Illinois Department of Natural Resources Newsbits
Highlighting IDNR programs and upcoming events for the month of August

Grand American: The new World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta hosts the 107th Amateur Trapshooting Association Grand American, Aug. 8-18. For more information on this major shooting sports event, check the IDNR web site, www.dnr.state.il.us and click on the World Shooting and Recreational Complex link on the home page.

Firearm Deer Permits: Aug. 14 is the deadline to apply for the second lottery for resident and non-resident firearm and muzzleloader deer permits for the 2006 season. For more information, check the “Hunting” link on the home page of the IDNR web site.

Youth Deer Hunt: Aug. 14 is the deadline to apply for the 2006 Illinois Youth Antlerless-Only Deer Hunt, scheduled for Oct. 7-8. The hunt is open only to Illinois resident hunters who have not reached their 16th birthday by the time of the hunt. Permit applications are available on the IDNR web site at http://dnr.state.il.us. Twelve additional counties are open for the youth hunt this fall.

Resident Archery Deer Permits: Residents of Illinois can begin purchasing archery deer hunting permits for the 2006-07 season on Aug. 29. The permits will be available from license and permit vendors through DNR Direct, and online through the IDNR web site or by phone at 1-888-6PERMIT (1-888-673-7648). Residents and non-residents can also begin purchasing antlerless-only archery deer permits and fall archery turkey hunting permits through DNR Direct beginning on Aug. 29. The archery deer and fall archery turkey hunting seasons begin Oct. 1.

Non-Resident Archery Deer Permits: Non-residents will have the opportunity to purchase remaining non-resident archery deer combination permits beginning at 8 a.m. (CDT) on Aug. 21. Approximately 1,500 permits will be available on a first-come, first-served basis through DNR Direct online through the IDNR web site, or by calling toll-free 1-888-6PERMIT (1-888-673-7648).

Permit fees must be paid by using American Express, Discover, Mastercard or VISA. (Note: Non-resident archery combination deer hunting permits are not available from DNR Direct license and permit point of sale vendor locations). For more information, check the IDNR web site at http://dnr.state.il.us.

Wingshooting Clinics: The IDNR and participating sponsors host a series of wingshooting clinics for beginners and hunters this summer and fall. At youth/women’s clinics, instruction is available for young wingshooters 10 - 15 years of age. Sessions are also available for girls and women and are open to all those ages 10 and older. (Youngsters must be at least 4 feet 6 inches tall and weigh at least 75 pounds to participate). Instructors are certified by the National Sporting Clays Association. All supplies including shotguns and ammunition are provided at youth/women’s clinics. Hunter clinics are designed to enhance the wingshooting skills of hunters ages 16 and older. Hunters with wingshooting skill levels from beginner to advanced are encouraged to attend. A small fee is assessed each hunter clinic participant to cover the cost of clay targets and refreshments.
Upcoming Youth/Women’s clinics (and contact phone numbers) include:
Aug. 19-20 – Shabonna Lake SP (DeKalb County), 815/758-2773
Aug. 20 – Decatur Gun Club (Macon County), 217/877-4096
Aug. 26-27 – Champaign County Wingshooting Clinic, Fisher, 217/935-6860
Sept. 9-10 – Stephen A. Forbes State Park (Marion County), 618/547-3381
Sept. 16-17 – Johnson Sauk Trail State Park (Henry County), 309/853-5589
Sept. 30-Oct.1 – South Fork Dirt Riders Club (Christian County), 217/496-3113
Upcoming Hunter’s clinics are:
Sept. 23-24 – Jim Edgar Panther Creek SFWA (Cass Co.), 217/452-7741
Oct. 14-15 – Randolph County State Recreation Area, 618/826-2706
Check the IDNR web site (www.dnr.state.il.us) for the complete schedule of wingshooting clinics.

Family Fun: Be sure to visit Conservation World at the 2006 Illinois State Fair in Springfield, Aug. 11-20. Conservation World features a wide array of free family-oriented programs, activities and displays focusing on natural resources and outdoor recreation. Conservation World is open each day of the state fair from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

4-H Food Drive: The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will assist Illinois 4-H youth in the statewide 4-H CAN Make a Difference Food Drive in August. Canned goods and other non-perishable food items can be donated to the 4-H effort at the IDNR headquarters entrances in Springfield Aug 7-10 - and at the entrances to Conservation World at the Illinois State Fair during the fair, Aug. 11-20. Food collected is distributed to food banks throughout Illinois to help the hungry.

Wading Through Wetlands: The Illinois State Museum in Springfield presents its Super Saturdays program for youngsters on Aug. 12 from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. with a focus on wetlands. Are wetlands always wet? What plants and animals live in wetlands? Learn about muskrats, birds, and other wetland residents through crafts, interactive games, search activities, storytelling, and more as part of “Wading through the Wetlands” at the Illinois State Museum, corner of Spring and Edwards in downtown Springfield. For more information, phone 217/782-5993.

Digest Available: The 2006-07 Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations is now available at Illinois Department of Natural Resources offices and will be available online on the IDNR web site at http://dnr.state.il.us/admin/systems/digest/ in mid-August. Copies of the free booklet will also be available at Conservation World during the Illinois State Fair, Aug. 11-20.

New Publication on Bobwhite Quail: Individuals with an interest in bobwhite quail may enjoy picking up a copy of a new IDNR publication entitled The Bobwhite in Illinois: Its Past, Present, and Future, written by John L. Roseberry and John Cole. The 93-page booklet contains a wealth of information regarding the life history, ecology and management of bobwhite in the Prairie State. John Roseberry, an emeritus wildlife scientist at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, summarizes more than 40 years of research in the publication. John Cole, the Upland Wildlife Program Manager for the IDNR Division of Wildlife Resources, has been involved in habitat restoration in agricultural landscapes for 35 years. The booklet is written in a reader-friendly style that provides the scientific background necessary to appreciate the dramatic impacts on bobwhite of land use changes from the time of settlement to the present. It also offers practical guidelines for restoring habitat on both public and private lands. This publication will be useful to biologists, sportsmen, farmers and other land managers with an interest in understanding how changing land use has impacted bobwhite and the desire to take steps to restore and increase bobwhite numbers throughout the state. The publication is available free of charge from IDNR Wildlife Resources offices throughout the state or by calling 217/782-6384.

ISAH Fundraiser - 3D Archery Shoot: Help the Illinois Sportsmen Against Hunger program by participating in the upcoming 3D Archery Fun Shoot at Buck Stop Archery in Brownstown on Aug. 20. Registration is from 8-11:30 a.m. Buck Stop Archery is located on U.S. Rt. 40 just west of Brownstown in Fayette County. The event is part of the Buck Stop Archery Customer Appreciation Days. Trophy categories include men, women, youth (ages 13-17); junior (ages 9-12) and pee wee (ages 8 and younger). For more information, call 618/427-5264. Proceeds benefit the ISAH program, which encourages deer hunters to donate deer they harvest for processing into venison, which is provided to food pantries and food banks throughout Illinois.

Baldwin Lake Youth Hunt: The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will conduct a drawing on Sept. 13 for 26 youth to hunt antlerless deer during the Illinois Resident Youth Antlerless-Only Deer Hunt, October 7-8. The special hunt will occur on part of the Baldwin Lake rest area at Kaskaskia River State Fish and Wildlife Area between Baldwin Lake and the Doza Creek Waterfowl Management Area. To be eligible for the site drawing, send the applicant’s name, mailing address, and indicate in which county his or her youth deer hunt permit is valid (St. Clair or Randolph) printed on a standard postcard to the site office by Sept. 11. The site address is Kaskaskia River State Fish and Wildlife Area, 10981 Conservation Road, Baldwin IL 62217. For more information, call 618/443-2925. (Reminder: The application deadline for the Resident Youth Antlerless-Only Deer Hunt first lottery is Aug. 14).

Archery Deer Hunting Changes at Rend Lake: Starting this fall, archery deer hunters hunting on Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area lands and Corps of Engineers managed areas of Rend Lake must harvest an antlerless deer on site before an antlered deer can be harvested. This change is being implemented to help better manage the deer herd.

Dove Hunting Changes at Rend Lake and Mt. Vernon Game Propagation Center: At Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area lands and Corps of Engineers managed areas of Rend Lake, dove hunting will be allowed on opening day (Sept. 1), then on Wednesdays and Saturdays only during the dove season. Dove hunting hours will be noon to 5 p.m. during each open day. At the Mt. Vernon Game Propagation Center, the season opens Sept. 1 and the hunting hours are from sunrise until 11:30 a.m. daily from Sept. 1 - 5. Dove hunting will be during the statewide hours (sunrise to sunset) from Sept. 5 through Sept. 30 when the dove season closes at the Mt. Vernon Propagation Center. The changes in the dove hunting program at these sites are being implemented to improve the quality of dove hunting. A reminder that at these sites, dove hunters must use non-toxic shot only.

Sam Romano Fishing Tournament Winners: Congratulations to the winning anglers in the eleventh annual Sam Romano Lake Michigan Fishing Tournament, benefiting youth fishing and hunting programs through the Illinois Conservation Foundation. Those aboard the charter boat Noble with Captain Dale Florek hauled in a total of 72 pounds of fish. Anglers included Jerry Luciano of Wonder Lake, Brendan Walsh of Freeport, and Michelangelo Scafidi, Jr., Dave Klempier, and Tom Grabinski of Itasca. Dave Klempier caught the biggest fish, hauling in a 14-pound chinook salmon. The Sam Romano Lake Michigan Fishing Tournament was held on July 20 out of North Point Marina in Lake County.

Chicagoland Golf Benefit: The ninth annual Illinois Conservation Foundation and Illinois Association of Park Districts Chicagoland Golf Benefit is scheduled for
 

Tuesday, Aug. 29 at the Wheaton Park District’s Arrowhead Golf Club. Enjoy a day of golf with proceeds benefiting the programs of the ICF and IAPD. The event begins with registration and lunch at 11 a.m., a shot start for golf at noon, followed by refreshments and awards. The registration fee is $125 per person or $400 per foursome. For registration or more information, phone 217/782-7181 or 217/523-4554. The Arrowhead Golf Club is located at 26 W. 151 Butterfield Rd., Wheaton.

Greenways and Trails Workshops: The Illinois Greenways and Trails Council, with support from the IDNR and the Illinois Trails Conservancy, will host workshops for local
communities and organizations interested in planning, developing, building and promoting greenways and trails in Illinois. The workshops will also feature exhibits and displays from trails-related businesses and organizations. The Southern Illinois Greenways and Trails Workshop will be held at the Rend Lake Resort and Conference Center in Whittington on Sept. 15 beginning at 10 a.m. (A morning trail adventure at Rend Lake precedes the workshop beginning at 8 a.m.). The Northern Illinois Greenways and Trails Workshop will be held on Sept. 22 at Illinois Valley Community College in Oglesby beginning at 9 a.m. The registration fee of $20 for each workshop includes lunch. To register for either workshop or for more information, visit the Illinois Trails Conservancy's web site at www.illtrails.com, call 217/782-3715 or 815/569-2472, or email dnr.greenway@illinois.gov. At the door registration will be accepted, but pre-registration is preferred.

Archaeology Lecture: The monthly archaeology lecture for August at the Illinois State Museum Research and Collection Center, 1011 East Ash, Springfield is “The Ray Site: A Middle Woodland Variant.” The free program is scheduled for Aug. 9 at 7 p.m. The Ray Site is an un-mounded mortuary site in the lower Illinois River valley which contained a Hopewell-like artifact assemblage within a rather un-Hopewell-like setting and burial program. Does it represent a cultural intrusion, a partially-participating Hopewell subgroup, or a transition to the Late Woodland period? Excavated by Glenn and Mary Hanning in the late 1970s, the Ray site has yielded unique insights about the Middle Woodland culture in Illinois. For more information, phone 217/782-0061.

OutdoorIllinois: The August issue of OutdoorIllinois, the Department of Natural Resources' monthly magazine, is a celebration of Illinois' newest outdoor recreation facility – the World Shooting and Recreational Complex at Sparta. In addition to the aerial photograph gracing the cover of this month’s magazine, a five-page story details the services offered at this new, state-of-the-art shooting facility and Illinois’ largest campground. Other stories include goldenrod galls, an ancient bison discovery, construction of fish passages at two northern Illinois dams, puffballs and red fox. OutdoorIllinois is an indispensable guide to Illinois' natural, cultural and recreational resources and a bargain at $15 for a one-year subscription. Call 1-800-720-3249 or visit www.dnr.state.il.us/OI to subscribe. VISA and MasterCard are accepted.
 

New Educational Materials: The "Biodiversity of Illinois" series of CD-ROMs from the IDNR Division of Education has been revised and is ready for distribution to Illinois school teachers. The CD-ROMs are field guides to more than 1,000 species that live in or migrate through our state. They contain photographs, life history information, sounds, Illinois range, endangered and threatened status and many more features. "Biodiversity of Illinois, Volume I: Aquatic Habitats," "Biodiversity of Illinois, Volume II: Woodland Habitats" and "Biodiversity of Illinois, Volume III: Prairie and Edge Habitats" may be requested by teachers in writing on school letterhead. There is a limit of one copy of each CD-ROM per teacher. Sixty-three Illinois species are highlighted on the first set of "Illinois' Natural Resources Trading Cards" and their accompanying poster. The two-sided poster depicts the entire set of cards on the front, while the reverse side contains suggestions for using the cards to support teaching of the Illinois Learning Standards. One set of cards and one poster per teacher may be requested in writing on school letterhead. Send requests for these items to: IDNR - Education, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702-1271. (No phone, fax or email requests).

Ethnic/Cultural Arts Bazaar: Find gifts that reflect the rich cultural heritage of Illinois artisans at the Illinois Artisans Shop Ethnic/Cultural Art Spree in the atrium of the James R. Thompson Center, 100 W. Randolph Street, Chicago on Aug. 16-17 from 10:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Select members of the Illinois Artisans Program will display and sell fine craft influenced by diverse ethnic and cultural traditions. The Illinois Artisans Shop provides an ongoing opportunity to view and purchase the best designed and crafted traditional, contemporary, ethnic and folk art made in Illinois. For more information, phone 312/814-5321.

Call for Artists: Illinois artisans are invited to submit applications for the Illinois Artisans Program. The program promotes the work of artisans living in Illinois through exhibitions and activities. All areas of original art and craft are eligible including folk, traditional, contemporary, ethnic and fine art forms. Artists are required to submit the program application, 6-10 slides, an artist’s statement and one-page resume, a self-addressed stamped envelope and a $20 application fee. An application is required. Deadline for submission is Sept. 12. Artists selected will be notified by letter in October. Once accepted into the program artists may take advantage of opportunities to showcase and sell their work in one or more of the four stores located throughout Illinois. For more information and an application, visit the Illinois State Museum web site at www.museum.state.il.us, or call 312/814-1794.
 

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