Calling Youth Goose Hunters, Register for Central Illinois Youth Goose Hunt

This is a great opportunity to get those youngsters out of the warm house and into the waterfowl blind.  Youth from ages 10 - 17 have the opportunity to register for this hunt.  It's easy enough, just call!!!

Register Now for Central Illinois Youth Goose Hunt

Annual Hunt is January 14-15

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Youth interested in participating in the annual Central Illinois Youth Goose Hunt, sponsored by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), may register now for the hunt scheduled for January 14-15, 2018.

To register for a drawing to participate in the hunt, youth hunters must phone in to the IDNR at 217-785-8060 by the registration deadline of Friday, December 29.

The youth goose hunt will be held at private waterfowl hunting clubs in the Canton area in Fulton Co.

A lottery drawing involving all youth who phone in to register will be conducted on January 2, 2018, and youth hunters selected will be notified by mail. First-time applicants will be given a priority over previous participants in the drawing.

The hunt is open to youth ages 10-17 at the time of the hunt. All applicants must possess a valid Illinois hunting or sportsman's license, have a Harvest Information Program (HIP) registration number, and have a 20 gauge or larger shotgun. Youth hunt participants must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who must possess a valid firearm owner's identification (FOID) card.

Round 7 - Illinois Archery Harvest Numbers Continue Above 2016 Season

While many of us were eating turkey, some were out in the woods on this nice beautiful Thanksgiving weekend.  This weeks preliminary archery numbers show an increase of 4,243 from the 2016 season.  You may also note that the buck to doe ratio is down, which indicates to a lot in the deer hunting world that the rut has slowed down or it may be over.   With just a little under 60 days of deer hunting season over, what will the remainder of the season show?

This weekend is the second round of firearm season.  Please remember that those who hunt in Northern Illinois need to bring their deer to a checkin station. Please read about where in each county you can do that.

CWD Samplings

Carl with a nice buck during first firearm season.

Below you'll see the numbers sent out by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Through Sunday, November 26, 2017, Illinois archery deer hunters harvested a preliminary total of 50,742 deer, compared to 46,499 for the same period in 2016.

Harvest to date has consisted of 44% does and 56% males (19898:26601).

Top five counties were Pike (1786), Fulton (1431), Jefferson (1194), Adams (1124), and Williamson (980).

Interested in comparing harvest numbers from 2016 to 2017?  Check out the County by County Sheet -

Up-to-date archery harvest figures (for either deer or turkey) by county/state sites can be tracked on the web at http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/Pages/IDNRHarvestQuery.aspx

Turkey Applications for IRAP Now Available

The sounds of a Tom gobbling into shooting distance are what turkey hunters wait all year for. At the turn of the century the number of the wild turkey were drastically low. Today, that number has turned around because of hunters and conservation groups like the National Wild Turkey Federation.  However, if you hunt turkey, finding a location to go can be difficult. Over the past few years Illinois Recreational Access Program (IRAP) has been wildly successful.  In fact the program was so successful at the start with the youth that they opened it up to adults.  Well that time is back, IRAP applications are being accepted for the spring turkey season.  See below for all the information provided by the IDNR.

Let’s Go Turkey Hunting! IRAP Taking Applications Now for Spring

Youth Hunters Apply by February 23 for Youth Season; Hunters Apply by March 18 for Seasons 3 and 4

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Recreational Access Program (IRAP) is encouraging youth and adult hunters to plan now to enjoy spring turkey hunting during the 2018 Illinois Spring Turkey Season, with access to excellent turkey habitat available through IRAP.  

Fishing, Hunting and Outdoor Show List for 2018

2018 Illinois Outdoor, Hunting and Fishing Expos

Expo season is right around the corner and we will once again be attending many of the expos around the State of Illinois.  Here at Capitol Outdoors this is a time where we see old friends, and meet some new ones as well.  It's also a time for local businesses that have come to light in the last year to promote their business.

Here is a list of some of the expos we know that are coming up. Send us information for your expo or other outdoor shows at capitoloutdoors@gmail.com.

Outdoor shows are the perfect opportunity to get ready for the upcoming season and find once a year deals

- Milwaukee Ice Fishing and Winter Sports Show

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

December 8 - 10th 2017

Illinois' Firearm Deer Season Shows Decrease During First Season

Each year thousands of Illinoisans head to the fields in hopes of capturing a whitetail in the cross-hairs of their shotguns.  This year, there were wide spread reports of success in the field but the first season firearm harvest numbers show otherwise.  Many factors played into the decline of 3,087 deer during first firearm season including high winds and rain on Saturday.  However, these numbers could have fooled some of the orange army.   Mark Stewart of Braidwood traveled to Southern Illinois for first firearm season.  "We heard over 230 shots by 8:30 opening day in Hardin County and the last I heard was mine at 10:00 AM"

Northern Illinois counties where chronic wasting disease (CWD) is prevalent hunters who harvest a deer are required to register them during firearm season by taking them to a check station between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Biologists will be present to take CWD samples for testing at the time of registration. Testing is voluntary, but all hunters with adult deer are encouraged to participate.   We have video from a CWD Check Station where they were taking samples provided by our pro staffer Rick.  Watch the video here.

Heather got herself a nice mature doe during firearm season.
Nice Going!

For some reason this weeks numbers do not have the breakdown of buck to doe ratio.  Below you'll see the numbers from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.