Notes from the field
As small ponds begin to freeze, resident and migratory Canada geese are forming larger flocks and seeking open water in rivers and large lakes. The largest migratory flocks are still north of Illinois but should be moving south soon as snow and ice cover up available food in the north.
The 8th Avery International Goose Calling Invitational and Waterfowl Hunt will be Jan. 2-4 in Marion, Ill. This is the nation’s largest goose-calling event and offers a $12,500 purse. The event is coordinated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the Illinois Conservation Foundation and the Williamson County Tourism Bureau.
Hunters wishing to participate will pay $500 each and will receive lodging, some meals and two days of hunting with one of the champion callers. Proceeds benefit the Illinois Conservation Foundation, which earmarks the money for youth hunting programs. For more information call the IDNR at (217) 785-8955 or visit the web at http://dnr.state.il.us.
– Goose harvest reports from the Illinois northern zone are coming in at a record rate of nearly 250 birds a day. At the end of the week, the northern zone harvest stood at 15,779 with a 19,300 quota. The central zone harvest is 7,161 with a quota of 24,100. The southern zone harvest is 1,054 with a 24,100 quota.
– The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has recommended the creation of a senior fishing license for residents older than 60. Presently, Indiana residents older than 65 do not have to buy a license. Officials said the proposed $3 senior license would raise additional direct revenue and also bring in more matching federal funds that could be used for fish management programs statewide.
– Wisconsin birders are savoring the sight of more than 100 bald eagles at Lake Onalaska on the Mississippi River just north of La Crosse.
The eagles are gorging on ducks and coots killed by a parasitic infection this fall. The birds are expected to stay in the area as long as the lake does not freeze.
The week ahead
Monday: Salmon Unlimited of Indiana meets at 7:30 p.m. at the Indiana Harbor Boat Club, located at the end of Cline Avenue on the lakefront in East Chicago, Ind.
Tip of the week
Use an ice auger rather than the traditional spud to carve your ice fishing holes this winter. Studies have proved that a sharp auger that shaves a hole in the ice spooks fish far less than an ice spud that hammers a hole in the ice.
Ask Chauncey
Alan Weber of Peoria asks: My hunting buddy and I are interested in trying winter tent camping. Do you have any suggestions?
Winter tent camping can be a lot of fun, but there is no room for error. If you make a mistake or don’t plan for something, you will become cold, wet and miserable and ruin a great time.
First, use several thin layers of clothing to trap your body heat. This allows you to add or subtract layers to keep yourself warm. Second, never sleep in the same clothes you wore during the day. Depending on the temperature rating of your sleeping bag, you may need to layer loose-fitting clothes when you retire for the evening.
And before you make that first big leap into the cold. try spending a night in your backyard or close to your car in case you do become cold and need to warm up.
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Send questions or announcements to ChaunceyN@aol.com or mail to Chauncey Niziol, P.O. Box 7031, Westchester, IL 60154.
