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Ralph Loos

Revamped Illinois brood survey providing valuable information on turkeys

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

Nearly 55% of wild turkey sightings in the revamped Illinois Brood Survey were observed by non-scientists spending time outdoors last summer who “happened to spot a turkey.”
The other 45% were reported by DNR employees, biologists, and conservation professionals. That’s actually what DNR had in mind when it switched from paper postcards to a new reporting system that can be accessed on mobile devices and home computers.

Revamped Illinois brood survey providing valuable information on turkeys Read More »

Black vultures remain a problem as Illinois Farm Bureau seeks special DNR, USFWS permits

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

Personal accounts of Illinois hunters coming face-to-face with black vultures have been surprisingly rare – but not that it would matter.
As migratory birds, black vultures are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
“They can’t be killed or destroyed without a migratory bird depredation permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and a nuisance wildlife control permit from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources,” is how the state’s hunting regulations put it.

Black vultures remain a problem as Illinois Farm Bureau seeks special DNR, USFWS permits Read More »

Catfish capture attention on Braidwood Lake in Illinois’ Will County

Illinois, Lake Profile, Lake Profile /

Is there competition among Braidwood Lake’s coveted catfish population?
The lake opened for the 2024 season on March 1, so maybe the first topic to note in wake of DNR’s 2023 fall sampling is an apparent effect channel catfish are having on blue catfish.
A total of 190 blue cats were collected by DNR in the fall, with those fishing ranging from 9½ inches to 35 inches. The average length was 17 inches.

Catfish capture attention on Braidwood Lake in Illinois’ Will County Read More »

Illinois spring trout season opens soon in Illinois; here’s what to know

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

To borrow and wreck lyrics from the late musician Gordon Lightfoot, “The legend lives on from Peoria on down, of the big trout they called near impossible . . .“
In wake of DNR’s announcement that the spring trout season will open April 6 at 58 ponds and lakes around Illinois, it’s a good time to answer a common question: what happens to trout stocked by DNR that are not caught by anglers?

Illinois spring trout season opens soon in Illinois; here’s what to know Read More »

Illinois’ Trey McKinney makes history at Bassmaster Elite

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

Just a few years ago, high school anglers up and down Illinois dreaded competing against the phenom from the Marion-Carbondale area. Trey McKinney had began winning bass fishing championships at the age of 13 – and it didn’t look like he was ever going to stop.
He still hasn’t. Earlier this month, the now 19-year-old reached a career pinnacle by becoming the youngest angler to win a Bassmaster Elite event.

Illinois’ Trey McKinney makes history at Bassmaster Elite Read More »

Bobcat harvest climbs during 2023-24 season in Illinois

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

Hunters topped the 200 mark for the first time and teamed with trappers to register the largest bobcat harvest since DNR opened the season in 2016.
In all, 389 bobcats were taken during the 2023-24 season, which ended Feb. 15. That was six more bobcats than the previous high, which was set last season. The breakdown this season puts the hunter harvest at 214 bobcats, up from the 198 taken in 2022-23.

Bobcat harvest climbs during 2023-24 season in Illinois Read More »

An Illinois Deer Classic hollering point: antlers or no antlers?

Featured, Hunting, Illinois, Opinion /

What do we Illinois deer hunters choose to shoot, why do we choose to shoot it – and is there a chance that most of us just wing it and make such decisions on the fly?
If you threw 72 hunters in the back of a stock trailer and asked these questions, my guess is you’d get a handful of answers. But mostly you’d get a stock trailer full of shrugs.

An Illinois Deer Classic hollering point: antlers or no antlers? Read More »

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