Illinois Department of Natural Resources Newsbits for October 2012



Illinois Waterfowl Digest:  Review this season’s Illinois waterfowl regulations with the Illinois Digest of Waterfowl Hunting Regulations now available online on the IDNR website at this link:

Follow the IDNR:  Keep up to date with events and information on outdoor recreation and natural resources in Illinois through IDNR postings on Facebook and Twitter.  Find us at http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/about/Pages/SocialNetworking.aspx

Remaining Firearm Deer Permits:  Those Illinois firearm and muzzleloader deer permits remaining available following the close of random daily drawings will be available over-the-counter (OTC) from DNR Direct license and permit vendors from Oct. 16-Dec. 9 (or until quotas are exhausted).  Find a vendor near you at this link:  http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/LPR/Pages/LicensePermitVendors.aspx

Resident Archery Deer and Fall Turkey Permits:  Resident combination archery deer permits, resident antlerless-only archery deer permits, and resident archery fall turkey hunting permits are available over-the-counter from DNR Direct license and permit vendors.  Find a vendor near you at this link: http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/LPR/Pages/LicensePermitVendors.aspx

Non-Resident Deer and Turkey Permits:  The remaining non-resident 2012 Illinois combination archery deer permits, as well as non-resident antlerless-only archery deer permits and non-resident archery fall turkey permits are available over-the-counter (OTC) from DNR Direct license and permit vendors.  Find a vendor near you at this link:
 
Late Winter and CWD Deer Special Hunt Area Applications:  Hunters may apply online from Oct. 30-Nov. 26 for site-specific permits for designated IDNR Special Hunt Areas for the Late Winter and CWD Deer Hunts.  The online application system will be available through the IDNR website at www.dnr.illinois.gov. A list of Special Hunt Areas open only to hunters with site-specific Late-Winter and CWD season permits is available at this link:  http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/deer/Pages/ResidentLateWinterAntlerlessDeerHunting.aspx

Permits for these sites are limited and will only be available through the online application from Oct. 30-Nov. 26 (paper applications will not be available).  Hunters may submit only one online Special Hunt Area application.  Unfilled 2012 site-specific firearm, muzzleloader or youth permits for these sites are not valid during the Late-Winter Firearm and CWD Deer season (except at sites where standby hunting is available).  Late-Winter and CWD Deer season dates are Dec. 27-30, 2012 and Jan. 18-20, 2013.  County permits for these seasons will be available over-the-counter beginning Dec. 11.

Upland Prospects: For information on prospects for the 2012-13 pheasant, quail and rabbit seasons in Illinois, check the IDNR web site for the annual hunting prospects reports prepared by the IDNR Division of Wildlife Resources.  The links to the reports are available through the IDNR web site at:  http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/uplandgame/Pages/PheasantQuailAndRabbitAnnualStatusReports.aspx

ICF Quail Hunt:  The Illinois Conservation Foundation’s annual Kim Presbrey Memorial Quail Hunt is scheduled for the Rend Lake Resort on Nov. 11-13.  For more information, phone the ICF at 217-785-2003 or register online at www.ilcf.org/events.

Online Free Site Hunting Permits:  Hunters are reminded that Free Site Hunting Permits (windshield cards) to hunt upland, forest game and waterfowl at IDNR sites are available online from the IDNR website at www.dnr.illinois.gov.  Click on ‘Hunting/Trapping’ and then ‘Public Hunting Areas’ to print these permits.  Hunters are encouraged to view the link to hunter fact sheets also available at the site. For information or assistance, hunters should contact the site where they intend to hunt.


Sportsman’s Raffle:  Buy your ticket today for the 2012 Illinois Conservation Foundation Sportsman’s Raffle and help expand youth conservation education and outdoor recreation programs in Illinois.  Sportsman’s Raffle tickets are $100 each and prizes – including a grand prize of up to $100,000 – will be presented at a drawing in Sangamon County on December 6, 2012.   The next “early bird” prize will be awarded for a ticket drawn in Sangamon County on October 4, 2012. Proceeds from the raffle will support programs at the ICF Torstenson Family Youth Conservation Education Center in Pecatonica, IL.  The raffle is being conducted in accordance with the Raffles Act.  All business operations of the raffle take place exclusively in Sangamon County. Raffle tickets are available online at www.ilcf.org and by mail at:  Illinois Conservation Foundation, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702-1271. 

Beaver Dam, Horseshoe Lake Trapping Drawings:  Drawings are scheduled for Oct. 29 for trapping permits at Beaver Dam State Park in Macoupin Co. and Horseshoe Lake State Park in Madison Co.
  • Two trapping permits will be awarded at a public drawing on Oct. 29 to be held at the site headquarters of Beaver Dam State Park, 14548 Beaver Dam Lane, Plainview, IL 62685.    Registration for the drawing will begin at 10 a.m. at the park office and the drawing will be held at 11 a.m. 
  • Trapping will be permitted in the designated areas from the statewide opening until January 25, 2013, except beaver and otter trapping which are allowed through March 31, 2013.   A 2011 or 2012 trapping license or trapper education card will be required to register for the drawing.  For more information about trapping opportunities at Beaver Dam State Park, phone 217-854-8020.
  • Six trapping permits will be awarded at a public drawing to be held on Oct. 29 at the site headquarters of Horseshoe Lake State Park, 3321 Highway 111, Granite City, IL 62040.    Registration for the drawing will begin at 10 a.m. at the park office and the drawing will be held at 11 a.m.  Four permits will be allocated for Horseshoe Lake State Park.  Trapping will be permitted at Horseshoe Lake State Park from statewide opening, with the exception that during waterfowl season, live traps and land sets only will be permitted.   At the close of waterfowl season, all trapping will be permitted following statewide regulations.  The remaining two permits will be allocated to the satellite site Gabaret, Mosenthein and Chouteau Island Area.   Statewide regulations will be in effect for this area.    Beaver and otter trapping will be allowed for all areas through March 31, 2013.   A 2011 or 2012 trapping license or trapper education card will be required to register for the drawing.  For more information about trapping opportunities, contact Horseshoe Lake State Park 618-931-0270.

Eldon Hazlet Trapping Drawing:  Four trapping permits will be awarded at a public drawing to be held Saturday, Oct. 27 at the site headquarters of Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area, 20100 Hazlet Park Rd, Carlyle, IL 62231.  The site is located on Carlyle Lake in Clinton Co.  Three permits will be awarded for Eldon Hazlet SRA and one permit for South Shore State Park.  Registration for the drawing will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the park office and the drawing will be held at 9 a.m. Trapping will be permitted in designated areas from the statewide opening until Jan. 25, 2013, and land sets only are permitted.  A 2011 or 2012 trapping license or trapper education card will be required to register for the drawing.  For more information, contact Eldon Hazlet SRA at 618/594-3015. 

Schoolyard Habitat Grants:  The IDNR, Illinois Conservation Foundation, U.S. EPA and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program are partners in offering funds to teachers and youth group leaders in Illinois for wildlife habitat development or enhancement on school grounds or other public property. Up to $1,000 per applicant is available. The application deadline is Nov. 30, 2012.  Projects such as butterfly gardens, prairie plots, schoolyard arboretums, and bluebird nesting trails have been developed by grant recipients. Visit http://dnr.state.il.us/education/CLASSRM/grants.htm to access the instructions and application form.


Owl Night Hikes:  Join the Friday Night Hikes to listen for owls at Pere Marquette State Park, Grafton.  Meet at the Pere Marquette Visitor’s Center at 8 p.m. on Oct. 26 at 7:30 p.m. for the programs, followed by two-mile hikes (bring one flashlight per family).  Roast marshmallows and hotdogs after the hikes.  For more information, phone 618-786-3323.

CWD Sampling During the Firearm Deer Season in Northern Illinois Counties with Mandatory Check Stations:  Firearm deer hunters in the 10 counties listed below are required to register all deer harvested during firearm season (Nov . 16 – 18; and Nov 29 – Dec. 2) at the check stations shown 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.  Note:  Successful Kendall County firearm deer hunters are also encouraged to bring their adult deer to a check station in one of the adjacent counties for testing, as IDNR needs additional samples from this county to properly evaluate the status of CWD.


Target Hunger Now:  Hunters are encouraged to donate whole deer to the Illinois Sportsmen Against Hunger program – part of the IDNR ‘Target Hunger Now!’ initiative.  Participating meat processors turn the donated deer into ground venison for delivery to food banks and charities in Illinois.  For more information on ‘Target Hunger Now!’ and the Illinois Sportsmen Against Hunger program, check the IDNR website at
http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/Documents/MeatProcessorList.pdf, email tracy.shafer@Illinois.gov, or write to Illinois Sportsmen Against Hunger, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702-1271.

ESPB 40th:  The Illinois Endangered Species Protection Act was established in 1972 and 2012 marks its 40th anniversary.  It is upon this anniversary that the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board presents a new publication on efforts to protect those species of plants and animals native to Illinois which are in danger of being lost from the wild in the state.  The new publication The Illinois Endangered Species Protection Act at Forty: A Review of the Act’s Provisions and the Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Species is now posted to the ESPB website at http://www.dnr.state.il.us/espb/index.htm under “Publications.”