invasive carp out of Lake Michigan Read More »

New Illinois record saugeye has ‘weighty’ story

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

A few quick and important lessons for anglers arrived with the newest Illinois state record fish: Persistence pays off, trusting your handheld scale does not — and the metric system continues to create chaos. Michael Farniok will certainly vouch for each.
On June 2, the dedicated Argyle Lake fisherman was tossing a crankbait near the lake’s dam when he hooked something determined to rip the rod right out of his hand. “I thought I had hooked a flathead due to the fight,” Farniok said in retrospect.

New Illinois record saugeye has ‘weighty’ story Read More »

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