IRAP has Archery Deer Hunting Sites Available on Private Land

IRAP has Archery Deer Hunting Sites Available on Private Land

Apply by August 30 to hunt in October

Here is a great opportunity for archery deer hunters.  This is from the IDNR Press Office in Springfield.  

Don’t have a place to archery deer hunt but would like to go hunting this October? Look no further than the Illinois Recreational Access Program (IRAP), the popular Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) program linking outdoors enthusiasts with landowners.

Lincoln Bass Club Hits Jim Edgar Panther Creek

Lincoln Bass Club Hits Jim Edgar Panther Creek 

This past weekend was spent on the water with my dad at Prairie Lake.  We had a great time catching fish and learning the lake a little better.  While out there we noticed that there was a little extra boat traffic on the water.  Yep... That's right a bass tournament was going on. We chatted with a few guys on the water and then moments later watched them land a nice bass.  While my dad and I fished we watched many of the anglers scatter across the lake and we decided to go watch the weigh-in.

Illinois Bait Shop: River's Edge Outdoor Sporting Goods

Illinois Bait Shop: River's Edge Outdoor Sporting Goods 

During the dog days of summer sometimes you just need a break.  It's not the fishing or the outdoors you need a break from, it's the heat.  Capitol Outdoors was able to beat the heat and continue our series on Illinois Bait Shops.

Not going to lie, we found out about this shop by accident.  Our friend and follower Courtland Williams invited us to a seminar that he and Rob Crane were having at there so we decided to check it out.


River's Edge Outdoor Sporting Goods is located in Canton, Illinois just minutes away from Emiquon and Banner Marsh.

They are an outstanding shop. I was stunned and awed, not because of all the fishing and hunting gear they had, but by the size of the place.  They have six 20yard lanes and several 10 meter and 15 meter lanes for the NASP program.  And they also have a classroom where seminars and concealed carry classes can be held.  "We're trying to bring in hunter education classes it's something we're still working on" said Marcus Hale Owner.

River's Edge is deeply rooted in their community.  In fact, Marcus' wife Angela is an Alderwoman in Canton, and both are extremely passionate about  the local youth archery club.

I realized that this wasn't your average baitshop, but as the company name suggests it's a small sporting goods store."When we started, we only had a third of what you see here" said Marcus. I walked around the store looking at all their inventory: crank baits, plastics, livebait, stinkbait and everything else you can think of.  "If we don't have what you are looking for, we can special order it for you" he said.  That's the type of place River's Edge Outdoors is.

It's that great customer service, the good deals, and willingess to go the extra mile to help you out that makes River's Edge.  For only being established for one year and overcoming their own challenges,  River's Edge is on its way to bigger and more prosperous times.   If you are looking for a bait shop along the Illinois rivers edge swing by Canton's Number One Bait Shop, River's Edge Outdoor Sporting Goods.  You won't regret it.

Duck Blind Drawing - A Family Affair

Duck Blind Drawing - A Family Affair

Ask my dad or brother and they both can tell you about my first duck.  Since the moment I got out of bed on opening day in 1998, I've been in love with waterfowl hunting.  Like so many other waterfowlers I enjoy every aspect of it.  From decoy preparations to the cold wet November mornings.

In order to go waterfowl hunting you have to have somewhere to go. Throughout Illinois there are Waterfowl Blind Drawings, where each blind is allocated a number and a drawing takes place for ownership of that blind for the season. My first waterfowl drawing was in 1999 at Wolf Lake in Cook County.  Hundreds of people were there, walking around sharing stories in hopes of winning a blind for the upcoming season.  At the time I wasn't old enough to participate but my dad and brother put their names in.  Even though we didn't win a blind that year we were still able to get out and enjoy this state park.    Wolf Lake was good to us, we harvested a lot of birds during our tenure hunting there.