Johnson-Sauk and Matthiessen state parks were both hotspots. And several private fields reported hot shooting.

But beyond those few scattered spots, action was very slow. From the rain that fell early to the doves that never showed, 2010 will go down as a dud.

At least the season sure started slowly in the field that I was hunting with my buddy, The Farmer.

Amazingly, I was 3-for-6 this morning during a soggy, muddy, disappointing dove season opener.

But The Farmer had even fewer shots than me and all in all, it was much, much slower than last year’s opener in the same spot with much the same food offerings. The big difference was the rain, which started at 3 a.m. and kept falling until almost 7 and then sprinkled on us intermittently.

The other big difference was that we just didn’t see many doves. Very few, actually. Three or four decent flocks. And that was it. And there was very little shooting around us.

The biggest concentrations of birds we saw were in silage fields, which also held geese.

We had no geese work our spot.

Actually, the birds that worked best were blue-winged teal which buzzed over The Farmer several times. “I could see their eyes,” he said.

We didn’t do much better in the evening, shooting just three more birds.

Here are totals from several north and central Illinois public areas.

Opening Day Public Site totals

Banner Marsh: 30 hunters, 64 doves, weedy fields and no birds

Chain O’Lakes: 17 hunters, 33 doves

Des Plaines: 90 hunters, 347 doves

Double T: 112 hunters, 144 doves, no limits despite decent field conditions

Hennepin Canal: 29 hunters, 12 doves, 123 shots

Iroquois County: 58 hunters, 483 doves, big crowd for state’s reigning champ in terms of dove-per-hunter average, good fields, 10 limits

Jim Edgar-Panther Creek: 137 hunters, 840 doves, excellent fields, totals should be better today since the even-numbered fields are holding more birds (they rotate fields here)

Johnson-Sauk Trail: 70 hunters, 627 birds, 3,500 shots, fields in excellent condition and non-stop shooting for five hours at this morning draw site

Jubilee College: 19 hunters, 17 doves, decent fields

Lake Shelbyville: West Okaw—98 hunters, 1,168 doves; Kaskaskia—30 hunters, 36 doves

Mackinaw River: 50 hunters, 68 doves, weedy fields, birds left

Matthiessen: 138 hunters, 1,417 doves, good field conditions

Mautino: 60 hunters, 80 doves, 425 shots fired, 5.3 per bird

Mazonia: 21 hunters, 14 doves

Shabbona Lake: 50 hunters, 90 doves

Silver Springs: 92 hunters, 28 doves

Snakeden Hollow: 42 hunters, 11 doves, most fields weedy but even a very good, burned wheat field produced almost no doves

More reports to come…

Big flocks of red-winged blackbirds also flushed from the seedy field.

But mourning doves? Not many. Maybe five fluttered overhead in 30 minutes afield.

Unfortunately, similar reports emanated from all corners of central Illinois late last week. For some reason, dove totals appear to be well below normal heading into Wednesday’s season opener.

That’s true even at sites like traditional hotspot Jim Edgar-Panther Creek, where sunflower fields are clean and mature but doves are scarce.

“In 12 years, this is the fewest doves I’ve ever seen,” said Mike Wickens, head man at JEPC. “I’ve never hoped for a migration this close to the season. But that’s what I’ve been hoping for.”

One other worry facing the state’s 70,000 or so dove hunters is an abundance of weedy fields.

Here’s a look at prospects for some nearby public hunting areas. Unless indicated, hours at state sites are noon to 5 p.m. for the first five days and drawings are at 11 a.m.

Permit sites

Jim Edgar-Panther Creek (5,483 doves, 7.41 doves per hunter) was second among public areas in overall harvest last year. If migrants show, this should once again be a hotspot as Wickens said sunflowers are the best he’s seen in years.

Word is out, though, and permits at JEPC are often filled by those hunters with the foresight to apply earlier this year. Even so, there are typically a few standbys among the 150 or so who hunt here each day.

Green River (1,991, 5.27) is another top spot within a short drive of Peoria that generally has room for a few standbys. Another spot worth a short drive is Matthiessen State Park (1,337, 2.9).

As with those two areas, fields are weedier than usual this year at Mackinaw River (1,348, 2.91). While the warm spring allowed sunflowers to go in early, wet weather that followed made spraying weeds difficult. Dove counts are also well below average
according to site manager Stan Weimer.

No permits

Sunflower fields are good but slightly weedy at Double T (838, 2.95) west of Canton. Problem is, bird numbers are well below average. “A couple weeks ago there was a fair amount of birds here, but I’m not seeing many birds lately,” staffer Rick Valois said.

Even so, the 62 stakes at Double T probably offer non-permit holders in the Peoria area the best chance to shoot some birds on opening day.

Fields are better than last year at Banner Marsh (47, 0.49), though ragweed did come on strong and one field of proso millet is still not mature. There will be 42 stakes here for a morning drawing held one-half hour before sunrise.

The area’s other morning draw is at Johnson-Sauk Trail (51, 0.38), which generally offers around 50 stakes.

Sunflowers are “terrible” at Snakeden Hollow (893, 3.34) according to site manager Rick Knisely. “Our flowers are small and short but we’ve got plenty of broadleaf weeds,” Knisely said. “If somebody knows a feedlot or a sandbar, they’ll probably get better
shooting than what they’ll get here.”

Hennepin Canal (331, 2.9) and Mautino (502, 2.72) each have one clean field. Other fields are weedy according to manager Dave Hahne, who said there will be 58 and 56 stakes at the two sites, respectively.

Flowers are also mature at Jubilee College State Park (74, 0.49), where hunting is allowed Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. But dove numbers were very low on Friday.

Finally, the second year of extended summer flooding means Anderson Lake has no dove fields planted.

The EPA said it did not have the authority to enact the ban, aimed at protecting wildlife, under the Toxic Substances Control Act, as the groups had requested.

But the agency said it’s still reviewing another part of the petition, to ban lead fishing sinkers.

The EPA informed one of the groups, American Bird Conservancy, of the decision in a letter.

The groups had argued in their petition that millions of animals are dying from eating lead-shot pellets or carcasses contaminated by lead. They said an estimated 10 million to 20 million birds and other animals die each year from lead poisoning in the U.S.

In a petition filed earlier this month, the environmental groups argued that instances of lead poisoning from ammunition and fish ing sinkers “present an unreasonable risk of injury” to both human health and the environment.

The petition cited nearly 500 peer-reviewed scientific articles that the environmental groups said document the toxic effects of lead on wildlife.

These studies “conclude that the lead components of bullets, shotgun pellets, fishing weights and lures pose an unreasonable risk of injury to human and wildlife health and the environment,” the Aug. 3 petition argued.

The EPA was required to respond to the petition within 90 days.

“EPA is taking action on many fronts to address major sources of lead in our society such as eliminating childhood exposure to lead,” Steve Owens, the agency’s assistant administrator for chemical safety and pollution prevention said in a statement.

But he said the agency “was not and is not considering taking action on whether the lead content in hunting ammunition poses an undue threat to wildlife.”

The environmentalists w ere sharply critical of the EPA decision, arguing the agency has the authority to act and that there is a wide range of non-lead ammunition available.

“The EPA had ample evidence that lead bullets and shot have a devastating effect on America’s wildlife, yet has refused to do anything about it,” said Darin Schroeder, vice president for conservation advocacy at the American Bird Conservancy, one of the petitioners. “It’s disappointing to see this country’s top environmental agency simply walk away from the preventable poisoning of birds and other wildlife.”

Also signing the petition were the Association of Avian Veterinarians, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility and Project Gutpile.

“Generally speaking, elk populations are in great shape and hunters have much to look forward to across the West, as well as in several Midwestern and Eastern states,” said David Allen, president and CEO of the Elk Foundation. “A mild winter, much needed spring and summer moisture and our habitat conservation successes all factor into our optimism for the upcoming hunting season.”

This summer, RMEF passed the 5.8 million acre mark for habitat conserved or enhanced for elk and other wildlife.

Allen added, however, that wolves continue to be a growing concern in regions where the predators share habitat with elk and other big game herds. In some areas, elk calf survival rates are now insufficient to sustain herds for the future. The urgent need to control wolf populations is a localized wildlife management crisis now compounded by a recent court decision to return wolves to full federal protections under the Endangered Species Act. RMEF has asked Congress to intervene and grant management authority to the states.

Here’s a condensed look at elk data from state and provincial wildlife conservation agencies. To see these forecasts in their entirety, with links to respective elk regulations or other Web pages, visit http://www.rmef.org. For even more coverage, see the Sept./Oct. 2010 edition of the RMEF member magazine, Bugle. To join, call 800-CALL ELK.

Alaska

• Elk Population: Kodiak Archipelago (GMU 8), 650; Etolin (GMU 3), not available
• Bull/Cow Ratios: Not available
• Nonresidents: $85 hunting license plus $300 elk tag, and must hire a guide
• Hunter Success: GMU 8, 17 percent; GMU 3, 5 percent
While bulls in the lower 48 average 700 pounds, bulls in GMU 3’s South Etolin Wilderness in southeast Alaska can get up to 1,300. However, recent success rates hover at just 5 percent with an annual average of six bulls killed for the entire unit. Zarembo Island northwest of Etolin has remained closed to hunting since 2006 because of low elk numbers. For GMU 8 in southern Alaska, odds are considerably better at 17 percent. Area biologist Larry van Deale says some recent trophies would have made the record books had the hunters cared to enter them.

Alberta

• Elk Population: 33,000
• Bull/Cow Ratio: Not available
• Nonresidents: $255, must hire a guide
• Hunter Success: Not available
This province offers opportunities for fine elk hunting as herds expand east and south onto the prairies and parklands. As herds grow, managers establish more hunting opportunities—last year alone saw three new areas open to elk hunting. Some of the biggest bulls are in these new units. The northern-most units have hunts well into January, and landowners typically welcome responsible cow hunters with open arms. The best (and only) shot for a nonresident is to go through an outfitter, as they are allotted roughly 10 percent of draw tags.

Arizona

• Elk Population: 25,000
• Bull/Cow Ratio: 34/100
• Nonresidents: $121 hunting license (nonrefundable to enter drawing) plus $595 elk permit
• Hunter Success: 30 percent
Even though the state claims 25,000 elk, its mesas and arroyos could be hiding upwards of 40,000, says Brian Wakeling, Arizona’s game branch chief. They conduct elk counts in August and September, and the thick tree cover makes it tough to get accurate counts with aerial surveys. Overlooked elk means better odds for hunters. Plus, with abundant moisture this winter and little winterkill, elk herds are flourishing. Last year saw little daylight rut activity with bulls bugling only by moonlight, which held bowhunter success to around 25 percent. Logic says those big bulls that survived merely got bigger for this season. Also note the agency’s goal to get bull/cow ratios down to 25/100 to create more hunter opportunity. Translation: more bull tags.

Arkansas

• Elk Population: 500
• Bull/Cow Ratio: 40/100
• Nonresidents: varies for private landowner tags and three auction tags
• Hunter Success: 42 percent
When Arkansas held its first elk-hunting season in 1998, hunter success was close to 100 percent. Now the elk are far wilier. Out-of-state hunters have a couple options: either buy an auction tag or contact a landowner for access. For the latter, hunters must receive written permission from the landowner to hunt their private property, and can only hunt there. Available tags remain the same as last year: 29 public-land tags (8 bull, 16 antlerless, 2 either-sex youth tags, plus 3 either-sex auction tags).

British Columbia

• Elk Population: 50,000
• Bull/Cow Ratio: 20/100
• Nonresidents: $189 hunting license plus $262.50 for elk permit. Must hire a guide.
• Hunter Success: Not available
This province boasts a thriving population of Rocky Mountain elk and some of the biggest Roosevelt’s bulls in the world, says Stephen MacIver, wildlife regulations officer. However, a hunter must first hurdle the odds of drawing a limited-entry tag. The odds are roughly 35:1. However, guides are allotted a percentage of the tags. Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast in the far west have strong populations of Roosevelt’s. For Rocky Mountain elk, your best bet would be the Kootenay region in the southeast, which boasts the province’s highest success rates. Another good option is the agricultural zones in the Peace River region.

California

• Elk Population: 1,500 Rocky Mountains, 6,000 Roosevelt’s, 3,900 tules
• Bull/Cow Ratios: 20/100 to 90/100
• Nonresidents: $145 hunting license (nonrefundable to enter drawing) plus $1,173 elk permit
• Hunter Success: 75 percent
Conditions are ripe for a world’s record tule, says Joe Hobbs, California Fish and Game elk coordinator. On the East Park Reservoir Unit, good spring rains this year and a low harvest of old bulls last year have left the environment in top shape for antler growth. The bad news? Your odds of drawing a bull tag there are 1 in 350. On the Grizzly Island unit, odds are 1 in 1,000. Auction tags are a possibility, too, but if odds and auctions aren’t your thing, private landowners receive a limited number of tags, and some are available for sale. The Marble Mountains unit in the northwest has 35 bull tags, 10 antlerless and 5 late-season muzzleloader/archery either-sex tags.

Colorado

• Elk Population: 286,000
• Bull/Cow Ratio: 30/100
• Nonresidents: cow $354, any elk $544
• Hunter Success: 23 percent
Colorado is the land of plenty for elk and elk hunters but it isn’t currently known for producing behemoth bulls. That could be a different story this hunting season. The past two falls have been cursed with warm weather. In the northwest where many of the bigger bulls roam, elk migration didn’t even begin until after regular rifle seasons were over. Couple that with abundant spring and summer moisture producing high quality forage and the setup is perfect for more trophy bulls. The state’s more-than 200,000 elk hunters also will find that cow tags have gone up $100, the Division of Wildlife has recommended cutting 1,500 cow/either-sex rifle tags across the state, and over-the-counter archery licenses for units 54, 55 and 551 have been nixed. On the other hand, places where herds remain above objective, such as the Gunnison Basin, will see more rifle tags available.

Idaho

• Elk Population: 101,000
• Bull/Cow Ratio: 25/100
• Nonresidents: license $155, tag $417
• Hunter Success: 20 percent
Since 2007, Idaho’s elk population has fallen by 24,000. And for the second year in a row, out-of-state tag revenues in the state have mirrored that trend. Hunters list wolves, the economy and nonresident tag prices as factors. This isn’t ideal for state wildlife coffers, but it could be ideal if you’re looking for elk hunting all to yourself. Wolves have hit elk populations hard in the classic elk country of the Lolo, Sawtooth and Selway areas, and the state has capped tags. Bull/cow and cow/calf ratios are in tough shape, and the statewide population could fall below 100,000 for the first time in decades. But the declines are by no means across the board. Elk populations are at or above objectives in 22 of 29 elk hunt zones. And a mild winter boosted cow and calf elk survival rates across most of the state. The Beaverhead, Lemhi, Island Park, Teton, Snake River, Palisades and Tex Creek zones all have healthy herds and offer the kind of elk hunting Idaho is famous for.

Kansas

• Elk Population: 250-275
• Bull/Cow Ratio: 40/100
• Nonresidents: Private landowner permits and one Commissioner’s Permit, usually sold at auction
• Hunter Success: 75 percent either sex, 50 anterless
Kansas now has unlimited over-the-counter either-sex elk tags. In certain counties across the state, namely those not adjacent to Fort Riley or Cimarron National Grasslands, any resident can purchase one, hook up with a landowner and hunt elk. Landowners in Hamilton County in western Kansas voiced concern over crop depredation, and biologists responded with the liberal permits. If you care to play the odds, enter the drawing for a once-in-a-lifetime tag. More than half the state’s elk reside on and around 100,000-acre Fort Riley, which allows hunting: 12 either-sex (up 4 from last year) and 15 antlerless permits.

Kentucky

• Elk Population: 10,000
• Bull/Cow Ratio: 35-40/100
• Nonresidents: $10 to apply, $365 for permit, $130 for hunting license
• Hunter Success: 80 percent
This year, the Bluegrass State’s wapiti hunt was so in-demand that applicants from all 50 states applied, plus the District of Columbia. That’s a great vote of confidence for the East’s biggest herd, but it means the odds of drawing got even longer for nonresidents: 1:200. For Kentuckians, you’re competing against 29,000 other hunters for 720 tags—far better odds at 1:42. Permit numbers in the state have been on a rollercoaster. Last year, permits rocketed up 50 percent to 1,000 tags. Hunters had 60 percent success on cows and 91 percent on bulls. So, managers reined in the number of permits this year back to 800 in hopes of beefing up the population.

Manitoba

• Elk Population: 6,500
• Bull/Cow Ratio: 35-45/100
• Residents only
• Hunter Success: 20 percent
Elk are the “most desired species to hunt” among province residents, says Ken Rebizant, provincial big game manager. Traditional strongholds such as the Porcupine, Interlake and Duck Mountain regions are going to have elk, and big ones, but they’re tough draws, as the province has no over-the-counter tags. But, since bovine tuberculosis has impacted the Riding Mountain herd, provoking managers to reduce herd numbers, interest in that area has waned. That may be all a resident needs to finally draw an elk tag.

Michigan

• Elk Population: 780
• Bull/Cow Ratio: 60/100
• Residents only
• Hunter Success: 70 percent
For years, the state has tried to get its elk numbers down to around 800 and now it seems managers have succeeded. The tendency for elk to wreak havoc on some ag operations in the northern lower peninsula had managers working hard to reduce the herd. Now that they’ve hit their mark, Michigan will offer 230 tags, 150 less than last year. This year, the state will offer 75 any-elk tags with 155 antlerless.

Minnesota

• Elk Population: 170
• Bull/Cow Ratio: 50/100
• Residents only
• Hunter Success: 79 percent
This year, Minnesota will issue 11 once-in-a-lifetime tags for two separate seasons. Last year, 2,072 applicants put their name in for 30 permits. The state gives landowners 20 percent of the available tags. Last year, managers were able to work out a five-year management plan that calls for 30-38 elk in the Grygla herd, 20-30 animals in the Kittson Central herd and a currently undetermined number in the Caribou-Vita herd. Discussions are being held between the state DNR and Manitoba Conservation regarding population goals for the Caribou-Vita herd, which freely travels across the border.

Montana

• Elk Population: 150,000
• Bull/Cow Ratio: 5-25/100
• Nonresidents: $593
• Hunter Success: 22 percent
There are plenty of elk in many pockets of Big Sky country. In fact, Montana continues to boast the second highest elk population of any state by a margin of 30,000 animals. But some populations have plummeted in the past five years. The northern Yellowstone herd is down to 6,000 animals from 19,000 in 1996. Areas north of Yellowstone National Park have seen permits cut and over-the-counter tags change to a draw. Populations in the West Fork of the Bitterroot River and the lower Clark Fork River are 60 percent below objective with just 7 calves per 100 cows. All antlerless tags have been cut and bulls will be hard to come by. Elk populations are well below objectives throughout much of Region 1 in the northwest. Hunters will find elk widely dispersed and wary throughout their traditional ranges in the western third of the state where wolves howl. But the farther one goes east of the Continental Divide, the more elk appear. Most of the eastern portion of the state is 20 percent above population objectives.

Nebraska

• Elk Population: 2,400
• Bull/Cow Ratio: Not available
• Residents only
• Hunter Success: 80 percent bulls, 58 percent cows
The state’s elk herd is still growing consistently around 15-20 percent every year. As numbers grow, opportunities to hunt grow with them, but only if you’re a resident. This year, the state will issue 272 tags, up 40 from last year, with 98 bull and 174 cow permits. To promote strong landowner relations, one-third of those permits are available to private landowners in a drawing and are non-transferable.

Nevada

• Elk Population: 12,300
• Bull/Cow Ratio: 32/100
• Nonresidents: $142 hunting license plus $1,200 tag
• Hunter Success: 44 percent
In the past two years, the state’s elk population has grown nearly 30 percent. Opportunities for hunters to chase them have followed suit. A few hundred tags more than last year will be issued this season for a total of 3,350. Ten percent of those tags go to nonresidents who are looking at pretty decent 1:44 odds to draw a bull tag. The quality of bulls in the harvest remains high with more than 67 percent of bulls reported being six points or better. The state’s Elk Management on Private Lands Program distributed 66 tags to property owners to do with as they wish. Estimated revenue generated from those tags topped nearly $500,000 for the landowners.

New Mexico

• Elk Population: 75,000-95,000
• Bull/Cow Ratio: 42/100
• Nonresidents: $27 nonrefundable fee to enter drawing, plus $562 standard bull tag or $787 quality bull tag
• Hunter Success: 30 percent
Out-of-staters looking to hunt here will find no over-the-counter tags. Those who didn’t draw may be able to contact a landowner for one of their tags (be ready to write a hefty check). The state has no bonus or preference point system. Residents get the bulk of the tags, 78 percent. The state’s units are broken into “quality” and “opportunity” hunts. The former will get you a better chance at bigger bulls, but odds are steep. The Gila area holds around 20,000 elk.

North Dakota

• Elk Population: 2,000
• Bull/Cow Ratio: Not available
• Nonresidents: One auction tag available
• Hunter Success: 42 percent
Big news this year is the hunt inside Theodore Roosevelt National Park. With 950 elk, the park is looking to control elk populations, possibly killing 275 elk for the next five years to get the population at 100-400. For the rest of the state’s elk, things are pretty much status quo. Managers issued 561 tags—with 245 any-sex and 315 antlerless tags, the same as last year. Almost all hunting is now in the western Badlands.

Oklahoma

• Elk Population: 2,300
• Bull/Cow Ratio: Not available
• Nonresidents: $306
• Hunter Success: Not available
The Sooner State’s elk population is holding steady and the number of permits to hunt public land still hovers around 330. Odds of pulling one of those tags are dismal, less than 1 percent. But, if you do draw, there are some truly fine Okie bulls. Nonresidents looking to hunt here might do best to purchase a tag and then find a landowner who wants elk out of his winter wheat. For cow hunts, seasons are extended well into December and January.

Oregon

• Elk Population: 120,000
• Bull/Cow Ratio: 15/100
• Nonresidents: license $140, tag $500
• Hunter Success: 13 percent
Due to budget constraints, biologists aren’t exactly sure how many elk they have as aerial surveys have been limited. But they think populations are stable. And, this year, managers plan to issue nearly 1,000 more permits than last season. Rocky Mountain elk dominate the east side of the Cascades while Roosevelt’s reign to the west. Most hunting in the steep and dark west is open to all comers with over-the-counter tags, while eastern Oregon is draw-only for rifle hunters. Bowhunters can hunt most of the east side with a general tag. Those eastern elk have some new neighbors, as a couple wolf packs have dispersed into the state from Idaho.

Pennsylvania

• Elk Population: 700
• Bull/Cow Ratio: 28/100
• Nonresidents: $250 for elk tag, $101 for general license
• Hunter Success: 94 percent bull, 73 percent cow
To be blunt, this state has been growing some absolute toads. In 2006, a hunter killed a 425-2/8 non-typical, while just last year a hunter killed a 423-6/8 non-typical. Both bulls were around 6 years old. Records remain to be shattered if a bull can tack on a few extra years. Managers are currently revising the state’s elk management plan to determine how many elk that habitat and society will support. In the meantime, 51 tags will again be issued this season, with 18 bull and 33 cow.

Saskatchewan

• Elk Population: 15,000-16,000
• Bull/Cow Ratio: 20/100
• Residents only
• Hunter Success: 20 percent
Landowner tolerance for elk dictates seasons in this province. In the south where there is a lot of private farmland and the only predator carries a rifle, you’ll find ample antlerless quotas meant to get elk off the crops and into freezers. If you want a bull, this just might be your year. With so much open ag land, bulls are easy to spot. To help them gain a little antler weight, managers only allow them to be hunted every third year, which has produced some 400-inch monsters. Moose Mountain Provincial Park in the southeast corner is home to 1,400 elk and has seen numbers gaining strength in the past decade. This is a draw-only unit, open to either-sex hunting, and also has outstanding bulls.
For challenging over-the-counter hunts, the north-central and western regions offer forests and meadow fringes that hide elk along with plenty of their four-legged predators.

South Dakota

• Elk Population: 5,000
• Bull/Cow Ratio: 75/100
• Residents only
• Hunter Success: 50 percent
The state’s largest herd in the Black Hills National Forest numbered as many as 5,000 animals back in 2003. Aggressive management knocked that number down to the current 3,000. But public attitudes have shifted and there is once again a cry for more elk and more hunting opportunity. To reach a goal of 4,000 in the Hills, managers have had to cut rifle tags again this year to 1,065—a drop of 300 from last year. Still, residents’ odds of hunting a bull in the Black Hills are a solid 1:10. If you pull a tag, make the most of it, as you have to wait nine years to apply again.

Tennessee

• Elk Population: 400
• Bull/Cow Ratio: Not available
• Nonresidents: $10 fee to enter drawing, $300 if drawn
• Hunter Success: 100 percent
“We want to grow this elk herd and add more hunters,” says Steve Bennett, elk restoration project coordinator. The herd seems to be cooperating. Last year, five lucky hunters participated in the state’s first sanctioned elk hunt, taking five elk, four on the first day. State wildlife managers hope to see the herd reach 2,000 animals within the next two decades.

Utah

• Elk Population: 68,000
• Bull/Cow Ratio: 15-80/100
• Nonresidents: $65 hunting license, plus $388 general tag, $795 limited-entry tag or $1,500 premium limited-entry tag
• Hunter Success: 17 percent
Statewide, hunters kill bulls that average around 6½ years, and Utah has seen good moisture this past winter and spring, keeping the hills green and lush. Translation: healthy brutes with big headgear. The most popular units include San Juan and Fillmore Pahvant but odds of drawing a limited-entry tag are tough. For residents, it’s 1:16.  Nonresidents, 1:44. There are over-the-counter options, especially for archery hunters who are willing to hike into wilderness.

Washington

• Elk Population: 55,000-60,000
• Bull/Cow Ratio: 12-20/100 in most units
• Nonresidents: $432
• Hunter Success: 8 percent
Washington has more hunters per elk than any other state. Managers help control densities by making hunters choose either westside Roosevelt’s or eastside Rocky Mountain elk. Both hunters and elk are split about 50/50. Generally, herd numbers are stable this season but the Yakima herd has seen a drop in calf recruitment, thus special permits for both branch-antlered bulls and cows have been cut 30-40 percent. While it may take some time for the Yakima herd to rebound, the state has plenty of other hot spots like the classic elk country of the Blue Mountains. This area in the southeast corner has seen an increase in bull permits the last few years. The southwest also offers over-the-counter permits, especially on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest around Mt. St. Helens where managers are trying to knock down herd numbers. Wolves have established at least two confirmed packs on the eastside.

Wyoming

• Elk Population 120,000
• Bull/Cow Ratio: 23/100
• Nonresidents: $577 for permit, $288 for cow-calf permit, $1,057 for special permit
• Hunter Success: 43 percent
Certain places in Wyoming have seen significant impacts from wolves and other carnivores. Much of the Cody herd, near Yellowstone, is seeing poor calf-recruitment made worse by predation. Once a general hunting area, it is now a limited-entry draw. Areas around Jackson Hole and the Gros Ventre and Teton Wilderness Areas will see tightened seasons and antler-point restrictions to try and boost bull/cow and cow/calf ratios. Outside the northwest corner, the state’s elk populations are up 15,000 from last year and many units are far above objectives. The statewide objective is 80,000 elk. That’s 40,000 less than where the herd stands now. The state expects to have lots of leftover antlerless licenses. Aggressive seasons have been set in many places including the Snowy Range, Laramie Peak and Sierra Madre. Last year, the state shifted to a first-come/first-served online licensing system. Out-of-staters can now search for leftover licenses without having to wait in line (in Wyoming) for reduced and full-price tags. For those more interested in hunting bulls, the state allots 16 percent of its limited quota and general licenses to nonresidents.

Yukon Territory

• Elk Population: 250-300
• Bull/Cow Ratio: 60/100
• Residents only
• Hunter Success: 29 percent
This province, which boasts 70,000 moose and only 35,000 people, last year held its first official elk hunt in 25 years. Twenty-six hunters took an elk home for the freezer. While much of the Yukon’s northern boreal forest can’t support elk, the Takhini Valley to the south along the Alaska highway, and Braeburn to the north along the Klondike Highway, are elk strongholds. A total of 63 permits will be distributed by lottery for Takhini. Up in Braeburn, six permits are available.

He first started collecting sheds from this big Pope County bruiser when Ghost was just 2 years old. Over the next few seasons Sims had plenty more sheds to find, as Ghost lived to the ripe age of 7 1/2 years.

Sims also had numerous pictures of Ghost, including this one from 2008.

That was the season he got two opportunities during the week of Thanksgiving, in between the gun seasons. But while he got close, Sims never got close enough. The lesson he learned in 2008 paid off last November, though.

“Closest he got to me was a hairy fifty yards with lots of limbs in the way of the shot. I finally figured out that was the only time that I needed to be hunting this deer and just forget about him until the first gun season was over the next year,” Sims said. “So that’s what I did last season and it worked.”

Finally last Nov. 27, after hunting the buck for years, Sims got a good shot.

“The picture showing his left broadside was on Nov. 19, 2009 just 8 days before his harvest. The deer was under no pressure and was up and on his feet during legal shooting hours during the Thanksgiving week,” Sims said. “My stands were already set in the key spots so when it was time, all I had to do was smoke up and go up the hill to the stand and leave the camp fire smoldering so the smoke would blow right up the hill to me in the stand, masking any detectable human scent.”

After three straight days of waiting on what he called “the most incredible buck I’ve ever hunted,” Ghost came within 10 yards while following two smaller bucks and a doe. When he presented a standing broadside shot, Sims did the rest. Ghost went just 50 yards before dropping.

Here’s that picture of Ghost from Nov. 19.

After the hunt, Sims got help from his two nephews and his next door neighbor to pack out the buck. Actually, most of the chore went to his trusty horse Ringo. “I’ve hunted many years on Ringo and he’s packed out all of my deep woods giants!” Sims said.

And here’s a picture of Sims with Ghost and the many sheds collected from this big 11-pointer, which grossed 177 inches.

Ghost was Sims’ 11th Pope and Young class buck. The Golconda taxidermist also mounted the buck and entered him in a deer deer taxidermy contest at the National Wild Turkey Federation’s Grand Nationals. Sims wound up winning a first-place blue ribbon in the masters division on Feb. 22, 2010. “It just doesn’t get any better than that for me,” he said.

Just ask Jared Gamboe, who stood vigil outside of a cave that he believed his dog was trapped inside for three days.

An avid raccoon hunter, Gamboe went out to the wooded area near Indian Lake Road in Delhi last Sunday night to hunt with two of his buddies and four dogs altogether. When the hunters unleashed their dogs, two ran off in one direction and two ran off in another.

Gamboe’s 2-year-old Treeing Walker coonhound, Threat, was one of the dogs that boldly ran off in pursuit of raccoons.

“Within 15 minutes, I knew something was wrong, because I lost the signal from Threat’s GPS collar, and Paul (Young) lost contact with his dog, Cassie, at the same time,” Gamboe said.

A 65-pound dog, Threat is extremely muscular for his breed, with a more slender build than a Labrador retriever and the spotted black, brown and white c oloring of a beagle.

Known for having a particularly close relationship with Threat, Gamboe can hear the dog bark for him up to a mile away.

Hunting for sport only, the dogs chase raccoons up a tree and bark to let their owners know that they have successfully tracked an animal; no killing is involved.

Determined to find their dogs, the men stayed on the scene searching for them, finally locating a soaking wet, mud-covered Cassie at 3 a.m.

“I felt I owed it to Threat to keep looking for him,” Gamboe said. “We’ve probably gone hunting together 200 times this past year, and he’s a one-person dog.”

Resolved to find Threat or at least to find out what happened to him, Gamboe returned to the area just a few hours later.

Gamboe calculated that Threat could have gone only approximately 200 yards before the signal dropped, so he focused his rescue efforts within this radius.

While combing the area, he noticed dog tracks, so he followed them up a ditch to where he discovered a small cave. The cave was hidden from view by a rock overhang, leading into a narrow tunnel.

Gamboe yelled into the cave for Threat, but he didn’t receive any response back. He tried going in and could only enter approximately the first 75 feet of the tunnel.

“My husband put out a radio to keep Threat company, so he could hear voices,” Bobbie Gamboe said. “He brought some of his clothes to put at the entrance, so that Threat could smell his scent, and he left food and water for him, just in case.”

Jared Gamboe, who dearly loves the dog, went back multiple times each day, hoping to hear or see any signs of his lost best friend.

“I thought he was probably gone, but I wasn’t ready to give up on him,” he said. “I had read on a website about a dog who lasted 14 days in a cave, so I was going to keep going back for two weeks.”

Against all odds, Gamboe finally heard a muted yelp from inside the cave on Wednesday morni ng. Gamboe immediately called his wife, screaming over the telephone the good news that Threat still was alive.

Calling his friends for help, Gamboe once again tried to go down into the cave to rescue his beloved dog, but he couldn’t reach him.

From home, where Bobbie Gamboe was taking care of the couple’s 17-month old twins, she began making a series of calls that ultimately led her to post a message for help on the http://www.cavediggers.com website at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Although both the Jersey County fire and police departments came to the scene, neither was able to help, because they only can participate in the rescue of humans from cave entrapment.

Within 30 minutes of Bobbie’s posting, Jim Sherrel, president of the MMV Cave Club, called to offer help. He sent out e-mails and called fellow cavers, who responded to her anguished plea immediately.

One of seven volunteers, Chuck Breite, drove over from Wentzville, Mo., to help with the rescue.

“I had lost a dog earlier this spring, so the e-mail from (Bobbie) really hit home for me,” Breite said. “This is what we do as a hobby, so it’s nice to use our skills other than just entertaining ourselves. We were glad to help.”

Other volunteers included Kristin and Joe Nicolussi of Granite City, Tyler Allen and a man identified as only Gerald S. of O’Fallon, Ill., and Jim Sherrel Jr., who accompanied his father from Collinsville. Everyone arrived by 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, with gear and wetsuits, determined to get Threat out.

“They knew exactly what to do,” Bobbie Gamboe said. “Within an hour, they were down in the cave and could see that Threat was breathing.”

The cavers, however, cautioned that the proper equipment and experience are necessary to attempt this kind of rescue, noting that it can be dangerous.

Because she was the smallest caver, Kristin Nicolussi was the only volunteer who could reach Threat, crawling some of the way on her hands a nd knees, but mostly inching forward on her belly in the confined space, some 2 feet wide.

“When I got down there, I could see the white part of his belly moving,” Nicolussi said. “His head was lodged between the top of the cave and a rock, and he was lying on his belly with his front paws caught and his back legs splayed out. He couldn’t move until I freed his head.”

Nicolussi said that Threat whined a bit while she was freeing him, and that once he realized he could move, he pushed past her to get out.

To everyone’s surprise, Threat walked out on his own power, picking up his pace and wagging his tail the moment he spotted Jared Gamboe.

“I don’t remember going over to him; it’s hard to describe how I felt,” he said. “I was just really happy.”

Breitle, who witnessed the reunion, said that Gamboe seemed in shock and kept saying, “Oh, my God! He made it!”

In spite of being covered in mud, Threat appeared to be in good shape, so Gamboe took him home.

When Threat arrived home, the family cried and held him on their porch. Even though the family encouraged Threat to spend the night inside with them, Threat, relieved to be home, just wanted to go sleep where he always does - next to the other dogs outside.

Dr. Dave Murdach of Ghrist Veterinary Clinic in Carrollton examined Threat on Thursday morning and credited Gamboe’s care as the reason he came out of the cave in such good condition.

Active on many dog forums, Gamboe gives Threat both fish oil and electrolytes powder, which he believes helped prevent dehydration.

“We are eternally grateful to all the help and support offered by the people that came out to help him,” Bobbie Gamboe said. “The cavers are a special community of people.”

Amazed by the outpouring of concern for Threat’s well-being, Gamboe and the team of rescue volunteers have received e-mails from as far away as Australia and Mexico this week.

“Many people look at hunting dogs as work dogs,” Bobbie Gamboe said. “My husband thinks of Threat as his best friend.”

“It’s long past time do something about this deadly - and preventable - epidemic of lead poisoning in the wild,” said Jeff Miller, conservation advocate for the Center for
Biological Diversity. The center was one of the five groups that submitted the 100-page petition to the EPA, which includes hundreds of scientific studies the groups say demonstrate the harm lead does to wildlife. The groups say an estimated 10 million to 20 million birds and other animals die each year from lead poisoning in the U.S.

The center, along with the American Bird Conservancy, the Association of Avian Veterinarians, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility and a hunters group called Project Gutpile, are seeking a ban under the Toxic Substances Control Act.

Facing the greatest risk of severe toxic concentrations are animals that scavenge carcasses that have been killed by hunters, according to the petition. It says species such as bald and golden eagles and endangered California condors are often killed or sickened by lead poisoning by scavenging meat with lead fragments from ammunition.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation, a trade group for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry, called the petition an “anti-hunting attack on traditional ammunition.”

There is already a national ban on lead ammunition for shooting waterfowl. The shooting group says that goes far enough.

“There is simply no scientific evidence that the use of traditional ammunition is having an adverse impact on wildlife populations that would require restricting or banning the use of traditional ammunition beyond current limitations, such as the scientifically-based restriction on waterfowl hunting,” said the group’s president, Steve Sanetti.
The group said that point is underscored by the rising population of bald eagles.

Michael Fry, the American Bird Conservancy’s conservation advocacy director, said the bald eagles’ recovery was due in part to the ban on lead ammunition in waterfowl hunting.

“It’s wonderful they’re recovering, but that’s no excuse to continue poisoning them,” he said.

The groups concede that non-lead ammunition is more expensive, but argue that as it becomes more available, its cost will come down.

The EPA has 90 days to grant or deny the petition. The agency did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday.

Resident archery deer hunting permits are now on sale over the counter at license vendors across Illinois.

Combination and antlerless-only permits are on sale over the counter or at http://www.dnr.state.il.us/license.html. Archery season opens Oct. 1.

Permits for the Oct. 9-10 youth firearm deer hunt are also available over the counter or online starting today. Click here for a list of IDNR and public land sites open for hunting during the youth firearm deer hunt in 2010.

Any remaining non-resident archery deer permits are also for sale again on a first-come, first-served bases. Hunters may purchase remaining permits over the counter from an IDNR license and permit agent, through the DNR Direct Online License and Permit system at http://www.dnr.state.il.us/license.html or by calling toll-free 1-888-6PERMIT (1-888-673-7648).  All non-resident hunters who applied for a combination archery permit during the June 2010 application period will receive their permit in the mail by mid-August.

Firearm deer hunters are reminded that Aug. 16 is the deadline to apply for the second lottery for resident and non-resident Illinois firearm and muzzleloader deer
permits for the 2010 season. To apply online, go to http://www.dnr.state.il.us/license.html.

Aftrewards, Jed and I thought it might be a good idea to show through a step-by-step series or pictures just how easy squirrel cleaning and preparing can be.

When my daddy, Ed Sr. taught me back in the late 1960s, I vividly recall Dad describing squirrel skinning as follows, “Ya got to take off his shirt first then take off his pants.”  I don’t know exactly where my dad learned this technique but, I’ve heard it is quite well known with the old timer “Hill Folk back east.”

First, lay the squirrel on it’s back.

The first thing to do is make a cut at the base of the tail, between the tail and the rectum. It’s imperative that the cut goes through the two tendons just under the vertebrae that make up the tail bone. Continue the cut on each side in a V pattern about one-half inch around the hind quarters.

Then, firmly step on the tail up near the base and grasp the hind legs firmly and pull slowly but steadily “taking off the squirrel’s shirt.” Start the front legs out but don’t pull them out all the way just yet.

Once to this point, turn the squirrel around and step in the partially removed hide as close to the head as possible. There will be a V piece of hide on the stomach side of the body Grasp the V part of the “shirt” and as you firmly stand on the other part of the skin near the head, firmly pull the rest of the skin down to the hind just beyond the last joint in the legs. Now you can cut and remove the feet and skin at the joint.

Next, remove the rest of the skin so that only the carcass remains.

If it weren’t for the loins, the internal organs of the squirrel wouldn’t need to be removed. However, for it’s size, a squirrel has substantial loins and they are worth removing from the carcass. Split the carcass similarly to how you would a deer.

At this point the process is just a matter of getting as much meat off the carcass as possible. I personally do not like frying squirrel on the bone so I de-bone every piece of meat before I continue. Here’s what I have when I’m done with the cutting up part.

After a quick rinse in cold water, the meat can be prepared numerous ways.  My momma likes to pressure cook squirrel.  I simply chunk it into bit size morsels and bread with my favorite seasoning.

Then, for me, the breaded chunks go into the fry pan until they are a dark, golden brown!

Once out of the pan…a little Sweet Baby Ray’s and it’s down the hatch!

While that comes as no surprise to anyone who has battled Banner’s goat paths, the lack of gravel underlines an important point.

Most state-run natural areas in Illinois are ailing. Without help soon, they will only get worse. But given the state budget deficit, there’s no sign of help on the horizon.

With that in mind, a group of hunters, anglers and outdoors enthusiasts have banded together to form a new advocacy group called Friends of Rice Lake (FORL). While the official name only lists Rice Lake, the group’s mission statement is “to support, enhance and protect the Rice Lake, Banner Marsh and Double T state fish and wildlife areas.”

All three popular areas are located within 35 minutes of Peoria and all three are part of the same Rice Lake complex. So whether you catch bass at
Banner, duck hunt at Rice Lake or photograph birds at Double T, this non-profit group will serve your interests.

“What we want to do basically is to help (Rice Lake site manager Bill Douglass) and his crew in any way they need help, whether it’s with funds or as a voice,” said Adam Jaegle of Bartonville, president of FORL. “We just want to be able to preserve what we have, make sure it’s there for the future and maybe make it better.”

The first fund-raiser for Friends of Rice Lake is next Sunday, July 25, during the annual duck-blind drawing at Rice Lake.

Volunteers will sign-up members at various levels: $10 for youngsters 16 and under, $25 for members, $50 for sponsors and $250 for major donors.
Depending on how much you donate, you’ll receive a window decal, hat or t-shirt as well as chances at various prizes.

Hats and t-shirts with the Friends of Rice Lake logo will also be sold, as will raffle tickets for Butch Louck’s unique, hand-carved drake mallard decoy. Louck spent more than 300 hours on the decoy he calls “Standing Proud,” which will be raffled Aug. 18.

For those who can’t attend the duck-blind drawings, information will soon be available on friendsofricelake.org or at Presley’s Outdoors in Bartonville.
Germantown Hills resident Louck donated the decoy because he believes, “We ought to step up and help in tough economic times.”

That’s an honorable reaction to the sad reality facing natural areas run by the Department of Natural Resources. Budget cuts have forced site managers like Douglass to make tough decisions. “Do you plant food for wildlife or rock a road?” he asked.

Beyond gravel, Douglass rattled off a long wish-list of goods and services: goose pits at Double T, a 15-foot bat-wing mower, a no-till planter, a brush cutter, boats for Banner Marsh, lumber and paint for picnic tables, money for excavator rental, camp stoves, buoys, trail markers, wood duck boxes, seed and chemical as needed, pumps, a snow plow ... and on and on.

No wonder DNR Director Marc Miller wants more outdoors types to band together. “We need these partners,” Miller said. “I think that advocacy groups can have a large impact on the budget and on the legislative process.”

Certainly that’s been true for the Friends of Sanganois, whose success is a template for the Friends of Rice Lake. For the past six years Friends of Sanganois has been a tireless advocate for levee repairs at that state site. The group has also generated close to $10,000 per year for road repairs, boat ramps, mowers and other needed equipment and improvements.

“We’ve spent thousands in rock for roads because the state just won’t do it,” said Bo Arnold, president of Friends of Sanganois. “I get the feeling if we didn’t pay for it, it would never get done.”

At the same time, there’s an understandable resistance to fork over more money to a state-run facility. As hunters and anglers we already pay taxes. Plus we are paying more for license fees this year. Why pay even more?

Ultimately, that’s up to each of us to decide.

One guarantee FORL makes is that all funds raised will be used only for improvements or youth-related events at the Rice Lake complex.

That’s one reason I see this as a worthwhile venture. Yes, there’s some bias involved since I’m also secretary of FORL (largely by default after the Head
Worm tried to include an “x” in his spelling of secretary).

But my real bias is more selfish than that.

Some of the most enjoyable outdoors experiences I’ve enjoyed around here were at Banner or Rice Lake. I want my children to have that same opportunity.

The recommendations include opening the regular duck and Canada goose seasons on Oct. 16 in the North Zone, Oct. 30 in the Central Zone and Nov. 25 in the South Zone.

The recommendations also include a statewide September 2010 Canada goose season of Sept. 1-15, and a 16-day teal season of Sept. 4-19.

The state’s proposed waterfowl seasons will be forwarded to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for final approval later this summer.

While Illinois is recommending duck season dates based on the expectation of a 60-day season, the USFWS will not determine the duck season length until late July. 

“We expect these proposals will provide waterfowl hunters in Illinois with good opportunities this fall,” said IDNR Director Marc Miller.  “These recommendations are based on a thorough examination of results from our annual survey of hunter preferences, aerial waterfowl surveys; duck harvest data and weather data as we try to provide the best hunting opportunities possible in each zone.” 

Illinois established duck season dates for the North and Central zones for a five-year period beginning in 2006.  The IDNR annually reviews the start date of the season in the South Zone and is recommending the later start alternative of Nov. 25 this year.

“The IDNR developed the five-year plan to provide waterfowl hunting season dates with the primary goals being to select season dates and zone lines that a) maximize hunter satisfaction by maximizing days afield and waterfowl numbers available to hunters, and b) that help retain and recruit waterfowl hunters,” said John Buhnerkempe, chief of the IDNR Division of Wildlife Resources.  “This plan resulted in standard season dates for the North and Central zones, and a decision to annually assess season dates in the South Zone because of the difficulties in meeting the conflicting demands of hunters in that part of the state.” 

Preliminary results of the 2009 Illinois Waterfowl Hunter Survey indicated that 56 percent of North Zone duck hunters thought last year’s season dates of Oct. 17-Dec. 15 were about right, while 28 percent thought they were too early and 12 percent said they were too late.  In the Central Zone, the survey indicated 53 percent of duck hunters thought last year’s season dates of Oct. 31-Dec. 29 were about right, while 23 percent thought they were too early and 18 percent said they were too late.

“Wildlife Division staff recommended a later opening of the waterfowl seasons in the South Zone for 2010-11 based on a thorough analysis of data relevant to the goals established in the five-year plan,” Buhnerkempe said.  “The data, and hunter preference information from our annual hunter survey, were keys to our recommendation.”

In the South Zone, the 2009-10 duck season dates were Nov. 14-Jan. 12.  The preliminary results of the 2009 Illinois Waterfowl Hunter Survey showed 56 percent of duck hunters thought the season was too early, 28 percent thought it was about right, 12 percent thought it was too late, and 5 percent were not sure.
Asked for their preference for the 2010-11 season, 66 percent of South Zone duck hunters preferred a later season (Nov. 25-Jan. 23), while 29 percent preferred an earlier season (Nov. 13-Jan. 11). 

“Our analysis of 10 years worth of data found – including five years each of early and late openers – suggests that a later start to the duck season in the South Zone has resulted in more hunter days afield and higher duck harvests than with earlier season dates,” Buhnerkempe added.  “Aerial duck survey data for the past 10 years indicated no difference in the number of duck use days in the South Zone if the season starts Nov. 13 versus Nov. 25.”

Director Miller last February asked the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to consider changes to the current zone/split guidelines for the 2011-2015 duck seasons.  Specifically, he requested consideration of an option that would allow Illinois to use up to four zones for duck hunting.

“Adding a fourth hunting zone in Illinois would make it easier to set season dates that meet hunter preferences, boost hunter satisfaction, and help retain and recruit hunters in the South Zone and throughout the state,” Miller said.  “In the meantime, we need to focus on using the best available information on hunter preference and on data that suggests when and where hunters can have the best opportunities in the field.”

The recommendation for the regular Canada goose season calls for a continuous 85-day season in the North Zone ending next Jan. 8, a split 85-day season in the Central Zone ending next Jan. 31, and a split 66-day season in the South Zone ending next Jan. 31.

Illinois is also recommending snow goose seasons for 2010-11 that open with the regular waterfowl seasons and run continuously through the end of each zone’s regular Canada goose season. Conservation Order snow goose hunting would open the day after the regular Canada goose season ends in each zone and would continue through Mar. 31, 2011.  The white-fronted goose season opens later than the Canada goose season in the North and Central zones because federal rules allow only 72 days and there are more white-fronts in those zones later in the season.

The recommendation for the September 2010 Canada goose season (Sept. 1-15) includes a daily limit of five geese in the Northeast, North and Central zones and a daily limit of two geese in the South Zone.

Illinois’ recommended 16-day teal hunting season of Sept. 4-19 has a daily limit of four teal (possession limit of eight).

The Illinois recommendations being forwarded to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for 2010-11 waterfowl hunting seasons are outlined below (final approval is expected in August for the September Canada goose and teal seasons and in September for the regular duck and goose seasons).

PROPOSED 2010-2011 ILLINOIS WATERFOWL SEASONS
(COMPARED TO 2009-2010)

STATEWIDE

2010-2011 2009-2010

Sept. Canada Geese             Sept. 1 - Sept. 15       Sept. 1 - Sept. 15
Teal                               Sept. 4 - Sept. 19       Sept. 5 - Sept. 20
_______________________________________________________________________
PROPOSED 2010 SEPTEMBER WATERFOWL SEASON

        Limits

  Species             Season Dates       Duration               Bag     Possession

Teal

Sept. 4 -19

16 days

4

8

Canada Goose
Sept. 1-15
15 days 5-Northeast, North &Central
2 - South 10 - Northeast, North &Central
4 - South
PROPOSED 2010-2011 REGULAR WATERFOWL SEASONS

NORTH ZONE

                                      2010-2011 2009-2010

Youth Hunt                       Oct. 9 - Oct 10     Oct. 10 - Oct. 11
Ducks                             Oct. 16 - Dec. 14     Oct. 17 - Dec. 15
Canada Geese                   Oct. 16 - Jan. 8     Oct. 17 - Jan. 9
Snow Geese                       Oct. 16 - Jan. 8     Oct. 17 - Jan. 9
White-fronted Geese             Oct. 29 - Jan. 8     Oct. 30- Jan. 9

CENTRAL ZONE

                                      2010-2011 2009-2010

Youth Hunt                     Oct. 23 - Oct. 24                       Oct. 24 - Oct. 25  
Ducks                             Oct. 30 - Dec. 28     Oct. 31 - Dec. 29
Canada Geese                   Oct. 30 - Nov. 14 &                    Oct. 31 - Nov. 1&
                                  Nov. 24 - Jan. 31                       Nov. 24 - Jan. 31
Snow Geese                     Oct. 30 - Jan. 31     Oct. 31 - Jan. 31
White-fronted Geese           Nov. 21 – Jan. 31     Nov. 21 – Jan. 31

SOUTH ZONE

                                      2010-2011 2009-2010

Youth Hunt                     Nov. 13 – Nov. 14         Oct. 31 - Nov. 1
Ducks                           Nov. 25 - Jan. 23         Nov. 14 - Jan. 12
Canada Geese                 Nov. 25 – Nov. 28 &         Nov. 14 – Nov. 15 &
  Dec.  1 - Jan. 31                   Nov. 29 – Jan. 31
Snow Geese                     Nov. 25 - Jan. 31         Nov. 14 - Jan. 31
White-fronted Geese           Nov. 25 – Jan. 31         Nov. 14 – Nov. 15 &
        Nov. 29 – Jan. 31

Wisconsin wildlife officials say they’ve struck a memorandum of understanding with their counterparts in Illinois. The deal identifies mutual goals, including herd reduction, cross-border research and common public messages to educate the public about the disease.

The agreement also calls for wildlife workers in both states to help each other.

This report summarizes information about the status of duck populations and wetland habitats during spring 2010, focusing on areas encompassed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife (USFWS) and Canadian Wildlife Services’ (CWS) Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey.
The Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey samples more than two million square miles of waterfowl habitat across the north-central and northeastern United States, south-central, eastern, and northern Canada, and Alaska. The survey estimates the number of ducks on the continent’s primary nesting grounds.
Highlights from the survey in the north-central United States, south-central and northern Canada, and Alaska (the traditional survey area) include:

  * Estimated mallard abundance was 8.4 million birds, which was similar to the 2009 estimate of 8.5 million birds and 12 percent above the long-term (1955-2009) average;

  * Estimated abundance of American wigeon (2.4 million) was similar to 2009 and to the long-term average;

  * Gadwall estimated abundance (3 million) was similar to 2009 and 67 percent greater than the long-term average;

  * The estimated abundance of green-winged teal was 3.5 million, which was similar to the 2009 estimate and 78 percent above their long-term average of 1.9 million;

  *  Blue-winged teal estimated abundance was 6.3 million, which was 14 percent below the 2009 estimate, but 36 percent above the long-term average of 4.7 million;

  * Estimates of northern shovelers (4.1 million) and redheads (1.1 million) were similar to 2009 and were 76 percent and 63 percent above long-term averages;

  * The northern pintail estimate of 3.5 million was similar to the 2009 estimate and 13 percent below the long-term average of
4 million;

  * The canvasback estimate of 0.6 million was similar to the 2009 estimate and to the long-term average;

  * The combined (lesser and greater) scaup estimate of 4.2 million was similar to that of 2009 and 16 percent below the long-term average of 5.1 million.

In the eastern survey area (northeastern United States and eastern Canada), the population estimate for mergansers was 386,000, 15 percent below the 2009 estimate and 14 percent below the 1990-2009 average. American black duck populations were similar to the 2009 estimate but 7 percent below the long-term average of 479,000. All other duck population estimates in the eastern survey area were similar to the 2009 estimates and the 1990-2009 average.

Habitat conditions during the 2010 Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey were characterized by average to below-average moisture and a mild winter and early spring across the entire traditional (including the northern locations) and eastern survey areas. Conditions across the Canadian prairies were similar to 2009. Portions of southern Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba improved, but a large area along the Alberta and Saskatchewan border remained dry and moisture levels in portions of Manitoba declined from last year.

The 2010 estimate of ponds in Prairie Canada was 3.7 million. This was similar to last year’s estimate (3.6 million) and to the 1955–2009 average (3.4 million). Wetland numbers and conditions remained excellent in the eastern U.S. prairies, but habitat conditions were poorer through the western Dakotas and Montana. The 2010 pond estimate for the north-central U.S. overall was 2.9 million, which was similar to last year’s estimate (2.9 million) and 87 percent above the long-term average (1.6 million). Fall and winter precipitation in the eastern Dakotas generally improved the good habitat conditions already present. However, wetland habitats in the western Dakotas and Montana were not recharged, resulting in poorer conditions than in 2009, at the time of the survey.
The annual survey guides the Service’s waterfowl conservation programs under authority of the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The Service works in partnership with state biologists from the four flyways – the Atlantic, Mississippi, Central and Pacific – to establish regulatory frameworks for waterfowl hunting season lengths, dates, and bag limits.
Click here to read the entire “Trends in Duck Breeding Populations, 1955-2010” report.

Preliminary results from last week’s goose banding in west-central Illinois showed productivity was 12 percent above the five-year average according to biologist Dan Holm. The survey showed 2.31 immature geese per adult in west central Illinois.

Productivity was average in northeast Illinois, with 1.62 immature birds per adult.

More good news comes from migratory flocks that nest on the tundra of Canada. “They had an early spring and generally that means good nesting success,” Holm said.

Duck openers should be Oct. 16 for the North Zone and Oct. 30 for the Central Zone. Proposed Canada goose seasons are Oct. 16 to Jan. 8 in the North Zone with a split season for the Central Zone of Oct. 30-Nov. 14 and Nov. 24-Jan. 31.

Remember, these dates are proposed, not final.

Still to be determined is the South Zone, which could open Nov. 13 or Nov. 27 depending on Department of Natural Resources
Director Marc Miller’s decision. DNR staff backs a Nov. 27 opener but the DNR Advisory Board voted in favor of the earlier date on Tuesday in Springfield.

Several advisory board members said they were voting for the average, public hunter by targeting an earlier start date. Hunt clubs, meanwhile, prefer a later opener.

Flooded corn in June and early July is a duck hunter’s nightmare.

Guess what we face after the second-wettest June in Illinois history. Yep. Another summer of high water can only hurt what otherwise looked to be a promising duck season.

Recent flooding has wiped out most crops planted in waterfowl refuges along the Illinois River. Many other backwaters have not yet been planted and even moist-soil plants could struggle to germinate if water levels remain high.

“There’s an awful lot of corn flooded out,” said Marshall site superintendent Tony Colvin.

Colvin got an aerial view of the river valley last week while counting bald eagle nests. He reported flooded refuges in most duck clubs north of Spring Bay.

“It’s not a pretty scene,” Colvin said.

The picture will get uglier if water lingers. Aerial seeding buckwheat and millet is the only option left for most refuge managers, but even that could be dicey.

“Around here July 10 is about the last optimal day for Japanese millet,” Colvin said.

As we saw last fall during a dismal duck season, a lack of food in the river valley typically equates to a lack of ducks.

That sobering news balances encouraging reports from the Dakotas and Canada, where waterfowl breeding populations and
pond numbers are generally very good.

North Dakota’s spring duck count was up 12 percent and is the third-highest on record. Mallards were up 12 percent and were fourth-highest on record. Pond numbers were up 5 percent. Similar glowing reports have come from throughout the Prairie
Pothole Region.

So a 60-day duck season is virtually assured. Unfortunately, those might be a long 60 days for central Illinois waterfowlers.

Duck openers should be Oct. 16 for the North Zone and Oct. 30 for the Central Zone. Proposed Canada goose seasons are Oct. 16 to Jan. 8 in the North Zone with a split season for the Central Zone of Oct. 30-Nov. 14 and Nov. 24-Jan. 31.

Remember, these dates are proposed, not final.

Still to be determined is the South Zone, which could open Nov. 13 or Nov. 27 depending on Department of Natural Resources
Director Marc Miller’s decision. DNR staff backs a Nov. 27 opener but the DNR Advisory Board voted in favor of the earlier date on Tuesday in Springfield.

Several advisory board members said they were voting for the average, public hunter by targeting an earlier start date. Hunt clubs, meanwhile, prefer a later opener. Hmm, I wonder which side will prevail?

We should have final dates by the July 25 duck blind drawings at Illinois River public sites.

Speaking of the drawings, Colvin is asking Woodford drawing regulars to make plans for mass transit. Barring a rapid drop in river levels, Woodford’s drawing will likely he held at the maintenance building.

“We need people to carpool because there’s not much room up there,” Colvin said.

In other news, teal season is expected to run Sept. 4-19 while early Canada goose season will be Sept. 1-15.

Nov. 20 of 2004 was the first time I got to bring my gun with a chance at taking a deer. I was 10 years old at the time and had gone many times before but just watched my grandpa.

It was a cold morning sitting in my tree stand along side my grandpa on the other side of the tree in his stand. About an hour into the morning, the deer started flowing on in. A small pack of about 4 does about a 100 yards away were the first to count for the day.

About 5 minutes later a 6-pointer walked on in following the does trails. He walked over between two trees and bedded down between two trees. My grandpa told me to take the 6-pointer. As the buck began to stand up I aimed my gun.

Then, suddenly, my grandpa told me to stop. I was confused at the moment until he told me to look left.

There to the left was a huge buck, an 11-pointer that was running right to me.

Immediatley, my heart began to race, and then buck fever set in!

My grandpa asked me if I wanted to take him. Of course I said yes.

The buck came and was 15 yards away. I aimed and fired. My body became warm and my heart was going crazy. It was almost like it was meant to be.

We waited about 20 minutes after my grandpa called the others hunting at the timber about the monster. We climbed down from our stands and made our way, less than a minute we were on the blood trail. Not even 20 yards away there he lay, my monster buck.

It was a perfect shot. My first buck was laying there, I was in shock for a couple minutes. That day was one of the best days of my life. I cherish every moment of hunting.

I also got my buck mounted. I am 15 now and I look back on this great day as a gift from God.

Sales of resident either-sex firearm deer tags were down by 8,900 and sales of antlerless-only deer tags were down 2,900. Waterfowl stamp sales are down 1,900 and combination licenses are off 4,700.

On the fishing side, resident license sales are down 2,600 but resident 24-hour licenses are up 2,300. Inland trout stamps are off by 1,000 but sales of salmon stamps are actually up by 116.

He understood the humor.

After all, the process of hiring Brewer as turkey biologist has spanned more than eight years. That’s how long ago Jared Garver retired from the position he held for 34 years.

Unfortunately, the DNR didn’t spend eight years combing the country for the most qualified gobbler guru. Until recently, the administration didn’t care enough to hire a turkey biologist.

What’s worse is that during that same span numerous deputy directors and assistant directors came and went.

That pretty much summarizes the state of our DNR. What’s more important, biologists who manage critters? Or cushy jobs for political pals? You know the answer.

So it’s encouraging to welcome Brewer to Springfield. The same is true for Mike Wefer, a local wildlife biologist tabbed to become the state’s new grasslands biologist. He replaces John Cole, who retired in 2009.

With these hirings DNR Director Marc Miller is starting to fulfill a promise to bring natural resources professionals to his agency. If he can hire another 20 biologists and lop off a deputy director or two, that will really be something —  particularly if staff come aboard as fast as Wefer, who starts July 1 in a job posted this winter.

“For state government that’s lightspeed,” said Wefer, who spent the last decade as wildlife biologist for Marshall, Woodford, Putnam and Stark counties.

Brewer, 54, is a long-time district biologist who helped with several turkey releases in east-central Illinois. While he hasn’t turkey hunted in recent years, he “understands the thrill of the turkey hunt.”

Foremost among his chores will be reviewing permits allocated for spring hunting — a number many contend should be higher.

Interviewed on his first day in Springfield, Brewer wouldn’t commit.

“Given the last few years of bad reproduction we’ve had we may not move forward real rapidly until we see what the data is telling us,” Brewer said. “One thing I don’t want to do is shoot from the hip to seem like a miracle man.”

He said it’s too early to gauge turkey reproduction this spring. “It’s been wet, but it hasn’t been cold and wet so maybe this won’t be quite as bad as the last few years,” Brewer said.

Whatever the data says, Brewer should be able to add permits in several counties and to expand the counties offering a fall shotgun season.

Wefer faces a more daunting task: Trying to put a happy face on grim realities facing Illinois upland game hunters.

“There’s not a bunch of positive signs out there, but there are a few,” Wefer said. “One is we’re finally going to get a general sign-up for (the federal Conservation Reserve Program).”

And while pheasant numbers are expected to decline yet again, Wefer said “Quail are not in near as bad of shape as pheasants.”

Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but at least there’s someone in Springfield keeping an eye on the uplands. Maybe someday Wefer can enjoy a moment like the one Iowa pheasant biologist Todd Bogenschutz just experienced.

After yet another wet spring washed out many pheasant nests, Iowa passed legislation prohibiting mowing and haying before July 15 in the right of way of most state highways and secondary county roads.

“From the standpoint of pheasant production, this is a significant change especially this year because of the weather conditions we experienced during prime nesting season,” Bogenschutz said.

Though the temptation was no doubt there, Weller waited until Nov. 1 to hunt a Mercer County stand he has deep in the woods that overlook a designated deer sanctuary on his property.

He had good video of a big buck feeding in one of his food plots from mid-October but had never seen the bruiser before in person. That changed on Nov. 1.

Weller set up a buck decoy 20 yards from his stand and then set up.

“I was watching a dozen turkeys when movement caught my eye about 130 yards down a hillside. Through my binoculars, it looked like a good deer,” Weller said. “I grunted and snort-wheezed. The deer paid little attention and continued to feed.”

That’s when Weller realized this was the 12-pointer he’d seen on video (which actually wound up being officially scored as a 13-pointer).

“I grabbed my rattling horns and banged them for about 10 seconds,” Weller said. “The deer immediately began walking up the hill. He saw my decoy and began to circle up wind.”

When the deer got to within 42 yards, Weller stopped him.

The buck would having a small broken drop tine and an insect hole in the bottom of its right beam. The rack measured 177 7/8 inches after having grossed 190 1/8.

Find a licking branch and set the camera up about 6 feet away. My best licking branch setups are near the edge of agriculture fields or food plots. Deer use and mark many of these year round, find their favorite and it is easy to get multiple buck pictures and good pictures every week. 

I use a fence post to get the perfect angle and setup. One of the big advantages of these sites is that they can be easy for you to get at and to not disturb deer in their safe zones. The deer are used to vehicles near the farm fields, and I can drive right to the camera and get the SD card, change batteries etc. 

Just like deer hunting, look for funnels. My best spots are apple trees in old pastures, tree limbs overhanging the corner of soybean fields and licking branches in waterways between corn fields. 

Let the deer come to your camera!

Duck and goose hunters must register in person for waterfowl blind site drawings and must be present at the drawing – held at each location designated below immediately after the registration period – to claim their blind sites. Mail-in registrations are not accepted.

To participate in a drawing, applicants must present a 2009 or 2010 Illinois hunting or combination sportsman’s license and a 2009 or 2010 Illinois Migratory Waterfowl Stamp at the time they register, unless exempted by law. Applicants must be at least 16 years old by the date of the drawing.

Applicants needing to purchase new licenses and stamps should do so prior to the drawing. Most blind drawing locations will not have license sales available. Licenses and stamps are available at any DNR Direct license and permit vendor, through DNR Direct online sales linked through the IDNR website at http://dnr.state.il.us, or by calling 1-888-6-PERMIT (1-888-673-7648).

Registrants must also possess a current Illinois Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card from the Illinois State Police. Expired FOID cards are not acceptable. Applicants under the age of 21 do not need a FOID card if they are accompanied by an adult who has one. For those without a FOID card in their possession, law enforcement officers will not be able to validate FOID card status on the day of the drawing.

Also, in order to be an eligible applicant for the drawing, the participant must not at the time of the drawing have his or her hunting privileges suspended or revoked by the IDNR or any other jurisdiction. Out-of-state residents must have a 2009 or 2010 non-resident hunting license for Illinois and a 2009 or 2010 Illinois Migratory Waterfowl Stamp.

The schedule for 2010 blind drawings is listed below:

SATURDAY, JULY 24, 2010 (Blinds allocated for one year)

Chain O’ Lakes State Park and Redwing Slough/Deer Lake Natural Area, Lake County: Registration for both sites 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., at Oak Point day use area, 1/5 mile east of the Fox River on the south side of Illinois Route 173. Hunters will be allowed to register for only one of the two sites.

Des Plaines Conservation Area, Will County: Registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the site office, two miles northwest of Wilmington off exit 241 on Interstate 55.

Kankakee River State Park and Momence Wetlands, Kankakee and Will Counties:
Registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. for both sites at the Kankakee River State Park office, five miles northwest of Bourbonnais on Illinois Route 102. Hunters will be allowed to register for only one of the two sites.

Mazonia State Fish and Wildlife Area, Grundy County: Registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the site office just off Illinois Route 53, two miles southeast of Braceville.

Shabbona Lake State Recreation Area, DeKalb County: Registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the park office. Directions - go 2.5 miles south of Shabbona on Shabbona Rd., turn east on Shabbona Grove Road and go one-half mile (office is on left side of the road).

Sinnissippi Lake, Whiteside County: Registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Harry Oppold Marina, on Stouffer Road on the east edge of Sterling.

William W. Powers State Recreation Area, Cook County: Registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the boat launch, 126th St. and Ave. 0, Chicago.

SUNDAY, JULY 25, 2010 (Blinds allocated for one year)

Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area, Fulton County: Registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the area check station, 20 miles south of Havana on Illinois Route 100.

Clear Lake, Mason County: Registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Sand Ridge State Forest Headquarters, located at 25799E County Road 2300N, Forest City, Illinois 61532.  Phone (309) 597-2212.  Follow the signs from Manito or Forest City.

Lake DePue State Fish and Wildlife Area, Bureau County: Registration from
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Oak Grove Park, 3/4 miles west of DePue on Illinois Route 29.

Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area including the Sparland Unit, Marshall County: Registration from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the area check station, five miles south of Lacon on Illinois Route 26.

Meredosia Bay, Morgan and Cass Counties: Registration noon - 2 p.m. at the USFWS shed on the east side of the bay approximately one-half mile north of Meredosia (2227 Beech Road).

Rice Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area, Fulton County: Registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the area check station, three miles south of Banner on Route 24.

Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area, Cass and Mason Counties: Registration 10 a.m. -2 p.m. On the east side of the maintenance building, two miles north of Chandlerville on Illinois Route 78 (follow the signs to Sanganois).

Spring Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area and Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area, Tazewell County: Registration from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the South Park office area, two miles north of Manito on County Road 16 (Manito Road) and eight miles west and south on Spring Lake Road.

Starved Rock State Park, LaSalle County: Registration 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. at the Point Shelter day use area on Illinois Route 71, about four miles east of Illinois Route 178 or 5.5 miles west of Illinois Route 23 in South Ottawa.

Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area, Woodford County: Registration from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the area check station, 5.5 miles north of Spring Bay on Illinois Route 26.

Mississippi River Unclaimed and Unregistered Blinds

Mississippi River Pools 16, 17, & 18 (second year of two year allocation). Pool 16 - unregistered blinds and blinds not passing inspection may be claimed on a first-come, first-served basis by calling the district wildlife biologist between 8 a.m. and noon at (815) 273-2733, two weeks before the opening day of duck season. Pool 17 and 18 - use the same procedure except phone 309/344-2617.

This hunting story started 38 years ago when my father took me on my first gun deer hunting trip in the North Woods of Wisconsin. The memories are so vivid it was like it happened 5 minutes ago.  I know other hunters feel the same way ... you can fall in love with it with all your heart. 

Fast forward 38 years of deer hunts with my dad. My wife tells me I need a hobby. I guess she’s sick of looking at me. So I decided to take a different angle at deer hunting and I pick up a used bow the summer of 2008 and begin practicing. I got some good sound advice from some friends and they got me pointed in the right direction. To make a long story short, the 2008 season ends with no deer, two misses, a very humbled deer hunter, and a renewed appreciation for gun powder.

My good friend Scott E. would have none of it.  He picked me up and dusted me off and fixed me up with a real nice slightly used bow and ordered me back to the basement for more practice. God bless good friends. I also have the privilege to hunt on a previous boss’s property. I do a couple minor chores with him over the year and I’m granted in return this awesome opportunity to hunt.

So I leave work about 2:30 one early October day. I’m in my tree by 3:00 with plenty of daylight left. About 45 minutes before closing, I see antlers, no deer, just antlers off my right shoulder about 100 yards. My adrenaline hits red-line. My hands are shaking and my knees are jumping. I say to myself, man you’re going to screw this up if you don’t calm down. So I put my chin to my chest and close my eyes, all but a slight squint. 

Seemed like a good thing to do at the time?  I remained that way, got myself calmed down and was able to remain motionless. I could see out of the corner of my eye through the squint that he was getting closer, but was taking his sweet time. He was just out for a cruise and snacking on acorns. I swear he sucked on them for a while before actually chewing them. One acorn at a time, one step at a time, but he kept getting closer ever so slowly and I knew the wind was in my favor.

Finally he passed right in front of me at about 20 yards, but it’s a wide open clearing. I felt I needed to wait a tick longer for him to get slightly past me before drawing so I wouldn’t be busted. Finally the time was right. I drew back and I ran through a quick mental checklist I memorized for myself, all looked well, then let it fly. I heard the “whack” other hunters told me I would hear. The deer bounded 3 times and then stopped.  He reached back on the exit wound side and then staggered. He took about 6 more slow steps and then it was like all 4 tires went flat at once.= It was over quick. 

I’ve seen on hunting shows how other hunters are elated when they know they’ve succeeded. Initially, I was not. I was quite choked up and not going anywhere for a while. I lost my dad, my lifelong hunting buddy, about a year ago to the day. 

I realized at that moment he would not be able to see my first bow kill. Then after a while of feeling sorry for myself and for whatever reason, the thought came over me that just maybe he saw the whole thing.  Maybe he had a hand in it. Maybe that’s why I had a nice buck standing only 18 yards away broadside so even I could shoot him. 

That’s what I’m going with…………now let the celebration begin!

On Thursday the Will County Board of Commissioners decided to send the issue of deer management back to committee without including the option of opening areas to hunting.

Instead, the focus will apparently be on sharpshooter programs only.

At least that’s what Steward Warren reported in a story today in the Joliet Herald-News.

Writes Warren: “The board members instead decided to send the issue back to committee. And they decided against opening up the forest preserves to hunters.”

An overabundance of deer in the forest preserves has created problems for vegetation and caused the forest preserve board to consider options.

One voice in favor of hunters is Forest Preserve District President Cory Singer, R-Frankfort. “There is no reason we couldn’t implement a safe program here,” he said. “Whether we have a hunting program or not, we’re going to have a culling program,” Singer said.

If passed, the legislation would open up new hunting opportunities for families living in Chicago’s south and southwest suburbs. Additionally, allowing firearm seasons on the forest district land would reduce the huge excess population of deer in the area.

“All preserves have more deer than can naturally be sustained. We have no choice but to cull the herds,” forest preserve board president Cory Singer said. “There is no other reasonable option to consider. Our primary responsibility is to manage and maintain public lands. We have to employ deer management practices. It would be irresponsible not to.”

Other options, such as deer repellent, fencing, fertility control and relocation either are too expensive or ineffective, according to forest preserve district research.

Public hunting will be a “small part of the solution,” Singer said. A limited number of permits could be issued by a lottery because officials expect high interest from local hunters. Permit fees have yet to be determined.

As in other forest preserves, most herds will be thinned out by sharpshooters - police and trained volunteers who will trap and shoot the deer at night. The meat will be butchered and donated to organizations to feed the hungry.

DeMauro said there would be specified seasons for hunting. Those using firearms would have two three-day sessions in November and December. Archery would be permitted from Oct. 1 through mid-January.

In some areas, trails and preserves would be closed to the public during hunting season, Singer said.

In developing the new deer management program, the forest preserve district must follow the requirements of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Sharpshooting only is allowed in areas with more than 30 acres with a 100-yard buffer from adjacent property owners. Archery and firearms can be used on sites of 70 acres or more, but firearms require a 300-yard buffer. All sites must be fully or partially owned by the forest preserve district.

According to these criteria, 16 sites are suitable for sharpshooting, 14 for archery and eight for firearms, DeMauro said, but it is likely not all will be used.

Some committee members, however, pointed to a staff analysis of the program that projects higher costs for the forest preserve district when hunters shoot deer (between $605 and $1,200 per deer) than when sharpshooters do it (between $103 and $227 per deer).

Commissioner Tom Weigel, R-New Lenox, said he’s not against either method of deer management. But pointing to the costs linked to hunters, Weigel said, “I don’t think we should pay that much for public hunting.”

Forest preserve board President Cory Singer, R-Frankfort, said the answer is to allow more hunters.

Calling the cost a matter of “economies of scale,” Singer said the expense would go down if you allow more hunters. At a certain point, if enough hunters take part and fees are sufficient, Singer said, the forest preserve district would generate revenue from the program.

The program now is designed to allow 17 hunters to take part, Singer said, and, “We could employ a safe and well-managed program with a significantly higher number than 17.”

Singer suggested 75 hunters.

Hunters

  * Hunters must be 18, meet state requirements for firearm owners and hunters, submit to background check, obtain a hunting zone permit from the forest preserve district and attend a hunter orientation course created by the district for the program.
  * Limited number of hunters to be chosen by lottery. Will County residents would get preference.
  * Hunting would occur Nov. 19-21 and Dec. 3-5.
  * Hunting would be restricted to sections of Goodenow Grove/Plum Valley Preserve in Beecher and Sand Ridge Savanna/Kankakee Sands Preserve in Braidwood.
  * Hunters would be required to use shotguns and shoot from tree stands.

Sharpshooters

  * Participants would be forest preserve police, other trained professionals or individuals who meet marksmen standards as certified through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
  * Sharpshooters who are not forest preserve police would be subject to background checks and would be required to take training course.
  * Sharp-shooting would take place in restricted areas of McKinley Woods Preserve in Channahon, Lockport Prairie in Lockport, and Messenger Woods/Messenger Marsh in Homer Glen.
  * Sharpshooters must use modern rifles or shotguns.
  * Usable deer carcasses would be processed for venison that would be donated to charitable organizations.