Get Your 2011 Illinois Licenses: Illinois fishing, hunting and sportsman’s combination licenses for 2011 are available from DNR Direct license and permit vendors, online through the IDNR website at
www.dnr.illinois.gov/online/Pages/default.aspx or by calling 1-888-6PERMIT (1-888-673-7648). The system is available 24 hours a day. The 2011 licenses will be valid through Mar. 31, 2012 unless otherwise noted.
Eagle Day Festival: Dickson Mounds Museum is the location for a day-long Eagle Day Festival on Sat., Feb. 5. The free event is co-sponsored by the Dickson Mounds Museum, IDNR, Emiquon Audubon Society, Fulton County Arts Council, Havana Library District, Mason County Arts Council, The Nature Conservancy, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. From 10 a.m.- 2 p.m., the Emiquon Audubon Society and Dickson Mounds will provide hands on activities for youth, while at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. staff from Wildlife Prairie State Park will present a one-hour program with live birds of prey. Admission is free, but tickets must be picked up in the lobby of the museum for the shows as seating is limited to 150. Other activities are also planned throughout the day, and the movie American Eagle will be shown in the museum auditorium at noon. Dickson Mounds Museum is located between Lewistown and Havana off Illinois Routes 78 and 97. For more information, call 309/547-3721.
Pere Marquette Bald Eagle Programs: Enjoy watching bald eagles on the Illinois and Mississippi rivers near Pere Marquette State Park this winter by participating in one of the park’s popular Bald Eagle Viewing tours. The site interpreter at Pere Marquette will present informative programs about bald eagles on select dates throughout February and early March. All programs begin at the Pere Marquette Visitor Center at 8:30 a.m. Reservations are required and may be made by calling 618/786-3323. To check the schedule of program dates, go to the Pere Marquette Bald Eagle Days webpage at http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/landmgt/parks/R4/Bald_Eagle_Days.htm
Earth Day in the Parks: There is still time for school teachers to register their classes for the 2011 “Earth Day in the Parks” program. Participating state parks will offer students the opportunity to get their hands dirty and experience nature as they perform duties such as removing invasive exotic plants, planting native trees and wildflowers, and building and installing bird nesting boxes. Application information and a list of participating parks and their associated projects are posted at http://dnr.state.il.us/education/CLASSRM/EDITPinstruct.htm. Applications will be accepted through Feb. 28. For more information, contact the IDNR Division of Education at dnr.teachkids@illinois.gov or 217/524-4126.
2011 Spring Wild Turkey Season: The deadline is Feb. 9 for hunters to apply for the third lottery for 2011 Illinois Spring Wild Turkey Season permits. Random daily drawings will begin March 9. Hunters are encouraged to apply online through DNR Direct. Go to the Spring Turkey Hunting page on the IDNR website at this link for more information: www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/Pages/SpringTurkeyHunting.aspx
Turn in Site Hunter Harvest Cards: Hunters who received free permits to access specific IDNR public land sites during the past year and were asked to complete harvest report surveys are reminded to return those harvest surveys by Feb. 15. The return of the surveys is important to biologists and site staffs managing these sites. If a hunter’s survey is not returned, that hunter may be ineligible to obtain a permit for the upcoming hunting seasons.
OutdoorIllinois: For the latest news about Illinois' natural resources, pick up the February 2011 issue of OutdoorIllinois, the IDNR monthly magazine. The cover photograph is a calling toad, selected as the 2010 OutdoorIllinois photo contest Best of Show winner and taken by Donna Caplinger of Moweaqua. The February issue of OutdoorIllinois is the seventh annual full photographic issue, featuring 17 pages filled with stunning, winning entries in the 2010 OutdoorIllinois photo contest. Photo contest guidelines require that submitted images meet one of several categories, including wildlife (fish, herps, birds, mammals and invertebrates), scenic/flora, natural resource recreational activities and young shutterbugs. Information on the 2011 photography contest will be published in the May issue of OutdoorIllinois, and posted at www.dnr.state.il.us/OI by May 1. For a summary of feature magazine articles, listen in on monthly podcasts at www.dnr.state.il.us/OI. OutdoorIllinois is a great tool for learning about Illinois' natural, cultural and recreational resources and a bargain at only $15 for a one-year, 12-issue magazine subscription that includes an information-packed annual calendar in the December issue. Visit dnr.state.il.us/OI or call 1-800-720-3249 to subscribe. VISA and MasterCard are accepted. For information on advertising in OutdoorIllinois, call 217/785-8610 or e-mail michelle.silver@illinois.gov.
Oil and Gas Board Meeting: The Oil and Gas Advisory Board will meet on Tues., Feb. 8 at 10 a.m. at the Illinois Oil and Gas Association building, 824 E. Ill. Highway 15, Mt. Vernon. The meeting is open to the public. For more information, phone 217/524-6570.
INPC: The Illinois Nature Preserves Commission will meet on Wed., Feb. 9 at 10 a.m. at the IDNR Headquarters, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702. The meeting is open to the public. For more information, phone 217/785-8686.
ESPB: The Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board will meet on Fri., Feb. 25 at 10 a.m. at the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie headquarters, 30239 South State Route 53, Wilmington, IL 60481. The meeting is open to the public. For more information, phone 217/785-8687.
Science Series: The Illinois State Museum Research and Collection Center will host the monthly ISM Science Series Program for February on “The Old Main Project: Archaeology and Oral History at Illinois State University” on Wed., Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. The free program will be presented by Dr. James M. Skibo and Dr. Gina L. Hunter of ISU. For more information, call 217/782-0061. The ISM Research and Collections Center is located at 1011 East Ash Street, Springfield.
Celebrate Cultural Diversity: The “Super Saturdays” program for February at the Illinois State Museum in Springfield will be a celebration of cultural diversity in Illinois. The free event is on Sat., Feb. 12 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Learn about the heritage and traditions of various world cultures through hands-on crafts, international displays, and live performances. For more information, phone 217/782-5993. The Illinois State Museum is located at the corner of Spring and Edwards Streets in the
State Capitol Complex in Springfield.
Call for Artists: Illinois artists are invited to submit applications to the Illinois State Museum Artisans Program. All areas of arts and crafts, including folk, traditional, contemporary, ethnic and country, as well as fine art forms are sought. The mission of the Illinois Artisans Program is to bring national and statewide recognition to the rich heritage of fine crafts in Illinois. Artists are required to submit an application, 6-10 digital images, artist statement, resume, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a $25 application fee made out to IAP. The deadlines are Mar. 28, 2011 and Sept. 12, 2011. For more information and an application visit www.museum.state.il.us/artisans or send a self-addressed stamped envelope to the Illinois Artisans Program, James R. Thompson Center, 100 W. Randolph, Suite 2-200, Chicago, IL 60601.
Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame: Tickets are available for the Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame banquet on Mar. 26 at Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace. The Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame inductees are Dr. Thomas C. Dunston, Dr. David Kenney, Bob Long, Jr., and Ed Mullady. Proceeds from the annual banquet assist in funding the Illinois Conservation Foundation’s Youth Achievement Scholarship program and other ICF initiatives benefitting outdoor recreation and natural resources protection. For reservations or more information, contact the Illinois Conservation Foundation, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702-1271, phone 217/785-2003, or check the ICF website at www.ilcf.org.
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
www.dnr.illinois.gov/about/Pages/SocialNetworking.aspx
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