During the hunting seasons, the extended online version of the IHR, which appears most weeks during the hunting season in the outdoors page of the Sun-Times on Wednesdays, is usually posted here on Tuesdays.

If you have suggestions, e-mail me at straycasts@sbcglobal.net or post in the comments.

UPLAND

Applications may be made for free upland permits through Aug. 31. This is the coolest hunting program run by the IDNR.

Finally sat down over the weekend and sent in my application, tried the random route this year. Well, that and double-checking that I wasn't applying during either firearm deer season.

SQUIRRELS

Better weather at least for hunters. In August, Iroquois County SWA is one site open in northeast Illinois. In September, many more sites open.

DOVE SEASON

Season opens, as usual, on Sept. 1. Free dove permits phone-in period began last week. I have not seen as many in the past week, don't know if some moved on or if I am less observant.

DEER

Resident and non-resident Illinois Youth Firearm Deer permits are available over-the-counter (OTC) from DNR Direct license and permit vendors, by phone at 1-888-673-7648 (1-888-6PERMIT), or online at www.dnr.illinois.gov through Aug. 31. It's OTC only after Aug. 31.

WATERFOWL

Resident hunters may apply online through Aug. 30 for the first lottery for the Illinois 2011 Public Duck and Goose Hunting Area Permit program. The second lottery deadline is Sept. 13 for those unsuccessful resident applicants from the first lottery, residents who didn't apply in the first lottery, and non-residents. All initial applications must be made online at www.dnr.illinois.gov/duck or www.dnr.illinois.gov/goose.

I need to get on this.

ARCHERY

Archery deer, turkey and firearm youth deer permits are on sale over-the-counter.

EARLY CANADA GOOSE SEASON

Season is Sept. 1-15. Regs remain the same.

TEAL SEASON

Season is Sept. 3-18.

NORTH ZONE WATERFOWL

The line for goose hunting between the central and north zone in northeast Illinois was returned to I-80. The duck line remains the one gerrymandered five years ago in Grundy, Will and Cook counties.

BUCK OF THE WEEK PHOTOS

It is early for the traditional BOTW for hunters, by a month and a half, but some nice buck photos are starting to arrive BOTW: Unplugged, the weekly celebration of live big bucks around Chicago outdoors.

BOTW runs Wednesdays and BOTW: Unplugged on Sundays on the outdoors page in the Sun-Times on Wednesdays.

E-mail nominations to straycasts@sbcglobal.net

ILLINOIS HUNTING ONLINE

For IDNR hunting info, click here.

For the Illinois 2011-12 Digest of Hunting & Trapping Regulations, click here.

For the 2010-11 Illinois Public Hunting Areas Report, click here.

Waiting on the 2011-12 edition of the Digest of Waterfowl Hunting Regulation.

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