Message from Director Colleen CallahanAs we embark on 2021, with hopes high for better days ahead, please consider making plans to spend some time outdoors this winter.

January weather doesn’t always make an outdoors adventure sound like an attractive option, but after being cooped up indoors more often than many of us would have liked in recent months, give it a try.

Even if you have to layer on the cold-weather gear and lace up the boots, a winter walk in the neighborhood or a hike on a trail in a nearby state park can be invig-orating. If it’s cold enough and the ground is frozen on a nature trail, you won’t have to clean mud off the boots. And the crunching sound of snow under your boots is a bonus.

Take the kids or grandkids along. With the leaves off the trees, you’ll be amazed at how different the landscape appears, unveiling gullies and creek beds and other landmarks you may not have known were there in the spring, summer or fall. Watch and listen for the hearty wildlife you may see and hear while hiking a trail in winter.

Take a ride along the big rivers in Illinois and enjoy the show put on by the hundreds of nesting and wintering bald eagles that float through the sky, diving toward the water and feasting on fish, or standing watch from the bluffs and woodland branches.

Our state parks along the Illinois, Mississippi and Ohio rivers are great eagle watching destinations each winter. Enjoy the ride to the parks on routes like the Great River Road in western Illinois, with scenic overlooks and roadside parking areas that are ideal places to get out of the car and see bald eagles.

Outdoor activities are good for the body, mind, and soul. Get outdoors this winter if you can – and best wishes for a Happy New Year!

Colleen Callahan Director, Illinois Department of Natural Resources

In This Issue• Firearm Deer Harvest• Windshield Cards• Conservation Police

Awarded• Park Survey

January 2021 • Volume 9, Number 1

Find Out More DNR Home Page

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IDNR CareersIDNR offers a wide array of professional careers in the conservation and natural resource arena. Click here to see the job openings available.

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IDNR Naturalists Host Hikes, Virtual Visits to Connect Families and Students to NatureBy Lisa Sons, Natural Resource Coordinator, Starved Rock and Matthiessen State Parks

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” — Theodore RooseveltIDNR Natural Resource Coordinators (Naturalists) live by this motto and have adapted programs to welcome families and students to Illinois state parks in recent months while following important health and safety protocols.

Spring and fall are typically filled with busloads of students on field trips awaiting their park Naturalist to lead them into a world of discovery. While the coronavirus pandemic halted traditional field trips, IDNR Naturalists used one of the best tools in their educational arsenal: adaptation.

Field trips to Starved Rock and Matthiessen state parks became “Virtual Visits with a Naturalist” presented by Lisa Sons, and small group lessons by Jill Jackson (I&M Canal) and Jac-que Cullison (Beall Woods). Jennifer Randolph (Giant City) developed educational packets for schools in her area with direct links to the IDNR’s Education webpage. Molie Oliver (Cache River State Natural Area) coordinated several small homeschool group programs on site.

We all saw a surge in interest in visiting our state parks during 2020, and IDNR Naturalists were able to provide a variety of pre-registered, small group, social-ly distanced and masked guided tours and outdoor programs, such as Bridgette Hinchee’s bat program at Argyle Lake. Vis-itors appreciated these escapes to the out-doors providing links to our state’s history, geology, and ecology.

Those who preferred to stay home were not forgotten. Online educational vid-eos were created by the Naturalists to bring trails directly to viewers, such as Amy Keigher’s “Massac Minutes” at Fort Massac, Lisa Sons’ “Starved Rock Snap Shots,” and Jen Randolph’s glimpses into Giant City’s woodland paths.

Volo Bog State Natural Area’s Facebook page has been a helpful platform as seen through Stacy Iwanicki’s “Walk with a Naturalist” live posts and Kayla Alexander’s new Pere Marquette Facebook page with wildlife quizzes, activities, and posts.

Park videos and posts can be found on Facebook pages hosted by Starved Rock and Matthiessen state parks, Pere Marquette State Park and Fort Massac State Park, as well as Friends of Giant City State Park, Friends of Volo Bog, Friends of Argyle Lake State Park, and Friends of the Cache River Watershed pages. Educa-tional documents can also be found on each park’s IDNR webpage.

Thank you for your support of your Illinois state parks – and thank you for adapting along with us!

HighlightsDNR in the NewsDonations Rolling

In For Nokomis Pool

The Deer Harvest Pin

Carlyle Lake Christmas Tree Recycling Project

What’s Up With All The Geese In Chicago?

Hunters and CWD

Statewide OfficesSpringfield, IL 217-782-6302

Bartlett, IL 847-608-3100

Benton, IL 618-435-8138

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https://www.thejournal-news.net/stories/donations-rolling-in-for-nokomis-pool,72143https://www.thejournal-news.net/stories/donations-rolling-in-for-nokomis-pool,72143http://www.chicagonow.com/dan-stef-outdoors/2020/12/the-deer-harvest-pin-part-of-the-illinois-hunting-culture/https://carlylelake.com/christmas-tree-recycling-program-2/#:~:text=The%20U.S.%20Army%20Corps%20of,fish%20habitats%20at%20Carlyle%20Lakehttps://carlylelake.com/christmas-tree-recycling-program-2/#:~:text=The%20U.S.%20Army%20Corps%20of,fish%20habitats%20at%20Carlyle%20Lakehttps://www.wbez.org/stories/whats-up-with-all-the-geese-in-chicago/ff40b627-db63-4bd4-bd97-1701857b4029https://www.wbez.org/stories/whats-up-with-all-the-geese-in-chicago/ff40b627-db63-4bd4-bd97-1701857b4029http://www.altondailynews.com/news/details.cfm?clientid=17&id=316064#.X-DKL9JKjMw

IDNR Conservation Police Named Top Mid-Sized Agency Following successful education and enforcement actions during 2020, IDNR Conservation Police were named the top mid-sized agency in the Operation Dry Water program by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators.

Highlights

Order your lapel pin today!

2021 pins are in stock now.

Available online, choose from deer,

turkey, bluegill, duck, pheasant

and morel mushroom - or

order all of them.These special collector pins

cost $5.00 each.

www.ilconservation.org

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Click for info

Firearm Deer Season 2020 Preliminary Harvest Totals 76,579IDNR announced a preliminary total of 76,579 deer were taken by hunters during the seven-day 2020 IllinoisFirearm Deer Season, compared with a final total of 75,417 deer harvested during the firearm season in 2019.

Muzzleloader Deer Season TotalsDuring the 2020 Illinois Muzzleloader-Only Deer season (Dec. 11-13), hunters harvested a preliminary total of 3,447 deer, compared to 3,076 in 2019. Check the county totals here.

Reminder to Commercial FishersResident and Nonresident Illinois Commercial Fishermen should check their mail for their 2020 Annual Report forms and complete and return the report to the IDNR by Jan. 31, 2021.

https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/news/Pages/IDNR-Conservation-Police-Named-Top-Mid-Sized-Agency.aspxhttp://www.ilconservation.orghttps://ilconservation.org/https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/news/Pages/Illinois-Firearm-Deer-Season-2020-Preliminary-Harvest-Totals-76,579.aspxhttps://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/news/Pages/Illinois-Firearm-Deer-Season-2020-Preliminary-Harvest-Totals-76,579.aspxhttps://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/news/Documents/IDNR-MZHarvest2020.pdf

Highlights

Click for info

Click for info

Click for info

Click for info

Click for info

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Take the Park SurveyHave you visited an Illinois State Park? Your feedback is welcomed; please fill out a brief survey on the IDNR website.

Cross-Country SkiingEnjoy many great activities at IDNR sites year-round – even during the winter. Visit the IDNR website for information on sites with cross-country skiing (when snow conditions allow.

Ice Fishing in IllinoisWhen conditions are right, ice fishing is a great way to spend time outdoors in the winter months. For information on ice fishing safety, gear, tips and techniques, check the I Fish Illinois website.

Reporting Waterfowl BandsThe U.S. Geological Survey will collect information on birds with a federal band or color marker. Your responses provide important scientific research information.

https://www2.illinois.gov/dnrhistoric/Preserve/Pages/default.aspxhttps://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/cmp/Pages/default.aspxhttps://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/LawEnforcement/Pages/default.aspxhttps://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/INPC/Pages/default.aspxhttps://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/conservation/NaturalHeritage/Pages/EndangeredSpeciesPermits.aspxhttps://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/Parks/Pages/default.aspxhttps://dnr2.illinois.gov/controlledhunt/https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/recreation/Pages/default.aspxhttps://www.ifishillinois.org/programs/ice.phphttps://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/hunting/turkey/Pages/TurkeySeasonsDeadlinesAvailablePermits.aspxhttp://www.reportband.govhttp://www.reportband.gov

Highlights

Click for info

Click for info

Click for info

Click for info

Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife AreaCarlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area plans to begin water drawdown operations for the Sub-Impoundment areas at the site the week of Jan. 4, 2021.

IDNR, ICF Announce 2021 Grant Opportunities ScheduleThe IDNR and the Illinois Conservation Foundation have announced the anticipated application deadlines for competitive grant programs for the 2021 calendar year.

Pere Marquette State Park Upper Group Camp LotteryGroup camp applications are being accepted now for Pere Marquette State Park. The first lottery drawing (involving groups who wish to stay overnight for six or more nights) will be conducted on Jan. 11, 2021.

Biodiversity Field Trip GrantsTeachers of grades Pre-K through 12 in Illinois, including home- schooling teachers, may apply to the IDNR for funding to support natural resources-related field trips. Bus transportation and substitute teacher fees are the primary expenses covered. Applications must be post-marked no later than Jan. 31, 2021. The optional prelimi-nary application deadline is Jan. 15, 2021.

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https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/conservation/NaturalHeritage/Pages/default.aspxhttps://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/conservation/Forestry/Pages/default.aspxhttps://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/conservation/IRAP/Pages/default.aspxhttps://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/Pages/default.aspxhttps://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/news/Documents/IDNR-CarlyleSFWADrawdown-Jan2021.pdfhttps://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/news/Pages/IDNR-ICF-Announce-2021-Grant-Opportunities-Schedule.aspxhttps://www.facebook.com/PereMarquetteSPhttps://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/education/Pages/GrantsIBFTG.aspxhttps://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/education/Pages/GrantsIBFTG.aspx

Highlights

IDNR Deer Harvest PinsHunters interested in collecting a 2020 Illinois Deer Harvest Pin should find them available from participating DNR Direct license and permit vendors. The free harvest pins are available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. Visit the IDNR website for the full vendor list.

Deer Seasons in JanuaryThe Illinois Archery Deer Season for 2020-21 is open through Jan. 17, 2021. Hunters also can participate in the final weekend of the Late-Winter Antlerless Only Deer Season and Special CWD Deer Season (Jan. 15-17, 2021) in select counties only. Full details can be found on the IDNR website.

Windshield Cards Reminder for Public Hunting SitesHunters participating in hunting programs at IDNR sites need to complete their Windshield Card and report their harvest. Harvest reporting can now be done at any time, not just at the end of the season. For more details, visit the IDNR website.

Equal opportunity to participate in programs of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and those funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies is available to all individuals regardless of race, sex, national origin, disability, age, religion or other non-merit factors. If you believe you have been discriminated against, contact the funding source’s civil rights office and/or the Equal Employment Opportu-nity Officer, IDNR, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702-1271; 217/785-0067; TTY 217/782-9175.

Printed by the authority of the State of Illinois. DNR-DIR-210019-01, web

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