I have more coming on the EHD outbreak in the south suburbs. There's more to the story than originally reported.

Otherwise, we are well into changing times. The weather finally moderated. Monday morning actually felt cool. Last week, I saw my first browning fields of corn. Barring some wild fall rains, a slow corn harvest should not impact deer hunting like it did last year.

During the hunting seasons, the extended online version of the IHR, which comes at the end of the Midwest Fishing Report in the Sun-Times on Wednesdays, is usually posted here on Tuesdays.

The photo with the lead is Mike Resetich coming back with a black duck on a 2007 hunt along the Illinois River. I like the image.

If you have suggestions, email me at outdoordb@sbcglobal.net or post in the comments.

SQUIRREL

Some are getting out for squirrels, and more should this week with more moderate weather.

Take this rather hilarious note from Rudy Steffan:

I thought I would drop you a line, to tell you that squirrel hunting in Matthiessen state park is very slow. My brother and I were out on Friday. We saw two, got one fox. (Sec. 9). I went out this morning(sec. 10). I saw one, got one fox. Ran into a couple of other hunters on sec. 9. They saw two, missed both. It was so hot, and humid. I thought I saw fog, could have been just my glasses though.

Maybe you have to wear glasses and hunt to appreciate the humor in that.

Ed Smith provided a pictorial on how to clean a squirrel for PrairieStateOutdoors.com. I'm still not convinced it is as easy as he makes it look.

Hunting is already open at Iroquois County SWA and Matthiessen SP. Marseilles opens Sept 1 (Monday through Thursday). Silver Springs SFWA, Momence Wetlands and Kankakee River SP open the day after Labor Day and run until Sept. 30.

The general season runs through Feb. 15, except it is closed during firearm deer seasons in applicable counties. Hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. The daily limit is five squirrels with a possession limit of 10.

DEER NOTES

Illinois resident deer hunters are able to purchase 2010 Illinois Archery Deer Hunting Permits (combination archery and antlerless-only archery permits) online at www.dnr.state.il.us/license.html or over-the-counter from DNR Direct permit sale locations throughout Illinois. Archery season opens Oct. 1.

Youth Firearm Deer Hunt: The Illinois Youth Either-Sex Firearm Deer Hunt is Oct. 9-10. Permits for this season are available over-the-counter from DNR Direct license and permit vendors. To link to the website, go to www.dnr.state.il.us/license.html. For a list of IDNR and public land sites open for hunting during the youth firearm deer hunt in 2010, go to this link: www.dnr.state.il.us/admin/pdf/YouthDeer2010SitesOpen.pdf.

BOWHUNTING AT PHILIP STATE PARK

Here's another opportunity for bowhunters around Chicago outdoors at James ``Pate'' Philip State Park. Applications are open through Aug. 31. Click here for info.

COYOTES AT SILVER SPRINGS

Here's another new opportunity later this hunting season to keep in mind. After the close of bowhunting in January, coyote hunting will open at Silver Springs SFWA.

ICF HUNTS

And couple real good hunts at a very special place are coming up quick, one a high-end dove hunt as a fundraiser and the other a youth hunt.

The Illinois Conservation Foundation will offer a dove hunt ($250) at the Torstenson Farm, an idyllic 750-acre farm in Winnebago County, on Sept. 1. . . . ICF executive director Mark Spangler is also scheduling the first youth event (10-17), a teal or dove hunt on Sept. 4. He will accept applications (about a dozen youth slots for doves, six for teal) through Friday. For both events, call Spangler at (217) 720-4389.

DOVE

Season opens Sept. 1. I continue to see many doves. Not sure if it is related to the weather this summer or not.

TURKEY NOTES

Fall Firearm Turkey: The deadline to apply for the second lottery for 2010 Illinois fall shotgun turkey permits is Aug. 23. Hunters can apply online through DNR Direct or with an application form available through the IDNR website at www.dnr.state.il.us.

EARLY CANADA GOOSE

Season is Sept. 1-15. Daily bag is five in the Northeast, North and Central zones; two in the south.

TEAL

Season is Sept. 4-19. Daily bag is four, possession eight.

PROPOSED WATERFOWL SEASONS

NORTH ZONE

Youth Hunt Oct. 9-10
Ducks Oct. 16-Dec. 14
Canada geese Oct. 16-Jan. 8
Snow geese Oct.16-Jan. 8
White-fronted geese Oct. 29-Jan. 8

CENTRAL ZONE

Youth Hunt Oct. 23-24
Ducks Oct. 30-Dec. 28
Canada geese Oct. 30-Nov. 14 and Nov. 24-Jan. 31
Snow geese Oct. 30-Jan. 31
White-fronted geese Nov. 21-Jan. 31

SOUTH ZONE

Youth Hunt Nov. 13-14
Ducks Nov. 25-Jan. 23
Canada geese: Nov. 25-28 and Dec. 1-Jan. 31
Snow geese Nov. 25-Jan. 31
White-fronted geese Nov. 25-Jan. 31

ILLINOIS HUNTING ONLINE

For IDNR hunting info, click here.

For the Illinois 2010-11 Digest of Hunting & Trapping Regulations, click here.

For the 2009-10 Illinois Public Hunting Areas Report, click here.

For Illinois crop reports (generally posted Monday afternoons, holiday weekends are the exceptions), click here.