Illinois Department of Natural Resources Newsbits for November 2012



Remaining Firearm Deer Permits:  Illinois firearm and muzzleloader deer permits are still available over-the-counter (OTC) from DNR Direct license and permit vendors – through Dec. 2 for firearm and through Dec. 9 for muzzleloader-only deer hunting (or until quotas are exhausted).  Find a vendor near you at this link:  http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/LPR/Pages/LicensePermitVendors.aspx
Find counties with permits available at this link:
                          
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 2012-13 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 through 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.



Late-Winter and CWD Deer County Permits:  2012-2013 Late-Winter Firearm Antlerless-only Deer county permits will be available over the counter (OTC) through DNR Direct license and permit vendors beginning on Tues., Dec. 11, 2012.  County permits for the CWD Deer Season will also be available OTC beginning on Dec. 11, 2012.  Late-Winter and CWD Deer season dates are Dec. 27-30, 2012 and Jan. 18-20, 2013.

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.


Statewide Archery, Firearm, Muzzleloader, and Late-Winter/CWD Seasons CWD Sampling: Deer hunters statewide are encouraged to allow samples to be taken for chronic wasting disease (CWD) testing from adult deer they harvest.  

Spring Turkey Applications:  Resident hunters may now apply for the first lottery for 2013 Illinois Spring Wild Turkey Season permits online. Go to the IDNR website for more information at this link:
The application deadline for the first lottery for 2013 resident spring turkey permits is Dec. 1, 2012.  Non-residents may apply for 2013 Illinois Spring Wild Turkey permits beginning Dec. 4, 2012. 
                     
Spring Youth Turkey:  Spring Youth Turkey Special Hunt Area online permit applications will be accepted online from Jan. 15, 2013-Feb. 18, 2013.  For more information on 2013 spring turkey hunting:
Spring Youth Turkey Season County Permits will be available over-the-counter from IDNR license/permit vendors beginning on March 5, 2013.


Apply Now for Outdoors Access for Youth Turkey Hunting:  The Illinois Recreational Access Program (IRAP) is now taking applications from young hunters for 2013 spring turkey hunting.  Youth hunters will be assigned a hunt site in one of the 23 counties in which private property has been leased by IDNR.  Most assigned hunting areas are at least 40 acres in size and all have been evaluated for turkey activity and the high possibility of a good hunting experience for the youth.  Eligible youth hunters must be under the age of 16 at the time of the hunt and must have completed a hunter safety education course.  Applicants can apply for two of the three turkey seasons for which IRAP has leased sites for the spring of 2013 – Youth Season, 3rd Season and 4th Season.  For more information, go to www.dnr.illinois.gov/conservation/irapYouth are encouraged not to miss out and apply early.

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.

Ramsey Lake Trapping Permit Drawing:  The Ramsey Lake State Recreation Area will be opened for trapping beginning Nov. 10, 2012.  Permits will be allocated at a drawing to be held at 1 p.m. on Thurs., Nov. 8, 2012 at the park office.  Permit applicants must submit to the site office prior to the drawing their name, address, phone number, date of birth, and number of traps available for use.  The successful applicant must have a valid trapping license and habitat stamp in addition to a site permit to trap at the site.  For additional information, contact the Site Superintendent at 618-423-2215 or the District Wildlife Biologist at 618-283-3070.

Youth Goose Hunt:  Interested youth can register now for the 13th annual Central Illinois Youth Goose Hunt sponsored by the IDNR on Dec. 26-27 at private waterfowl hunting clubs in Peoria, Fulton and Knox counties. Youth hunters must phone in to 217-785-8060 to register for a drawing to participate in the hunt.  The registration deadline is Friday, Dec. 7.  The drawing will be conducted on Dec. 10 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 youngsters ages 10-15 at the time of the hunt.  All applicants must have successfully completed a hunter safety education course, 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.  To register for the hunt or for more information, call 217-785-8060.

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/programs/ISAH/Pages/default.aspx or by email tracy.shafer@Illinois.gov or write to Illinois Sportsmen Against Hunger, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702-1271.

Collector’s Day:  Many of the finest pieces of the Illinois State Museum's collections were donated by people with a passion for collecting. Attend the ISM Collector’s Day on Sat., Nov. 17 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. to meet local and regional collectors who will display their unique objects, from typewriters and music boxes, to antique pins and radio memorabilia. Meet the collectors and learn how to start or improve your own collection. No buying, selling, or appraisals will be allowed. Collector’s Day is free and open to the public.  For more information, email walthall@museum.state.il.us or phone 217-782-0061.

ESPB Meeting:  The Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board will meet on Fri., Nov. 9, 2012 at 9:30 a.m. at the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, 30239 South State Route 53, Wilmington, IL, 60481.  The meeting is open to the public.  For more information, phone 217/785-8687.

Trapping River Otter: 2012-2013 marks the first Illinois trapping season for river otters since 1929. This success story was made possible by restoration efforts in Illinois and other states in the lower Midwest. Federal laws require each otter pelt to be tagged before it is sold, which will be new to most Illinois trappers. A simple and convenient system has been set up, and more information is available on the IDNR website at this link:

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.
                                         
Sportsman’s Raffle: Tickets remain available 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.  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.

Teacher Workshops:  ENTICE (Environment and Nature Training Institute for Conservation Education) educator workshops from the IDNR are scheduled for November, January and February. Go to https://www.enticeworkshops.com for more details and to register. Continuing Professional Development Units are available at all ENTICE workshops.

Dickson Mounds Workshops for Teachers: Educators are invited to gather together and schedule a workshop at Dickson Mounds Museum in Lewistown.  Workshops may be a half-day or full-day experience and include a behind-the-scenes look at the museum, facility tours and hands-on activities, including archaeological work, nature observation, hiking, canoeing, and biological laboratory work.  Workshops may be tailored upon request.  Phone 309-547-3721 or email cchristensen@museum.state.il.us to schedule a workshop or for more information. 

Super Saturdays:  The Illinois State Museum’s ‘Super Saturdays’ event for Sat., Nov. 10 focuses on the American Indian Harvest.   Children and families are invited to learn about the foods that Native Americans in Illinois harvested hundreds of years ago and how they compare to the foods we grow and eat today.  The ‘Super Saturday’s free event is from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. with games, crafts, and activities.  Phone 217-782-6044 for more information.  The Illinois State Museum is located in the State Capitol Complex in Springfield.

Science Series:  The Illinois State Museum’s November program as part of the Paul Mickey Science Series is “Recent Archaeology at the Fort de Chartres Locale” on Wednesday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m.  Late last autumn, Dr. Margaret Brown and Robert Mazrim discovered and excavated the buried remains of a small portion of the third Fort de Chartres, a wooden structure that was occupied from 1732 to 1751. This presentation will discuss how the site was found, as well as the artifacts and initial interpretations of the Randolph County French colonial site, one of the predecessors to the stone fort that was built in 1754. For more information, phone 217-782-0061 or 217-785-0037.  The free program will be held at the Museum’s Research and Collections Center, 1011 East Ash, Springfield.


Marseilles SFWA Hunting Hours:  Marseilles State Fish and Wildlife Area in La Salle County will be open again this year Wednesdays through Sundays for programmed hunting opportunities.  The site will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.  Site hours will be 5:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.  During the Firearm Deer Season, the check station will be opened at 4:30 a.m.  Detailed specific information can be found on the Marseilles SFWA web page on the IDNR website at www.dnr.illinois.gov.  For more information, contact Illini State Park at 815-795-2448.

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.  Just click on the tabs on the IDNR website homepage at www.dnr.illinois.gov