Reader-submitted letters to the editor published in the May 15, 2026 edition of Illinois Outdoor News.
Not long ago I found myself across the Illinois state line, sitting at a table with fisheries biologists, hatchery managers and a handful of “specialists” and “technicians” – vague job titles that wildlife agencies give
Ask someone why they fish muskies, and the big esox’s willingness to follow lures and hit at boatside comes up almost immediately. With good reason.
Seeing a muskie suddenly materialize behind a lure as
It’s no secret that the Great Lakes have produced a lot of big smallmouth bass in recent years.
The smallmouth always have been there, but the influx of protein heavy, non-native gobies as a
Identifying some bird species can be challenging, especially with some species of small birds.
For example, many people struggle when trying to differentiate between the house finch (Haemorphous mexicanus) and the purple finch (Haemorphous
Stately great blue herons are some of the earliest birds to migrate back from their winter homes – in my area, they reliably return around St. Patrick’s Day, often encountering waterways still covered by ice.
More than 94,000 muskies were stocked in Illinois lakes last year, setting up wild calculations of how many of them will someday be caught.
Using a fisherman’s proverb that claims muskies are the “fish
In the creeks and rivers of southern Illinois, a school of bigeye shiners darting along the edge of a stream is a sign of healthy water. The freshwater fish, which is on the state’s endangered
A former Illinois DNR director who is now a lawmaker said out loud what deer hunters have been thinking since Senate Bill 2756 began creating confusion and frustration.
In a committee meeting, State Rep.
Sign up for the Outdoor News Weekly Newsletter and get 2 months of FREE access to OutdoorNews.com – packed with hunting, fishing, and conservation news. No Catch.
This offer includes digital access only (not the printed edition)
We’ve simplified things. Now you only need one password to access all your Outdoor News digital content.
If you hit the help page, follow the directions so you don’t miss out on any of our great content.
Let’s get you reading!
We’ve simplified things. Now you only need one password to access all your Outdoor News digital content.
• Click Continue below.
• You’ll be taken to the OutdoorNews.com sign-in screen.
• Don’t have an account yet? Create one—it’s quick!
• After signing in, click the E-Edition Login button again. When the pop-up appears, just click Continue. You’ll either:
If you hit the help page, follow the directions so you don’t miss out on any of our great content.
We know you love the outdoors—now we want to make OutdoorNews.com the ultimate destination for all things hunting, fishing, and conservation.
Take our brief 3 minute survey to share your thoughts, and help us build the best outdoor website on the planet. As a thank you, we’ll send you a special offer!
Together, we can make OutdoorNews.com even better.
For a limited time, you can get full access to breaking news, all original Outdoor News stories and updates from the entire Great Lakes Region and beyond, the most up-to-date fishing & hunting reports, lake maps, photo & video galleries, the latest gear, wild game cooking tips and recipes, fishing & hunting tips from pros and experts, bonus web content and much, much more, all on your smartphone, tablet or desktop For just a buck per month!
Some restrictions apply. Not valid with other promotions. $1 per month for 6 months (you will be billed $6) and then your subscription will renew at standard subscription rates. For more information see Terms and Conditions. This offer only applies to OutdoorNews.com and not for any Outdoor News print subscriptions. Offer valid thru 3/31/23.
Already a subscriber to OutdoorNews.com? Click here to login.
