OVERALL OUTLOOK
Canada geese are all over north and central Illinois, especially around the open-water areas of the rivers and the cooling lakes. It will be interesting to see how today's snow reshuffles the deck.
The keys are open water and access to fields like this close to that open water. These geese were part of a large contingent that kept swimming an area of a farm pond open.
When harvest numbers for the muzzleloader-only deer season come in, we will post separately.
During the hunting seasons, the extended online version of the Illinois hunting report, which comes at the end of the Midwest Fishing Report in the Sun-Times on Wednesdays, is usually posted here on Tuesdays.
With the aerial surveys for waterfowl being flown (they are weather dependent), I will update if needed.
If you have suggestions, email me at outdoordb@sbcglobal.net or post in the comments.
Full report follows.
DEER
We're late into the year for deer hunters and more are reaching the point for donating a deer to the Illinois Sportsmen Against Hunger program. For a list of processors or more information about ISAH check the IDNR web site at http://dnr.state.il.us/legislation/isah/.
Archery season runs through Jan. 15, except during firearm deer seasons in applicable counties.
The Late-Winter Antlerless-only firearm deer season and the Special CWD deer season are Jan. 16-18, 2009.
BUCK OF THE WEEK
If you have an entry for Buck of the Week, e-mail the photo and story to outdoordb@sbcglobal.net. We will run BOTW into January or so. I have a backlog of quality deer.
RABBIT
With the snow cover, this next week or so should be extra good across much of the state for rabbit hunting. Season ends Jan. 8 in the north zone, Jan. 22 in the south.
WATERFOWL
Remember the changes. Canvasbacks are closed for the year. The daily bag on wood ducks increased to three. Scaup bags are split, daily bag of one, except for 20 days, in each zone, see zone reports for two-scaup dates.
The daily limit of six ducks may include no more than four mallards (two hens), three wood ducks, two redheads, one black duck, and one pintail. The daily bag on Canada geese is two.
The DU Migration Map is posted at
http://www.ducks.org/migrationmap.
NORTH ZONE WATERFOWL
Duck season ends today, Tuesday, Dec. 16.
Canada, white-fronted and snow/blue/Ross' goose seasons and brant season ends Jan. 10.
CENTRAL ZONE WATERFOWL
With warmer weather last week opening up some water, Braidwood only had a decent week last week with 235 hunters taking 240 ducks and 28 geese during the four days from Wednesday through Saturday (winds shut down the lake on Sunday). Braidwood is closed to waterfowl hunting on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Canada goose, snow/blue/Ross' geese, brant and white-fronted goose seasons end Jan. 31
Scaup bag is one daily for the rest of the season.
Duck season ends Dec. 23.
SOUTH ZONE WATERFOWL
Duck season ends Jan. 25.
Canada goose, snow/blue/Ross' geese, brant and white-fronted goose seasons end Jan. 31
On Wednesday, Dec. 17, the daily scaup bag goes to one for the rest of the season.
PHEASANT/PARTRIDGE/QUAIL
Season for cock pheasant, bobwhite quail and gray partridge ends Jan. 8 in the north zone; Jan. 15 in the south.
TURKEY
Third archery season is runs through Jan. 15.
COMMON SNIPE
Season ends Sunday, Dec. 21.
SQUIRREL
Season ends Feb. 15.
CROW
Season ends Feb. 28.
WOODCHUCK
Season ends March 31, except it is closed during firearm deer seasons in applicable counties.
RACCOON/OPOSSUM
North zone hunting season ends Feb. 10, south zone season on Feb. 15.
FOX
Hunting season for red and gray foxes ends Jan. 31, except it is closed during the firearm deer seasons in applicable counties.
GENERAL TRAPPING
Raccoon, opossum, skunk, weasel, mink, muskrat, fox (red and gray), coyote and badger seasons end Jan. 20 in the north zone; Jan. 25 in the south.
BEAVER TRAPPING
Season ends March 31.
ILLINOIS HUNTING ONLINE
For IDNR hunting info, click here.
For the Illinois 2008-09 Digest of Hunting & Trapping Regulations, click here.
For the 2008-09 Digest of Waterfowl Hunting Regulations, click here.
For the Illinois Public Hunting Areas Report, click here.
For Illinois crop reports (generally posted Monday afternoons), click here.
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