Pere Marquette State Park Hosts Educational Fishing Pond Dedication and More

Take the weekend of October 6th,and head down to Pere Marquette State Park.  The park will be hosting a ceremony dedicating their new Educational Fishing Pond.  Although the ceremony may only take a few minutes, this park has so much more to offer.  

"Fall color drives are popular along the wooded ravines and riverside roadways at and near Pere Marquette".

Growing up most of my time outdoors was spent with my dad and brothers.  Some of the most memorable times spent outdoors were with my mom leaf peeping.  Many of you may enjoy doing this with your kids.

Dedication Ceremony Planned for Oct. 6 for New Educational Fishing Pond at Pere Marquette State Park

GRAFTON, IL – Pere Marquette State Park will host a dedication ceremony and grand opening on Friday, Oct. 6 at 11:30 a.m. for the park’s new Educational Fishing Pond.

The public is invited to the ceremony to help celebrate the completion of the project. The new fishing pond will be used at the annual Two Rivers Family Fishing Fair every June, as well as for other park interpretive programs and Urban Fishing Program events.

The new pond is located just outside of the Visitor Center in front of the Log Cabin at Pere Marquette State Park.

The pond was constructed thanks to the support of individual and corporate donors.

The Phillips 66 Wood River Refinery was the primary donor for the project. Monsanto, Friends of Pere Marquette State Park Foundation, and another sponsor who wishes to remain anonymous also were major donors for the project. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources Division of Fisheries provided funding to pay for aerator and pump services and supplies for the pond. Total Lawn Care, Inc. of Jerseyville was the contractor for the project. Other project partners include:

Pere Marquette State Park staff
IDNR Region 4 Hot Shot Crew
IDNR Office of Resource Conservation, Fisheries
IDNR Office of Land Management
IDNR Office of Realty and Environmental Planning
Illinois Federation for Outdoor Resources (IFOR)
Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT)
Unique Concrete Concepts - Jerseyville, IL
Trico Electric - Jerseyville, IL
Baxter Gardens - Chesterfield, MO
Gorman Brothers Ready Mix - Jerseyville, IL
Goedecke Company - St. Louis, MO
McClintock’s Tree Service – Jerseyville, IL

Illinois' Fall Trout Opener is October 21

Looking for a great way to get those adults, youngsters or friends out fishing?  Look no farther then the Illinois Fall Trout Season.  This is a great opportunity to get outside, enjoy the cool breeze and catch some trout.  

The Illinois catchable trout program is funded by those who use the program through the sale of Inland Trout Stamps. For the fall season, the IDNR stocks approximately 80,000 rainbow trout into bodies of water where trout fishing is permitted.

I grew up trout fishing and still do it today.  Want to know how to catch some trout.  Read some of our other articles "Capitol Outdoors' Tips and Tricks for Inland Trout Fishing"  watch our youtube video - Trout Fishing at Southwind Park Springfield.

Illinois Fall Trout Season Opens October 21

2017 Illinois Fall Trout Locations (*) Denotes Sites Open for Catch-and-Release Fly Fishing Early Season 

The Fall Catch-and-Release Fly Fishing-Only Season Opens October 7 at nine sites

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The 2017 Illinois Fall Trout Fishing Season will open on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 54 ponds, lakes, and streams throughout the state. 

Remember Illinois Youth Firearm Season is October 7 - 9

Remember...

Illinois Youth Firearm Deer Hunt is October 7-9

2017 - 2018 Hunter Digest

All Hunters Reminded of Blaze Orange Requirement During the Youth Hunt

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The 2017 Illinois Youth Firearm Deer Hunt is Oct. 7-9 for those hunters with a valid Youth Deer Permit who have not reached their 18th birthday by the first day of the hunt. Youth Deer Permits are available over-the-counter at license vendors throughout the state. Hunters may purchase only one permit (either-sex) for one of the open counties. Hunters that are 16 years of age or older must also have a Habitat Stamp.

IDNR to Allocate Trapping Permits for Jim Edgar Panther Creek SFWA

IDNR to Allocate Trapping Permits for Jim Edgar Panther Creek SFWA

CHANDLERVILLE, IL – A public drawing for the allocation of trapping permits at Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area will be held at Saturday, Oct. 7 at 1:30 p.m. Registration will begin at 1:00 p.m. at the site headquarters, located approximately five miles southeast of Chandlerville.

One permit for each of the five trapping zones will be allocated through a lottery drawing. All persons attempting to enter the drawing must be in attendance and have a current 2017 trapping license in their possession.

DP (Dog Proof) Traps, live traps, and traps of similar action may be used. Homemade dog-proof traps must be designed with a foothold trap no larger than a #2 in an enclosed wood, metal, or durable plastic container with a single access opening of no larger than 1½ inches in diameter. All body-gripping traps must be totally submerged.

IDNR to Allocate Sangchris Lake Trapping Permits on Oct. 14

IDNR to Allocate Sangchris Lake Trapping Permits on Oct. 14

ROCHESTER, IL – A public drawing for the allocation of Sangchris Lake State Park trapping permits will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 14.  Registration will begin at 12:30 p.m. at the site headquarters, located approximately six miles southeast of Rochester.

One permit for two trapping zones will be allocated through the drawing procedure (the Sangchris subimpoundment area will now be included as another zone open to trapping).  Two names will be allowed on the permit, and only those individuals listed will be allowed to trap.  All persons entering the drawing must have a current 2017 trapping license in possession.  Persons whose names are drawn must be in attendance.

Starting February 1, 2018 until the end of the trapping season on March 31, 2018, Sangchris Lake State Park will open to statewide regulations, meaning that any individual with a valid 2017 trapping permit who is interested in trapping can do so (beaver, muskrat, and river otter only).

Eclipse 2017 Fishing Adventure

Waking up on August 21st to a weather report featuring clouds was a little disappointing to say the least.  Meteorologists predicted that the clouds would clear up around 1pm but with the way the sky looked, I was not hopeful. 

This being a great astronomical event, I took the opportunity to get some fishing in.  Not only did I want to be on the open water during the eclipse, I wanted to see how the fish and other wildlife were acting before, during and after. 

I loaded up the boat and headed to Jim Edgar Panther Creek, to fish for some bass and try out some new techniques. During my last tournament on this body of water, I fished a spot that was a little disappointing.  I decided to cruise the choppy waters and head back to that spot to test my luck yet again.  It still ended up being a disappointing spot, but I was optimistic.  It was the eclipse afterall, there had to be a 'biggin' out here.  

As I was fishing, I was continuously, observing the cloud pattern and there looked as if a rainstorm was on the horizon.  I was reaching for my raingear  in preparation when the sky openned up and a bolt of lightening struck in the distance.  It seemed as though this was a microburst, winds picked up, leaves and tree limbs were flying and the sound of rain was intense.  It was amazing and nerve-racking at the same time and as I watched the rain make its way across the lake towards me, I knew I wasn't going to be able to make it back to the ramp, so I beached my boat. 

Fifteen minutes later, the storm was over and I headed back out on the water to darker skys in hopes of catching the 'Eclipse Biggin'.

With my new boat, I started fishing a little further from shore because I don't want to accidentally hit something, she is 'my baby' after all. I am hitting the shoreline with a medium diving crank bait, when i stick a short at about 10 inches. I am always trying to improve my fishing game, so after some small catches, I decided to move to deeper water to work on my deep water fishing techniques. 

It seemed at about this time, things started to change.  It was late morning and it was very very quiet, even for Jim Edgar.

The usual sounds of birds chirping was non existent, and there was an eerie feeling across the lake.  

My deep water fishing consisted of a texas rig with a green pumpkin worm, dragging and twitching off the bottom.  Today, it didn't matter what you were doing, they were biting and it was loads of fun. 

My shortest fish was about 8 inches, and my 'biggin' of the day was about 18 inches.  It was a great feeling being able to catch my limit over and over again.  I never experienced a day where I was catching so many keepers. 

After awhile of fishing, I decided to head home hoping that the sky was clear for viewing.  As I got home the look of disappointment was on my wife's face was all I needed to see to know that she had not been able to view it all day.   

However, our wish was granted as the sky cleared.  Watching the end of the eclipse with my wife was icing on the cake to my Eclipse Fishing trip.  I'm not sure if the eclipse had anything to do with how great the fishing was or if I was just lucky, but this trip was up there with some of the best fishing days I have ever had.    

Did you go out fishing during the Eclipse?  If so, how did you do? 

Illinois Governor Signs Four Hunting/Fishing Related Bills

Yesterday, the Governor signed four hunting/fishing related bills:

• HB 2685-Green Hides 
• Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that except as provided in the Code, it is unlawful to have in his or her possession the green hides of fur bearing mammals without a valid hunting or trapping license.  Learn More

• HB 3093-Electronic Licenses
• Amends the Wildlife Code. Defines "hunting license" as an electronic or physical license authorizing the person to take a certain type of animal during a specified period of time. Effective immediately. Learn More

• HB 3272- Commercial Fishing 
• A Department of Natural Resources initiative  providing that all trout, including lake trout, salmon, and lake whitefish may not be taken by commercial fishing devices, including gill or pound net. Learn More

• HB 3273- Lake Michigan Fishing
• Provides that the Department of Natural Resources may issue a maximum of 5 commercial fishing licenses for taking from the Illinois waters of Lake Michigan yellow perch, bloater chub, and other commercial fish species designated by Department rule. Learn More

There are still two bills that we are waiting for Governor Action on:

HB 2893- Crossbow Bill

HB 3399 - Bobcat Prohibition Bill

He has until the end of September (60 days from when he was sent them) to either Veto

or Sign them or they become law. 

Be Informed!  Follow us on social media and check back often for updates! 

IDNR Bringing Back Outdoor Illinois

Ever talk to an IDNR employee and feel like they could care less.  Maybe that's just people in general today.  Maybe, it has to do with the lack of money the agency has and they know the ideas won't go anywhere.  For awhile now the IDNR has been in the works of bringing back Outdoor Illinois.  They finally made their release announcing the comeback of this new online journal.

This is great news in the hunting, fishing and conservation world.  As outdoor enthusiasts this is a way for the IDNR to finally be able to release information on research studies, land and wildlife management and other updates. We look forward to seeing what information gets published and how this resource will improve the outdoors.

During our reporting and meeting people throughout the state over the years, we've heard people complain about how it's hard to find information and how there is a lack of a user friendly interface for the DNR website.  Illinois' has been lacking in transparency and upgrades. However, this is a great step to making the IDNR more user friendly and transparent.

Some of you might have received the email below:

Illinois Conservationist:

It is my pleasure to announce that the Illinois Department of Natural Resources has partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program and the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGGREC) to bring back Outdoor Illinois!  This time it is a wildlife-specific online journal that contains articles on Wildlife, People, Land, Research, and Recreation.  Please take a few moments to look through the site, and to visit our annual hunting forecasts (https://outdoor.wildlifeillinois.org/).  Right now, we have posted deer/turkey/squirrel and furbearer forecasts.  Upland game and waterfowl forecasts will be coming soon! There are plenty of other short articles to look at as well while you're there.  If you have ideas for Outdoor Illinois: Wildlife Journal, or areas that you think we need to provide more information on, please e-mail me at mark.alessi@illinois.gov and let me know.

To visit other websites regarding wildlife in Illinois, please visit our Living with Wildlife in Illinois (http://web.extension.illinois.edu/wildlife/) and our White-tailed Deer: Illinois websites (https://deer.wildlifeillinois.org/).

Sincerely,

Mark Alessi
Chief
Division of Wildlife Resources
Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame Welcomes Becker, Nelson, Wanless and Zanders

Below you'll see a press release from the Illinois Conservation Foundation  releasing their 2017 Hall of Fame recipients.  Congratulations to all these dedicated outdoor enthusiast.  

Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame Welcomes Becker, Nelson, Wanless and Zanders

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Conservation Foundation (ICF) today announced the selections of four longtime Illinois conservationists as the newest members of the Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame. C.E. (Bob) Becker, David Nelson, Michael (Mick) Wanless, and Glenda Zanders were selected from among dozens of individuals nominated by Illinois citizens and conservation organizations for induction as the Class of 2017 for the Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame.

2017 - 2018 Waterfowl Season Dates Announced for Illinois

While hundreds of lucky blind winners prepare to build, repair and brush their blinds for the 2017 -2018 season the Illinois Department of Natural Resources released their season dates.  Trying to find a place to go, but don't want to head home after waking up at 2:00 AM?  Then try your luck in the permit draw.  You'll find it at the end of the press release.  The draw starts August 16th.  Good Luck!

As it has been for my entire waterfowl hunting career, the 2017 -2018 duck season will be 60 days for ducks and 107 days for goose.  The older generation may remember a 45 or 30 day waterfowl season. However, with strong conservation efforts from local, state and federal agencies along with private organizations the possibility for a 60 day season has increased. 

NOTE: Central Illinois Goose Hunters: there is a split season! 

If you're looking for other dates for various hunting seasons check out the 2017 - 2018 Hunters Digest.  The 2017 - 2018 Waterfowl Digest has not been released yet.  Please make sure to check back.