Wildlife experts have their fingers crossed that enough Illinois farmers will jump at the new Conservation Reserve Program signup to rub out losses expected as 296,000 acres expire.
That’s a huge chunk of Illinois’ 730,000 acres in habitat, thanks to CRP.
Even though some CRP acres are in the wrong type of grasses for gamebird suitability (no more quail-denying fescues, please), some cover is considered better than nothing.
Chinook where? State biologists sampled a pair of 12-pound chinook in none other than Wolf Lake. They apparently found their way through a creek connected to Lake Michigan. . . . Conservation cops have switched to videotapes to catch boaters who creep within the 200-yard “no-no” area below Starved Rock dam. They hope videos will impress judges more than still photos. Expect a flurry of tickets in the mail.
The Lake Michigan Federation has joined with the West Michigan Environmental Action Council to study the threat of continued sand dune mining operations. Look for a report soon on status of active mining sites, which dunes are under threat, the extent to which new sites can be opened, the demand for dune sand and where and how dune sand is being used. . . . The federation also is alarmed by Canadian proposals to slant drill for oil beneath Lake Michigan, largely because of potential to pollute groundwater and soils, tributaries and shoreline habitat in Michigan.
Big winners: As expected, Chicago-area anglers dominated the PikeMasters tourney on Paw Paw Lake near Coloma, Mich. Mike Jordan and Greg Kubiak of suburban South Holland took top honors with a healthy 32 3/8-incher, while Chris Lewandowski of Tinley Park and Dan Bunce of Oak Lawn combined for third with a 29 3/8-inch northern. Chicago anglers always are hungry, aggressive pike hunters.
Tim Vik of Sparland has become Illinois’ seventh sportsman of the year, mastering a trapping project at Silver Springs State Park in Yorkville. Only 36 contestants entered this year’s decathlon of outdoor skills.
Jim Carlson of Stockton has been named Illinois Wildlife Landowner of the Year. The Jo Daviess County farmer sprinkles his 649-acre farm north of Savanna and another 308-acre spread near Stockton with a mixture of cash grain, hay production and wildlife habitat, including forest and prairie restoration. He also seeds forest openings with corn, sorghum, clover and alfalfa to encourage wildlife foraging.
Lake Shelbyville fishing guide Walter Watts was one of several volunteers honored by the DNR for sinking more than 18,000 Christmas trees in the lake to improve fish habitat.
Of course, Walter also knows exactly where those crappie-holding sets are located.
James Angel of the Illinois Water Survey has been named state climatologist, replacing the retired Wayne Wendland.
Hotlines: Indiana anglers can receive taped reports for the St. Joseph River at 219-257-8477 and for Lake Michigan and its tributaries at 219-874-0009, ext. 1048. Also, a toll-free Lake Erie report is available at 888-466-5347.
Free state hunter safety courses are slated for Thursday at Eisenhower Junior High in Darien (630-655-6400), Thursday and Saturday at Glen Ridge Gun Club in Mundelein (847-259-0088), Thursday and Saturday at Beaver Dam Outfitters in Algonquin (847-857-4868), Saturday and Nov. 1 at Beach Park Village Hall (847-249-1822), Nov. 1-2 at Midlothian Park District (708-371-6191), and Nov. 13-15 at Moose Lodge in Woodstock (815-338-4543).
Snowmobile safety courses will be held Nov. 1 Saturday at Richmond American Legion Hall (815-385-1947), Nov. 1 at Diecke Park in Huntley (847-669-5856) and Nov. 15 at Indian Oaks Park in Marengo (815-568-6021) and Richmond American Legion Hall.
This ‘n’ that: Waterfowlers now have three choices for non-toxic shot to replace the duck-poisoning lead pellets banned nationwide from this sport. Besides steel and last year’s bismuth-tin alloy, tungsten-iron has been approved by the feds. But have you seen the astonomical prices? . . . The weather-delayed catchable trout program opened Saturday at 34 Illinois locations. Chicago-area sites include Axehead and Belleau lakes in Cook County, Banana Lake in Lake County and Sand Lake at Illinois Beach State Park. . . . Rocky Bridges has slated a spoonplugging course on Nov. 4 at the Fishing Connection in Tinley Park. Call 708-532-1476.
Spouses or other designated individuals can purchase hunting and fishing licenses for someone else, providing they show adequate identification and proof of residency. But non-residents no longer need to show proof of residency because all non-resident licenses cost the same no matter where they live.
