Prairie State Outdoors

Stay connected for news and updates

2012-11-06T11:00:46Z

Hunting seasons are in full swing, so stay in touch with Prairie State Outdoors.

We post daily news updates on our Facebook page so you will always be in the loop on what’s happening in Illinois and surrounding states.

We also publish information on season dates, changes in rules and regulations, and pictures from your fellow successful hunters.

“Like” us, so we can keep you informed this fall.

Send photos of your outdoors adventures to editor@prairiestateoutdoors.com.

We are always interested to hear what you think. Let us know if there is something we should be covering.

Fisherman finds body of missing student in Lake Michigan

2013-06-20T04:00:49Z

CHICAGO (AP) — The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office has identified a body pulled from Lake Michigan as that of a University of Chicago student who went missing a week ago.

The body of 20-year-old Austin Hudson-LaPore was recovered from the lake early Wednesday by Chicago police after the body was spotted by a fisherman. The third-year student was last seen around 8:30 p.m. on June 12 at his apartment near the university's campus.

Family members and friends have said they believe Hudson-LaPore went to Lake Michigan's shore to observe storms that swept the area the day he disappeared. He had taken his final exams the same day.

Authorities have yet to announce a cause of Hudson-LaPore's death.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Water usage stamps now available

2013-06-19T16:31:40Z

Illinois’ new Water Usage Stamp is now available.

Non-motorized watercraft, canoes, kayaks and paddle boats in Illinois are no longer required to be titled or registered in Illinois, unless the vessels have a motor or sail.

They are now required to purchase a Water Usage Stamp when the current registration expires.

The cost is $6 per calendar year for the each of the first three vessels, and $3 each for any additional vessels.

All of the new Water Usage Stamps must be purchased at the same time to receive the discount.

Water Usage Stamps are mandatory for all non-powered watercraft.

Stamps became available June 19 over-the-counter from DNR Direct license and permit vendors.

To find places to purchase the water usage stamp, visit: http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/LPR/Pages/LicensePermitVendors.aspx

Waterfowl blind drawing dates announced

2013-06-19T03:35:14Z

The annual summer ritual of waterfowl blind drawings is approaching July 21, 27, 28 and Aug. 3.

Hunters must register in person for waterfowl blind site drawings and must be present at the drawing to claim their blind sites.

Mail-in registrations are not accepted.

Blind allocations are good for one year, except on the Mississippi River Pools, and Meredosia Lake in Morgan and Cass counties, which are good for two.

Applicants must present a 2012 or 2013 Illinois hunting or sportsman combination license and a 2012 or 2013 Illinois Migratory Waterfowl Stamp at the time they register.

Applicants must be at least 16 years old by the date of the drawing.

Licenses and stamps should be purchased ahead of time.

Registrants must also possess a current Illinois Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card from the Illinois State Police.

Expired FOID cards are not acceptable. However, applicants will be allowed in the drawing if they present the cashed check from their FOID card application dated at least 30 days before the blind drawing date.

Applicants under the age of 21 do not need a FOID card if accompanied by an adult who has one. Law enforcement officers will not be able to validate FOID card status on the day of the drawing.

The schedule for 2013 blind drawings:

SUNDAY, JULY 21, 2013 (Blinds allocated for two years)

• Mississippi River Pool 21 and Pool 22: registration 10 a.m. - noon at the Twin Oaks Sportsman's Club, 2707 Bonansinga Dr., Quincy. (Location of Pool 22 drawing has been moved to this site from the South Side Boat Club in Quincy)

• Mississippi River Pool 24: registration 10 a.m. - noon at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Office, Route 106 West, Pittsfield.

• Meredosia Lake in Morgan and Cass Counties: registration 10 a.m. – noon at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Office, Route 106 West, Pittsfield.

SATURDAY, JULY 27, 2013 (Blinds allocated for one year)
• Chain O' Lakes State Park and Redwing Slough/Deer Lake State Natural Area, Lake County: registration for both sites 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Oak Point day use area, 1/5 mile east of the Fox River on the south side of Illinois Route 173. Hunters will be allowed to register for only one of the two sites.

• Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area, Will County: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the site office, two miles northwest of Wilmington off exit 241 on Interstate 55.

• Kankakee River State Park and Momence Wetlands, Kankakee and Will Counties: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. for both sites at the Kankakee River State Park office, five miles northwest of Bourbonnais on Illinois Route 102. Hunters will be allowed to register for only one of the two sites.

• Mazonia State Fish and Wildlife Area, Grundy County: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the site office just off Illinois Route 53, two miles southeast of Braceville.

• Shabbona Lake State Recreation Area, DeKalb County: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the park office.

Directions - go 2.5 miles south of Shabbona on Shabbona Road, turn east on Shabbona Grove Road and go ½ mile (office is on left side of the road).

• Sinnissippi Lake, Whiteside County: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Harry Oppold Marina, on Stouffer Road on the east edge of Sterling.

• William Powers State Recreation Area, Cook County: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the boat launch, 126th St. and Ave. 0, Chicago.

SUNDAY, JULY 28, 2013 (Blinds allocated for one year)

• Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area, Fulton County: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the area check station, 13½ miles southwest of Havana on Illinois Route 100.

• Clear Lake, Mason County: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Sand Ridge State Forest Headquarters, 25799E CTY RD. 2300N, Forest City. Phone (309) 597-2212. Follow the signs from Manito or Forest City.

• Lake DePue State Fish and Wildlife Area, Bureau County: registration
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Oak Grove Park, ¾ miles west of DePue on Illinois Route 29.

• Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area including the Sparland Unit, Marshall County: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the area check station, five miles south of Lacon on Illinois Route 26.

• Rice Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area, Fulton County: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the area check station, three miles south of Banner on Route 24.

• Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area, Cass and Mason Counties: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. On the east side of the maintenance building, two miles north of Chandlerville on Illinois Route 78 (follow the signs to Sanganois).

• Spring Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area and Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area, Tazewell County: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the south park office area, two miles north of Manito on County Rd. 16 (Manito Rd.) and eight miles west and south on Spring Lake Rd.

• Starved Rock State Park, LaSalle County: registration 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. at the Point Shelter day use area on Illinois Route 71, about four miles east of Illinois Route 178 or 5.5 miles west of Illinois Route 23 in South Ottawa.

• Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area, Woodford County: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the area check station, 5½ miles north of Spring Bay on Illinois Route 26.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 2013 (Blinds allocated for two years)
• Mississippi River Pool 16: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Loud Thunder Forest Preserve, 19408 Loud Thunder Rd., Illinois City.

• Mississippi River Pool 17: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at New Boston City Park.

• Mississippi River Pool 18: registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Delabar State Park, two miles north of Oquawka.

For more information, visit: http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/landmgt/hunter_fact_sheet/index.htm

Lisa Madigan seeks 2nd delay on Illinois concealed carry

2013-06-18T03:49:27Z

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has asked the U.S. Supreme Court for a second monthlong extension of time to decide whether to appeal a lower court order allowing citizens to carry concealed guns.

Madigan requested a delay until July 24 to take action on a 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that sent lawmakers scrambling this spring to adopt legislation allowing the public possession of concealed firearms, according to a petition filed late Friday but made public Monday.

Illinois is the only state in the union to prohibit concealed carry.

The extra time would allow Madigan to see how Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn responds to the legislation sent to him while her office continues to research the issue and possible conflicts that the appellate court ruling created with decrees from other jurisdictions. Those will help the Democratic attorney general determine whether to appeal the ruling to the nation's highest court.

"Let's allow this process to work itself out, await gubernatorial action, whatever that may be, and determine the appropriate next steps from there," Madigan spokeswoman Natalie Bauer said Monday. "This request allows those actions to play out."
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Quinn spokeswoman Brooke Anderson again declined to indicate Monday where the Democratic governor stands on the bill awaiting his action. He is a strong gun-control proponent and initially advocated leaving concealed carry up to each large municipality to decide its own rules.

The appellate court ruled in December that Illinois' gun ban violated the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. It gave the state until June 9 to remedy the problem.

After the Legislature finally adopted a plan that it didn't send to Quinn until June 4, Madigan sought and received from appellate court justices an extension for gubernatorial action until July 9.
___

The bill is HB183.

Online: http://www.ilga.gov

More peregrine falcons released in western SD

2013-06-17T14:11:32Z

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — Four young peregrine falcons have been released in Rapid City as part of an effort to re-establish a population of the birds in western South Dakota's Black Hills.

The Birds of Prey Northwest organization and the state Game, Fish and Parks Department have released 44 peregrines since the $10,000 project began in 2010. The four released Saturday were about 40 days old.

The birds will migrate to Central America or South America for two to three years and then hopefully make their way back to the Rapid City area to find mates and build nests, Birds of Prey Northwest raptor biologist Janie Fink told the Rapid City Journal (http://bit.ly/126h58M ).

Officials hope that some of the previously released birds will return this year, for the first time, she said.

The population of peregrines and other raptors was devastated years ago by pesticides, illegal hunting and the extinction of their favorite food, the carrier pigeon. They have not nested in South Dakota since the 1950s.

However, peregrine numbers have increased in the Midwest since efforts to restore them began in the early 1980s.

"We humans wiped them out. We should restore them," Fink said.

___

Information from: Rapid City Journal, http://www.rapidcityjournal.com

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Bass Pro plots expansion with 21 new stores

2013-06-17T14:01:26Z

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — When it comes time to find new locations for Bass Pro Shops, the Springfield-based company considers the number of hunting and fishing licenses sold near potential stores and the proximity to areas conducive to those activities. It looks into how many boats have been registered nearby. Then it combs its own catalog and website data to determine sales made to the area.

"We look for regions around the country that are very strong and rich in sporting and outdoors traditions," said Mike Dunham, director of real estate.

The private company is in the midst of an aggressive expansion that will see it increase its locations by more than a third in the next two-and-a-half years. Since Feb. 22, 2012, the company has announced 20 planned new stores around the country and Canada, all slated to open between this fall and 2015 — in addition to a planned Memphis location that has been in the works for years.

"Our accelerated growth is inspired by the performance of the company, and the fact that our team members are doing a great job," Dunham said.

Founded in 1972 by Johnny Morris, then a recent Drury graduate, in one of his father's Brown Derby liquor stores, the company built a strong mail-order business before moving to its current flagship location on Campbell Avenue in the 1980s. The company didn't open its second location until 1997, but from there opened three to four stores a year until 2004, increasing that to seven to nine new stores a year from 2005 to 2008.

In one decade, the company had managed to accumulate a significant national presence, but growth slowed with the recession. The company added just two stores each in 2009 and 2011 — it now has 58 total — and none in 2010 and 2012.

Dunham attributed that lull to a lack of new development projects nationwide due to the economy, which prevented and, in some cases, stifled planned stores. An announced store in Bakersfield, Calif., for example, was scrapped when financing became difficult and plans for a highway interchange to be built nearby were scrapped, Dunham said. The company also withdrew plans to open a waterfront store in downtown Buffalo.

More recently, however, Bass Pro Communications Specialist Katie Mitchell said, the company has been frequently approached by developers and cities — sometimes even farmers interested in selling their large tracts of land — about moving to a particular area.

Of the 21 planned stores, five are in Florida, two each are in Tennessee, Colorado and New Jersey and one each is in New Hampshire, New York, California, North Carolina, Georgia, Alaska, Connecticut, Arkansas and Washington. The final store, slated for Ontario, will be the company's third in Canada.

Eight of the stores, starting with one in Tallahassee, are forecast to open this year, with a company-record 10 expected to open in 2014, and three in 2015. More new store announcements are likely.

"We're still constantly looking for locations," Mitchell said.

The company's expansion plans took a turn in the spotlight this past week when Bloomberg included founder Johnny Morris on its Billionaires Index for the first time, with the magazine estimating his net worth at $2.8 billion. It is the first time that Morris has been included on an international wealth ranking index.

"Bass Pro Shops could only have happened in America — the home of the free enterprise system that rewards things like hard work, value, innovation and genuine friendly service," the billionaire reportedly said in a hand-written note sent to Bloomberg. "Being included on your list is not my favorite thing, but then again things could be worse."

The newly-announced locations have also prompted a fresh round of criticism over subsidies that lawmakers sometimes give to Bass Pro-anchored projects in an effort to attract sales tax revenue and jobs.

A 2010 report by the Buffalo-based Public Accountability Initiative estimated that the projects had received $567.5 million in taxpayer incentives up until that point, with an average of $29 million per new project.

"A review of Bass Pro-anchored projects shows that while Bass Pro itself tends to attract shoppers, it frequently fails to deliver on promises of economic benefits," the report concluded, citing vacant stores in some developments and lower than expected sales tax revenue.

Dunham said that he believes that the company is more than delivering on those promises, citing Branson Landing as one spot where a development anchored by the company has thrived. He said he disagreed with the report's estimated figures, and emphasized that the incentives typically go toward the entire development, not just Bass Pro.

"Not even close to accurate," he said of the report.

When the company builds a store on former farmland, he said, the land can go from providing thousands of dollars in property tax to millions in sales tax for local governments.

Dunham said that local incentives are just one factor that go into deciding to build a new store, saying that location is still the key element, and that the company has turned down developments with large incentive packages in the past.

"Strong incentives can sometimes bring strong risk," Dunham said.

The latest round of new store announcements have often prompted glowing remarks from leaders of the municipalities where they will be located. San Jose, Calif.'s economic development director told the Mercury-News that the store will be "a big draw." The mayor of Utica, N.Y. told the Observer-Dispatch that she was "thrilled" about a planned location there.

"When you think about what the community marketing commission has been trying to do, to get tourists into our hotels, this fits perfectly," Loveland, Colo., Mayor Cecil Gutierrez told the Reporter-Herald. "Bass Pro Shops has been doing that, and doing it extremely effectively, for years."

Bass Pro says 120 million people will visit its stores and Tracker Marine Centers this year, and that the average customer drives more than 50 miles to its locations and stays 2½ hours. The stores are often marketed to the public and city leaders as tourist destinations — the Springfield store is Missouri's most-visited tourist attraction — as much as retail centers.

The increase in the number of stores, however, prompted the Public Accountability Initiative to question whether it can still have that effect.

"Even as stores are built in close proximity, the company continues to claim that each store draws regional tourists from hundreds of miles away," the report reads.

Dunham said that the company does monitor for overly-close stores, but that it has found that all its locations — which are each developed somewhat differently, incorporating wildlife and design particular to the region — continue to draw visitors from across the country. While Florida will have 11 stores by the time the newly-announced ones open, for example, Dunham said that each can still be a large draw.

"There's so much tourism in Florida ... we still believe there's an ability to draw out-of-state customers," he said.

One of Bass Pro's primary competitors, Cabela's, is also in the midst of an expansion. The company, which has 41 stores in the United States and three in Canada, lists 14 planned new locations on its website — in some cases in markets in which Bass Pro is or plans to be located.

Dunham said that the company isn't in a rush to beat the retailer — which has similarly-grandiose store designs — to particular regions, adding that in many cases he believes the same area can support both.

"We really try to stay with our own growth plan, and we don't deviate too much from that."

___

Information from: Springfield News-Leader, http://www.news-leader.com

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Controversy over efforts to solve bee deaths

2013-06-17T13:51:44Z

ST. LOUIS (AP) — One of every three bites of food we consume depends on pollination by honeybees, but these overlooked contributors to our food system are continuing to die in stubbornly perplexing ways.

Beekeeping groups have held exhaustive conferences. Researchers have organized task forces. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has contributed some of its stretched resources to tracking down the cause of the mysterious deaths, and in a report issued last month, delivered a frustratingly complex answer: Many factors may be responsible, from stress to pesticides.

Now agricultural and chemical heavyweights are getting into the mix. Monsanto Co., which two years ago bought an Israeli bee research company, hosts an industry conference on bee health at its headquarters in Creve Coeur this month. Bayer CropScience is building a 5,500-square-foot "bee health center" in North Carolina, and with fellow chemical giant, Syngenta, has developed a "comprehensive action plan" for bee health.

"The beekeeping industry has always crawled on its hands and knees to USDA and universities, begging for help," said Jerry Hayes, a bee industry veteran recently hired by Monsanto to run its bee research efforts. "Now we have this very large company involved that knows how important bees are to agriculture."

And to the bottom line. Bees pollinate up to $20 billion in American agricultural crops, a number that gets the attention of the industry. Monsanto, for one, owns Seminis, the country's largest fruit and vegetable seed producer — and many of those seeds depend on bees. Beyond that, Monsanto and its rivals have a financial interest in developing a marketable cure that has so far remained elusive.

But as researchers, and now the private sector, puzzle over the issue, some scientists and environmental groups are pointing to a major culprit: The very companies working for solutions, they contend, are a main cause of bee deaths in the first place.

In 2006, beekeepers started noticing that bees were abandoning their hives, a phenomenon scientists dubbed Colony Collapse Disorder. Since then, the American bee population has dropped by an average of 30 percent every year, sending researchers, beekeepers and farmers into a head-scratching frenzy to figure out the cause.

Specifically and somewhat narrowly, the disorder is being blamed on mites and viruses. More broadly, researchers say, it's a symptom of an agricultural system that relies too heavily on chemicals and monocultures, including the vast swaths of corn and soybeans in the Midwest.

While bees, historically, have not foraged on these crops for food, the widespread presence of single crops means fewer dining options for the bees — and that could be leading to weakened immune systems.

"We have been systematically eliminating flowers that bees require for nutrition and survival," explained Marla Spivak, a University of Minnesota entomologist and one of the country's most prominent bee researchers. "We started using lots of insecticides, necessary because monoculture put out feasts for crop pests. Insecticides are designed to kill insects, which depending on the dose can also kill bees."

The finger, increasingly, is getting pointed at a particular class of insecticides, called neonicotinoids, that have become widely used over the last decade, largely because they are thought to be less toxic to mammals. These neonicotinoids, manufactured by Bayer and Syngenta, are used as seed coatings on most of the corn and soybeans planted in the U.S. Most corn and soybean crops grown here contain genetically engineered traits developed by Monsanto — although there is no established link between those traits and bee health.

Some recent studies suggest neonicotinoids — by some estimates the most widely used insecticides in the world — are highly toxic to bees.

Published last year, a study by Purdue University found that dead bees that had foraged in and around corn fields contained high levels of neonicotinoid compounds. The study was prompted by massive bee die-offs that happened in the spring, when corn planters were spewing neonicotinoid-containing dust.

"I know, definitively, that there's a relationship between treated seed and spring die-offs," said Christian Krupke, the study's lead author. "It (neonicotinoids) blows out behind the planter and gets in the air, it lands on dandelions. It lands on the bees, even."

While Krupke says there's no direct link between neonicotinoids and Colony Collapse Disorder, he said, "anything that's a stressor to bees is a concern now. We know they're weaker because of it."

The industry, however, flatly denies any link between bee health and the neonicotinoids it produces.

"There's no scientific evidence linking neonics with bee health — period," said Dave Fischer, director of environmental toxicity and risk assessment at Bayer CropScience.

Bayer, he explained, relies heavily on bees for pollination, particularly in its canola fields in Canada, where it brings in 70,000 hives a year to pollinate fields.

"It would be a poor business model if we were poisoning the bees we depend on," he noted.

The debate over neonicotinoids is likely to get more heated, particularly in the wake of a two-year European Union ban on the compounds, announced on April 29. The vote on the matter was split — with 15 of the 27 EU members voting for the ban.

"It's a controversial subject," said Gene E. Robinson, director of the Bee Research Facility at the University of Illinois. "Not all studies agree with each other. It's a subject that bears more scrutiny."

It's also one that some researchers think is almost unnecessary.

While the industry claims the use of neonicotinoids on seeds boosts yields by 6 to 12 bushels an acre, many question that.

Krupke has done side-by-side field trials to determine whether the seed treatments improve yield. "We have not found any difference in yield or root damage — nothing," he said. "It doesn't mean it never works. But it means we certainly don't need to be putting it on every kernel of corn."

Environmental groups agree, and have called for an EU-style mindset until links are more solidly studied.

"Any kind of reasonably cautious approach — given the severity of the problem — would dictate that we should act sooner rather than later," said Doug Gurian-Sherman, of the Union of Concerned Scientists, a Washington-based science advocacy group. "And that would be a moratorium on these insecticides, especially since we know they have such negligible impacts on yield."

Neal Bergman remembers a seven-year stretch in the 2000s when crop planes doused cotton fields in the Missouri Bootheel with the insecticide malathion.

"They sprayed 400,000 acres of cotton every week," he said. "It didn't matter how the wind was blowing or what time of day it was. They sprayed over people, over animals, over beehives — everything."

For Bergman, who operates the state's largest bee operation, it was the dousing of beehives, naturally, that worried him most. He says his bee population plummeted, costing him $1 million and almost putting him out of business.

Since then, he's been wary — and working hard to keep his bees alive. He uses several medicines and gives his hives protein supplements.

"I don't think the pollen they get is as good anymore," Bergman said. "And that's where they get their protein."

Bergman, echoing many beekeepers, says more coordination is required among farmers so they don't spray chemicals when the bees are foraging a particular crop. The labels on the chemicals say that farmers shouldn't apply them when bees are present — but some don't pay attention, and enforcement is lax.

Human behavior, he says, can have a major impact.

Indeed, more hobbyist beekeepers in urban and suburban areas have started keeping bees in the hope that they can contribute to a solution.

Robert Sears, president of the Eastern Missouri Beekeepers Association, says he thinks that there's a greater awareness of the problem, and that beekeepers are learning to maintain healthy hives with a multi-pronged approach, using medicines and good hive management techniques.

"I think the best practices are moving in the direction of using soft chemicals and organic treatments," he said. "There are also mechanical ways to manipulate hives that don't involve chemicals."

But time, many worry, is getting short.

"These are little creatures, working behind the scenes," Robinson said. "You don't know about them until they're gone."

___

Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Operation “Something Bruin” catches 8 bear poachers

2013-06-16T18:44:29Z

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A federal magistrate sentenced eight men to prison for poaching bears and deer and other illegal hunting activities in national forests in North Carolina and Georgia.

U.S. Attorney Anne Tompkins from the Western District of North Carolina said Friday the convictions were the result of a four-year undercover investigation called Operation Something Bruin. Officers from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, U.S. Forest Service and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources used social media to infiltrate poaching circles and document violations.

Most of the defendants pleaded guilty and were sentenced this week, with eight receiving prison terms of up to 30 days.

"We anticipate that the success of Operation Something Bruin will send a strong message to poachers and would-be violators to think twice before they engage in illegal hunting activities," Tompkins said. "Together with our federal and state law enforcement partners we will combine forces to combat illegal hunting, protect our wildlife and conserve our natural resources."

Officials announced in February that the operation had netted 81 people on a total of 980 violations that included bear baiting, the illegal use of dogs, operating illegal bear enclosures and hunting on federal lands without required permits. The offenses occurred in the Nantahala National Forest and Pisgah National Forest.

Those sentenced this week by U.S. Magistrate Judge Dennis L. Howell include Chad Burchfield, 34; Patrick Burchfield, 24; Jessie Jenkins, 23; all of Robbinsville, N.C. They pleaded guilty to hunting feral swine at night and were sentenced to 30 days in prison and prohibited from hunting or fishing for two years.

Kenneth Collins, 44; Casey Collins, 26; and Michael Sellers, 20, also of Robbinsville, pleaded guilty to providing a hunting guide service on national forest land without a permit. They were sentenced to 30 days in prison and had their hunting and fishing rights revoked for two years.

Ricky Owens, 48, of Robbinsville, pleaded guilty to one count of failure to obtain a special use permit needed to operate a commercial activity on national forest land. He was sentenced to 15 days in prison.

Robert Watson, 46, of Morganton, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting the illegal taking of a black bear. He was sentenced to 30 days in prison.

Terry Ratliff, 55, of Opelika, Ala., was ordered to pay $1,500 for driving on a closed U.S. Forest Service road.

Brian Quacca, 41, of Groesbeck, Texas, pleaded guilty on May 25 to one count of using the National Forest Service for commercial purposes without the required permit.

Brent Fox of Morganton entered a plea of guilty to one count of illegal taking of a black bear and is still awaiting sentencing.

___

Follow AP writer Michael Biesecker at twitter.com/mbieseck

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Out & About from the Peoria Journal-Star for June 16

2013-06-16T17:14:34Z

SUNDAY’S EVENTS

Archery shoots

Pottstown 3D Range shoot, 7 a.m. to noon. (309) 696-8015.

Chillicothe Sportsmen’s Club Rudy Rudolphi 3D shoot, 7 a.m.-1 p.m. (309) 274-9653.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Archery shoots

June 22-23 — Pottstown 3D Range shoot, 7 a.m. to noon. (309) 696-8015.

June 29-30 — Black Diamond Archery (Canton) 3D shoot, gates open 7 a.m., must be on range by noon. (309) 251-5016.

July 6-7 — Pekin Archers 3D shoot, registration 7 a.m., shooters must be on range by noon. (309) 347-4445.

July 20-21 — Chillicothe Sportsmen’s Club Fred Bear 3D shoot, 7 a.m.-1 p.m. (309) 274-9653.

Orienteering meet

June 29 — Illinois River Valley Orienteering Club meet at Wildlife Prairie Park as part of Multisport Extravaganza, irvocmail@gmail.com or http://www.irvoc.org

Bass tournament

June 29 — “Fishing to Remember” tournament to raise money for Alzheimer’s Association at Banner Marsh, big bass format. Six weigh-ins. Contact casting_memories@aol.com
Archaeology meeting

July 3 — Illinois Valley Archaeological Society meets 7 p.m. at Dickson Mounds Museum in Lewistown, (309) 547-3721.

Herpetology meeting

July 4 — Central Illinois Herpetological Society meets 7 p.m. at Forest Park Nature Center, (309) 682-6208.

Prairieland anglers meetings

July 8 — at Dawson Lake, 6 p.m. Fishing, fish fry.

Aug. 12 — at Dawson Lake, 6 p.m. Fishing, wiener roast.

Hunter safety classes

Aug. 9-10 — Wilmor Sportsman’s Club in Morton, 5-10 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday (dinner, lunch provided). (309) 266-6666.

Sept. 20-21 — Wilmor Sportsman’s Club in Morton, 5-10 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday (dinner, lunch provided). (309) 266-6666.

RESULTS

Bass tournaments

Dillon McKinley of Pekin won the River City Casters tournament June 9 at Springfield Lake with 9.11 pounds. John Garrett of Pekin placed second (4.0) and Thad Altman of Manito third (3.05). Garrett won big bass (3.0).

Pastor Bill Williams and Bob Hartman Jr. won the Fellowship of Christian Anglers Pastors tournament June 8 at Banner Marsh with four fish weighing 11.53 pounds. Pastor Jesse Bartz and Chuck Hinrichs placed second (2, 9.29) and Pastor Jack Baird and Dean Mahurin third (5, 8.82). Chuck Hinrichs won big bass (5.00).

Mark Vancil of Kewanee won the Lake Thunderbird Bass Club tournament June 2 at Mississippi River Pool 13 with 16.50 pounds. Craig Hoffman of Princeton placed second (16.40) and Tony Rossi of Seatonville third (16.04). Hoffman won big bass (5.02).

Keith Whitaker and Bill Wright won the Fellowship of Christian Anglers Society tournament May 11 at Clinton Lake with four fish weighing 9.62 pounds. Tim Reber and Brandon Brown placed second (4, 9.49) and Todd Mull and Bob Hartman Sr. third (6, 8.68). Whitaker won big bass (3.96).

Seeking Out & About items

The Journal Star is interested in publishing your upcoming outdoor events or recent tournament results. Please email (sports@pjstar.com), fax (309-686-3205) or call (309-686-3214) us with outdoor items.

Central Illinois fishing report for May 13

2013-06-14T03:48:02Z

What’s biting

Catfish have been biting cut bait and wax worms, while crappie have been hitting on wax worms and red worms. Flooding is starting to become less of an issue.

Honey holes

Area strip mines are reporting that bluegill are biting worms and crickets. A lot of minnow loyalists have switched to crickets over the last few days. Bass have also starting biting.

Banner Marsh has been reporting that bass are hitting hard on live baits, as well as plastics and jigs.

Dawson Lake reports that bass, bluegill and catfish are biting in increased numbers. There are some reports of saugeye biting, along with a few good-sized walleye.

Thompson Lake, part of The Nature Conservancy's Emiquon Preserve, has seen angler numbers rise quite a bit in the last week. Water is still high at Thompson Lake, but fish seem to be biting despite the flooding.

At Lake Springfield, catfish have been biting on crawlers and dip baits. Bass have been hitting jigs, plastics and spinners hard over the last few days.

White bass have been biting hard near the bridges at Rend Lake. They seem to be preferring jigs over the last few days. Rend Lake’s depth is about four feet higher than normal right now.

Larrysfishinghole.com reports that anglers at Clinton Lake are having success on a variety of fish. Walleye have been reported near islands and dropoffs on worm rigs. A combination of redworms and wax worms has been good for catching a lot of bluegill. The website also reports that drum perch are being caught all over the lake on a variety of baits.

Tips of the week

Recent high water levels on the Illinois River have made catching catfish fairly common. Now that the water is receding, though, that might not last for long. They’ve been biting hard on cut bait and worms. Also, it’s been reported that they’re hitting hard on dew worms on the end of a rod and reel.

The lakes at Wildlife Prairie State Park have new fishing hours. They’re now open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Also, a new West Lake has been opened on the property.

Arm yourself against poison ivy

2013-06-14T03:07:54Z

Leaves of three, let it be.

Those are six words to live by during the summer months for anyone who spends a lot of time outdoors.

Those three leaves belong to poison ivy, a native plant that can cause itching, irritation and blisters on the skin of those who come in contact with the oil from bruised leaves or stems.

When the oil, known as urushiol, gets on the skin, it can cause an allergic reaction.

Poison ivy’s relatives poison oak and poison sumac are less likely to be found in Illinois.

10 things to know about poison ivy:

1. Know how to recognize poisonous plants. Poison ivy can appear as a vine climbing high in a tree, creep along the ground, or appear as a small shrub.

2. Poison ivy leaves have three leaflets, often with irregular edges. Watch for it on the ground, at the edge of trails and with Virginia creeper, another vine that looks similar but has five leaflets.

Poison ivy sometimes occurs together with Virginia creeper.

3. Also avoid poison oak which has three lobed leaves. It occurs in dry, sandy habitats mostly in the western United States.

Poison sumac has a leaf with seven to 13 leaflets. Poison sumac is found in bogs and bottomland areas.

Poison ivy is the plant mostly likely to be encountered in central Illinois.

4. The oil has to penetrate the skin before dermatitis sets in. Wash the area of contact immediately to minimize the effects.

5. Wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts and shoes or boots with socks outdoors. Wear gloves while clearing brush or working in the yard.

6. You can get poison ivy at any time of year. Deer hunters hanging tree stands where poison ivy vines are present on tree trunks should be especially careful.

7. A person also can be exposed indirectly by handling tools or clothing that have been in contact with poison ivy. Wash clothing separately.

8. It can be especially dangerous to inhale urushiol from plants that have been burned or mowed. Take care when mowing areas where poison ivy occurs.

9. Symptoms include red rash within a few days, bumps, patches or “weeping” blisters, swelling and itching.

10. A variety of products are available in drugstores to help dry poison ivy blisters. If the blisters are especially large or a fever develops, see a doctor.

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; National Park Service office of public health.

Chris Young can be reached at (217) 788-1528 or chris.young@sj-r.com. Follow him at twitter.com/ChrisYoungPSO.

5 problem plants to avoid

2013-06-14T02:00:08Z

Nature can be beautiful.
And to be certain its mean side doesn’t spoil your trip outdoors, learn to identify and avoid other harmful plants.

Wild parsnip

This member of the carrot family grows wild along roadsides, fence lines or other weedy places. It is a non-native plant with bright yellow clusters of flowers arranged in flat flower heads. Resist the urge to pull this plant by hand. Its juices, combined with ultraviolet light can cause burns on your skin (known as phyto-photo-dermatitis).

Water hemlock

This plant, also a member of the carrot family, is native and grows in large numbers in wet areas, stream banks, ditches and lakesides.
It is very tall, up to six feet, and has white flower heads.
All parts of this plant are deadly poisonous, especially the roots. Give this plant some space when you see it, and do not handle it unless you are wearing gloves.

Stinging nettles

This common plant of bottomland forests has hairy stems, and some of the hairs can inject a combination of chemicals that give a stinging or burning sensation.
If you saw Virginia bluebells or woodland phlox this spring, you probably will see stinging nettles in the same place this summer.

American bittersweet

This plant commonly is used in wreaths and flower arrangements. The berries can make you sick and cause diarrhea.

Pokeweed

A common plant of woodland edges, bike trails and even backyards, it can grow five feet tall and has thick, watery stems. Berries look like small clusters of grapes. Eating the berries can make you sick, causing a headache, stomach pain and diarrhea.

Source: http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com Mayo ,Clinic,  Poison Control Center,  Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Iowa fishing report for June 13

2013-06-13T23:35:15Z

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources issues a weekly fishing report on Thursdayscompiled from information gathered from local bait shops, angler creel surveys, and county and state parks staff. For current information, contact the district fisheries office at the phone number listed at the end of each district report.

NORTHWEST

Nelson Park Lake

Channel Catfish - Good: Anglers are catching good numbers of catfish in the cove east of the dam. Bluegill - Good: Bluegills are starting to move onto nests. Bluegills are 8.5 to 9.5 inches.

Crawford Creek Impoundment

Anglers should look for bluegills to move onto the nests. Recent surveys show good numbers in the 8.5 to 9-inch bluegills. There are good numbers of sublegal largemouth bass. Anglers looking for some catch and release largemouth bass fishing should target the face of the dam.

Moorhead Park Pond

Bluegill and crappie fishing has been good. Crappies are hitting on the west side around the stumps.

Brushy Creek Lake

Water clarity is excellent and aquatic vegetation is present in many areas. Bluegill - Good: Good sized bluegill were being caught close to shore earlier this week. Largemouth Bass - Good: Anglers are picking up a lot of nice bass while fishing for muskie. Crappie - Good: Live minnows are working a lot better than plastics. Walleye - Fair: Some walleye are being picked up casting crankbaits. Muskellunge - Good: Muskies are in post-spawn mode and there has been an increase in muskie activity. Anglers have been reporting good catch rates and lots of follows. Anglers need to be persistent as much of the action comes in a small window of opportunity. If you get a muskie to follow, but can't get it to bite, return to that area later that day and try again.

Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)

Storm Lake is at full pool. Channel Catfish - Excellent: Anglers are catching good numbers of 18 to 22-inch channel catfish from shore using nightcrawlers and cut bait. White Bass - Good: White bass are being picked up trolling crankbaits and fishing with nightcrawlers from shore. Walleye - Good: Boat anglers have been catching quite a few walleye trolling crankbaits, but many are slot fish. Anglers should also try crawler harnesses or bright colored jigs. Shore anglers should try fishing with a night crawler on the bottom near the return flow from the dredge machine (on the east side) or along the high banks on the north shore. Boaters should use caution on Storm Lake. The hydraulic dredge is in operation in the east basin of the lake. There is a pipeline running from the dredge to the shoreline and may rise to the surface at times. Anglers are allowed three walleye per day, all fish between 17 and 22 inches must be released, and only one fish over 22 inches may be kept.

North Twin Lake

Water levels have reached crest elevation. Water clarity is poor. Channel Catfish - Fair: Some anglers are catching catfish from shore; try nightcrawlers on the bottom. Crappie - Fair: Decent sized crappie are being picked up around the docks. Walleye - Fair: Yellow Bass - Fair: Anglers having been catching decent numbers of yellow bass, but sorting is required.

Black Hawk Lake

Black Hawk Lake was renovated last fall. Although fish have been restocked, there are no catchable size fish in the lake. Black Hawk Lake is now flowing over the spillway.

Browns Lake

Catfish are biting on shrimp and crawlers.

Snyder Bend Lake

White bass and catfish are biting. Some anglers are picking crappie.

Southwood Conservation Area Pond (east)

Bluegills are hitting on leeches and worms under a bobber.

Southwood Conservation Area Pond (west)
Bass are hitting spinner baits, purple plastic worms with a slow retrieve, and worms under a bobber.

Arrowhead Lake
Water clarity is good. Water levels are around two feet low. Bluegill - Fair: A few larger males are starting to move onto the beds. Expect more to move into the shallows over the next few weeks. Use a 1/32 ounce black feather jig. It helps to tip it with a small piece of nightcrawler. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Largemouth bass are biting on small hair jigs near shore and around downed trees. They are biting aggressively, but are on the small side. Most are 8 to 12 inches. Crappie - Slow: A few crappies can be picked up while targeting bluegill. Try drifting and jigging for crappie.

Black Hawk Pits
Water clarity is excellent. Water levels have returned to near normal. Largemouth Bass - Slow: Some nice largemouth bass can be caught using minnows or casting twisters. Walleye - Slow: A few smaller walleye have been caught with fire tiger colored twisters. The water is very clear so anglers may have to try fishing in the early morning, late evening, or at night.

Little Sioux Park Lake
Fishing for bass has been good. Use a worm or leech under a bobber or try a slow retrieve with a plastic worm. Target the north part of the lake near the fork or between the catfish cages and the swim beach.

Little Sioux River (Linn Grove to Correctionville)
The Little Sioux is flowing fast and the water is turbid. Fishing is difficult at this time.

Des Moines River (Humboldt to Stratford)
Channel catfishing has been good from south of Lehigh to Skillet Creek boat ramp.

For more information on lakes and rivers in the Black Hawk District contact the Black Hawk Office in Lake View at 712-657-2638.

Beeds Lake
Water is high and muddy due to rainfall. Water temperature is around 61 degrees. Sucker - Fair: There are lots of white suckers in Beed's. A worm and sinker on the bottom should entice them to bite. Channel Catfish - Good: No reports, yet, but catfish should be feeding in the shallower west end. Try fishing along the causeway when the wind is from the south or southwest. Largemouth Bass - Good: Largemouth bass are near shore and should be biting well. Crappie - Good: Anglers are catching some crappies near the cuts of the causeway.

Upper Pine Lake
Not many fishing this week. Water is high and dirty due to the large rainfall and continuing runoff. Crappies, bluegill and largemouth bass are biting on both lakes and Pine Creek (between the lakes), mostly on grub-type baits. Bluegill - Good: Bluegills are spawning in 4 to 5 feet of water. A bobber and small jig with a piece of worm should work. Small grub-style baits are also working. Largemouth Bass - Good: Largemouth bass are near shore and close to spawning. Crappie - Fair: Some crappies are being caught near structure.

Lake Smith
Channel Catfish - Good: Try cutbait, worms, or stinkbait. Fish are probably biting best the last hour of sunlight to an hour after sunset. Bluegill - Slow: Largemouth Bass - Fair: Bass are near the shorelines and should be biting well. There are some 19-20 inch bass.

Lake Catherine
Largemouth Bass - Good: Largemouth bass are biting.

Clear Lake
The lake is full (at crest). Water temperature is 66-67 degrees. Channel Catfish - Good: Catfishing is good right now as they are close to prespawn mode. If you find the fish, action is fast and aggressive. Try with some cutbait, worms, or stinkbait on a windward shoreline or near some of the water sources coming in. Anglers are picking some catfish up when fishing for yellow bass with cutbait. White Bass - Fair: Anglers are catching some white bass when they're fishing for yellows. Try around the island or Dodge's Point. Bluegill - Fair: Largemouth Bass - Slow: Some largemouth have been caught near the reeds with live bait. Crappie - Good: Anglers are catching some crappie and bluegill in the reeds with small jigs. Yellow Perch - Slow: Anglers might catch a few perch when fishing near the reed edges. Size is mostly small along with a few up to 10 inches. Walleye - Good: A few bigger fish have been caught but most anglers are catching a mix of sublegals and small legal walleyes. Most are caught on jig and a minnow. Some are catching walleyes drifting or trolling. Action on the Rock reefs and rock piles is picking up; anglers are using live bait and bobbers or jigging right on bottom. Muskellunge - Good: Anglers are catching some muskies while fishing for walleye with minnows. Anglers are also catching some muskies while fishing for yellows (island and Dodge's). Anglers fishing the edges of the weeds are also picking up some fish. Yellow Bass - Good: Waders near the island are picking up large numbers of yellows. Most are using bobbers and minnows or a small jig with a piece of crawler on bottom. Anglers are also catching yellows on the north shore docks fishing shallow on the edge of the reeds. Use a split shot and small hook with a worm on the bottom. The best fishing seems to be right at dawn to an hour after or right at sunset. Anglers can catch large numbers of yellows on some of the rock reefs.

Lake Cornelia
Channel Catfish - Good: Catfish should be biting on cutbait or stinkbait. Fish the last hour of sunlight to an hour after sunset, or, during the day, on a windward side of the lake. Bluegill - Good: Bluegills are keeper sized. Crappie - Fair: Crappies are around 8 inches. Yellow Bass - Good: Yellow bass are small 7-7.25 inches.

Little Wall Lake
Little Wall is full; at crest. Channel Catfish - Good: Channel Catfish: try using chicken liver or stink bait in the shallow areas of the lake in the evenings. There was a 30 pound flathead caught and released recently. If you're after flatheads, use a live fish for bait and fish after dark. Largemouth Bass - Good: Bass are also biting along the shorelines. Bass have been biting fairly well the last week. Crappie - Good: Anglers are catching crappies (7-8 inches) and gills off the north fishing jetty and other shorelines.

Crystal Lake
There is lots of curly leaf growing in the lake. Try fishing on the edge of weeds near the deeper dredged water for bass, walleyes, and pike. Northern Pike - Slow: Northerns have been caught up to the mid 30-inch range. Anglers may have success using presentations such as weedless spoons or bobbers with chubs. Channel Catfish - Slow: Bluegill - Excellent: Great population of 7-8 inch bluegills. Bluegills are spawning on the shorelines. Largemouth Bass - Good: Anglers have reported catching lots of largemouth. Fish the outside edges with a bobber and live bait or a weedless spoon. Walleye - Slow: Anglers are catching some 16-18 inch fish.

Bluebill Lake
Bluegill - Fair: Largemouth Bass - Good: Largemouth bass are biting well along shorelines. Remember the 15-inch minimum length limit on bass. Crappie - Fair: Crappies are biting on minnows under a bobber.

Fin and Feather Lake
There has been some activity for panfish. There was a partial fish kill this winter but there are still some bluegills and largemouth bass left to provide some action. Bluegill - Fair: Largemouth Bass - Fair: Largemouth are near shore. Remember the 15-inch minimum length limit.

Interstate Park Lake
There was a partial fish kill this winter on this lake but anglers have been reporting catching a variety of fish this past week. Bluegill - Fair: Largemouth Bass - Fair: Largemouth bass are cruising the shorelines. Crappie - Fair: Crappies are a nice size and should be biting off the boat ramp point or off the east rock side.

Iowa River (Iowa Falls to Marshalltown)
Iowa River is flooding from recent local rains. There is some activity below Steamboat Rock for walleye and northern pike.

Shell Rock River (above Greene)
Water levels are high. Northern Pike - Slow: A few northern pike are being caught with a chub and bobber, or slow artificial presentations. Between Northwood and Nora Springs below dams, backwater areas and anywhere a creek feeds into the river. Walleye - Slow: A few small walleye being caught on jig/twister.

Winnebago River
Water level is still high. Try fishing any slower water areas or backwater areas you can find. Northern Pike - Slow: Northern pike are being caught in Fertile by the dam and the park point east of the dam. Anglers are using a slow retrieval with Mepps number 4 and 5 spinner baits or a Rapala three inch Countdown Minnow. Some pike are also hitting chubs presented below bobbers. Channel Catfish - Slow: Anglers should try below the dams or in backwater areas using cutbait, stinkbait, or minnows.

East Fork Des Moines (Algona to Humboldt)
The East Fork is running high right now. Fishing is marginal. Walleye - No Report:

For lake updates and fishing information in the north central area contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.

Big Spirit Lake
Bullhead - Good: Action on the Grade is still hot. Throw a worm on the bottom and be ready. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Sight fishing in the bull rushes is starting to pick up look for nesting fish but the big females may yet be out deeper. Walleye - Fair: Try fishing deep during the day and moving shallow during dawn and dusk. Drifting and trolling leeches, crawlers, and minnows has produced a few fish. Wader fishing is still producing a few fish. Try casting twister tails or live bait under a bobber.

Silver Lake (Dickinson)
White Bass - Good: Location can be key, but once locate the bite can be good try using crankbaits, twister tails, and don't overlook top waters. Walleye - Fair: Fishing has been fair but the bite is day to day; try trolling crankbaits or live bait rigs. The early morning and late afternoon bite has been best.

West Okoboji Lake
Bluegill - Slow: Bluegill action has slowed in the canals but may still be found in the bays. Try in the back corners and look for beds. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Look for bass in the canals and other shallow areas.

Five Island Lake
Channel Catfish - Fair: Try drifting Lindy rigs and bottom bouncers during low light periods. Walleye - Fair: Try drifting Lindy rigs and bottom bouncers during low light periods.

Lost Island Lake
Walleye - Fair: Drifting live bait with Lindy rigs and bottom bouncers has been producing a few fish some days are better than others.

For more information contact the Spirit Lake Hatchery at 712-336-1840.

NORTHEAST
Volga Lake
Volga Lake fish activity has picked up with warming water temperatures. Shoreline angling will be your best bet as many panfish species are beginning to spawn or will be soon. Channel Catfish - Fair: With warmer temperatures, the cats are starting to move. Use a hook baited with a dead chub or minnow and let it set near the bottom. Bluegill - Good: Try in the shallow flats with a small jig tipped with a worm under a bobber. Females are about ready to spawn. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Largemouth bass are in the shallow water nibbling on bluegill bait. Crappie - Slow: Fish are suspended in the middle of the lake. Fish around submersed brush piles. Try a jig tipped with imitation minnows. Yellow Perch - Fair: Anglers are catching perch while fishing for bluegills. They have been caught in about 8 feet of water on the bottom.

Lake Hendricks
Water temperature is 62 degrees and clarity has improved. Channel Catfish - Good: Catfish are biting on night crawlers or dead chubs fished under a bobber along the rockier shoreline. Bluegill - Good: Bluegills are starting to move into shore and are biting on ice fishing jigs tipped with worm under a bobber. Largemouth Bass - Good: Anglers have been catching largemouth bass along the sandy beach using a jig and plastic worm. Crappie - Good: Crappies are biting on jigs tipped with rubber skirt or minnow.

Lake Meyer
Water temperature is 62 degrees and clarity is improving. Bullhead - Excellent: A hook tipped with a worm under a bobber is catching fish. Northern Pike - Good: Pike are hitting plugs and spoons fished along the weed edges. Channel Catfish - Fair: Use a worm fished on the bottom under a bobber. Bluegill - Good: Anglers are picking up a lot of small bluegills along the weed beds. Bluegills are beginning to spawn. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Anglers have been picking up quite a few 14 to 15 inch bass with jigs and plastic twister tails, or crankbaits fished slowly along the shoreline. Crappie - Fair: Anglers continue to pick up quite a few small ones off the jetty using jigs with artificial baits.

Upper Iowa River (above Decorah)
We have received no information regarding fishing on this water body this week. Sucker - No Report: Walleye - No Report:

Upper Iowa River (below Decorah)
We have received no information regarding fishing on this water body this week. Sucker - No Report: Smallmouth Bass - No Report: Walleye - No Report:

Yellow River
Fishing out of a canoe or kayak is allowed without landowner permission. Wading or fishing from the bank requires landowner permission.

Turkey River (above Clermont)
Water levels are up and very muddy. Water temperature is in the mid 60s. Smallmouth Bass - No Report:

Cedar River (above Nashua)
Water levels are up and very muddy due to recent rains. Water temperature is in the low 60s. Channel Catfish - No Report: Smallmouth Bass - No Report: Walleye - No Report:

Decorah District Streams
Turtle Creek has several bridges washed out and sustained quite a bit of damage. March Browns, various Sulphurs and caddisflies are all hatching on better northeast Iowa streams, mainly from late morning to dusk. These hatches should continue through the first week of July. Late evening mayfly spinner falls and caddis hatches can be heavy. As has been the case all spring, further rains may affect water clarity on all northeast Iowa streams.

River and stream water levels bumped up with last night's heavy downpour in several watersheds. Keep your fingers crossed for minimal rain showers through the weekend. For more on water levels, visit http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ia/nwis/rt Lake.s and ponds are your best bet for the weekend. For trout stocking information, call 563-927-5736. Decorah area trout streams up and muddy. For more information, call the Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.

Silver Lake (Delaware)
Anglers have been doing well catching bluegill, largemouth bass and northern pike. Northern Pike - Fair: Weedless spoons work really well near vegetation beds. Bluegill - Good: Fishing a piece of nightcrawler under a bobber is always productive, or smaller jigs retrieved over spawning beds works well. Largemouth Bass - Good: Lots of 7 to 10-inch bass are being caught. Cast spinner baits or weedless baits around vegetation beds.

Casey Lake (aka Hickory Hills Lake)
Bluegill and largemouth bass fishing has been good to excellent. Clarity still remains good with all of the recent rainfall. Sight fishing bluegill on the spawning beds can be really good. Bluegill - Excellent: Bluegill are moving onto beds for spawn, try casting small jig with or without slip bobber over beds. Small piece of worm under bobber works well, too. Largemouth Bass - Good: Anglers have been doing well on largemouth bass fishing near structure with crankbaits or spinnerbaits.

George Wyth Lake
George Wyth State Park will close the campground, George Wyth Lake and Brinker Lake Access at noon on Friday due to flooding from the Cedar River. The park will remain open for day use at Fisher and Alice Wyth lakes, and the beach.

Plainfield
Anglers are catching good numbers of bluegill and crappie. Bluegill - Good: Small piece of crawler on a small hook under a bobber or black 1/16 ounce jig always works well. Crappie - Good: Try casting small colored tube jigs or minnow fished under a slip bobber.

Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)
Flood conditions no report

Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock)
River is rising, access may be limited.

Wapsi River (Tripoli to Troy Mills)
The Wapsipinicon River is currently at 6.44 feet and slowly falling, there have been no reports. Water clarity is improving with each day. Walleye, smallmouth bass and channel catfish angling should only improve.

Maquoketa River (above Monticello)
The Maquoketa River remains steady to slightly rising in Delaware County. There have been many anglers with reports of fish being caught. Walleye - Good: Try a jig tipped with a crawler or crankbaits for larger fish.

Manchester District Streams
Area Manchester District trout streams are currently in excellent condition.

For more information call the district office in Manchester at 563-927-3276.

MISSISSIPPI RIVER
Mississippi River Pool 9
River level at Lansing is 10.9 feet and a gradual drop over the next week. Army Road near New Albin is closed due to high water. Channel Catfish - Good: Look for channel cats to be feeding aggressively on crawlers or cut bait in the eddies just off main channel borders and side sloughs. Flathead Catfish - Good: Flathead catfish are being caught on live chubs and shiners. Try fishing the side channel areas below the dams. White Bass - Good: Fish for white bass along the flooded shorelines just off the current. Nice sized fish are striking on larger in-line spinner baits. Bluegill - Excellent: Fish the shorelines close to the dams or rock structure out of the current. Smallmouth Bass - Fair: Smallmouth are feeding more actively along rocky shorelines this week. Try small crankbaits or inline spinners along the riprap. Freshwater Drum - Good: Drum are actively biting on worms or small bits of crawler fishing along the main channel drop offs and sand flats.

Mississippi River Pool 10
River stage at Lynxville is 20.9 feet and levels expected to level off and gradually fall. The Sny Magill boat ramp access is closed. Many anglers are catching bluegills from the Bussey Lake fishing pier and at the boat ramp. Channel Catfish - Good: Look for channel cats to be feeding aggressively on crawlers or cut bait in the eddies just off main channel borders and side sloughs. Flathead Catfish - Good: Flathead catfish are being caught on live chubs and shiners. Try fishing the side channel areas below the dams. White Bass - Good: Fish for white bass along the flooded shorelines just off the current. Nice size fish are striking on larger in-line spinner baits. Bluegill - Excellent: Bluegills have been active in almost all areas. Try backwater areas with wood or rock structure out of the current. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Smallmouth are feeding more actively along rocky shorelines this week. Try small crankbaits or inline spinners along the riprap. Yellow Perch - Excellent: This spring has been one of the best perch fishing seasons in years. Many large perch are being caught on minnows or jigs with worm. Sauger - Fair: Sauger have spawned and have been actively feeding. Try jigs or minnows in the side channel areas of the locks and dams. Freshwater Drum - Good: Drum are actively biting on worms or small bits of crawler fishing along the main channel drop offs and sand flats.

Mississippi River Pool 11
River stage at Guttenberg is 12.6 feet. Levels expected to gradually recede in the next week. Fish are becoming more active as the water temperature rises into the 60s. Channel Catfish - Good: Look for channel cats to be feeding aggressively on crawlers or cut bait in the eddies just off main channel borders and side sloughs. White Bass - Good: Fish for white bass along the flooded shorelines just off the current. Nice size fish are striking on larger in-line spinner baits. Bluegill - Excellent: Bluegills have been active in almost all areas. Try backwater areas with wood or rock structure out of the current. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Smallmouth bass are active along the current areas. Try casting in-line spinners or a small crankbait near the rocky shorelines. Largemouth Bass - Good: Largemouth are biting on spinner baits. Walleye - No Report:

Mississippi River water clarity is poor. River levels are beginning to recede slowly this week. Many boat ramps are still inaccessible, although shoreline fishing has been excellent. Fish are actively feeding as the water temperature has risen to mid 60s.

Mississippi River Pool 12
The river level at the Lock and Dam is 13.3 feet and water level at the railroad bridge is 15.3 feet. Water levels are dropping. Water clarity improving but some debris is coming down the river. Use caution when venturing out. Channel Catfish - Fair: Some cats are being caught on nightcrawlers and worms. A few very large individuals have been reported. Fish around log piles and current eddies or rock lines. Trot lines on flooded areas have produced some cats this year. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Some bass are being caught even in the stained water. Try using bright colored lures and even lures that rattle to make noise.

Mississippi River Pool 13
The river level near Lock and Dam 12 is at 14.1 feet and receding. Water clarity is poor and but improving. Use caution if venturing out. Many ramps are flooded and inaccessible. Channel Catfish - Fair: Catfish on trotlines fished along flooded shores may produce some descent catches on crawlers or leeches. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Some bass are being caught in this dirty water. Spring Lake has been decent all year. Other big backwater areas where the silt might be settled out might produce some nice bass. Crappie - No Report: A few Crappie are being caught in clearer water areas such as Spring Lake and Green Island last week. Little fishing pressure for these species this week.

Mississippi River Pool 14
The river level is at Fulton is 14.3 feet and falling slightly. Levels are expected to decrease but are still high. Water clarity is poor and there is some debris coming down the river. Use caution when venturing out. Many ramps are flooded. Channel Catfish - Fair: Catfish on trotlines fished along flooded shores may produce some descent catches on crawlers or leeches. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Some bass are being reported caught in the tail waters along rock lines. Dirty high water is hindering bass fishing but populations are high. Use bright colored lures or lures that rattle to help the fish locate you lure.

Mississippi River Pool 15
The river level is at 10.0 feet at LeClaire. Water clarity is poor and there is a lot of debris coming down the river. Use caution when venturing out. No reports of catches were available. Many ramps are flooded and inaccessible.

Water levels have been high most of this spring and it has hampered fishing. However, water levels are going down right now and water clarity is improving. If you can get to the river some fish are biting but many boat ramps are still unusable or under water. Please call ahead to check if boat ramps are open before taking a long trip to the River.

Mississippi River Pool 16
Tail water stage at Lock and Dam 15 in Davenport has fallen to 14.20 feet. Flood stage is 15 feet. Water clarity is poor and there is debris floating in the river. Fishing has been slow with the high water conditions. Many of the ramps are inaccessible throughout the pool. As of June 12, the Marquette St. ramp in Davenport was still reported as closed. The ramp at Buffalo Shores is usable but there is no dock. The lower ramp at the Fairport Recreational area is still underwater.

Mississippi River Pool 17
Tail water stage at Lock and Dam 16 in Muscatine has fallen to 14.25 feet. Flood stage is 15 feet. The ramp at Muscatine is open. Many of the other ramps are not accessible due to the high water. Big Timber (The Breaks) is closed. Water clarity is poor and there is debris floating in the river. Fishing has been slow on the river due to the recent high water conditions. Most fishing reports are coming from area lakes and farm ponds.

Mississippi River Pool 18
River stage at Lock and Dam 17 at New Boston has fallen to 16.59 feet. Flood stage is 15 feet. Many of the ramps are not accessible due to the high water. Toolesboro is closed. Water clarity is poor and there is debris floating in the river. Fishing has been slow due to the high water conditions. Most fishing reports are coming from area lakes and farm ponds.

Mississippi River Pool 19
River stage at Lock and Dam 18 above Burlington has fallen to 12.82 feet. Flood stage is 10 feet. Water clarity is poor and there is debris floating in the river. Fishing has been slow due to the high water conditions. Most of the fishing reports have been from area lakes and farm ponds.

Mississippi River Pools 16-19: Most of the boat ramps throughout the pools are not usable due to the high water. Water clarity is poor and there is debris floating in the river. Main channel water temperature is around 70 degrees. Fishing has been slow due to the high water conditions. Remember to clean, drain, and dry your boat before going to another water body. If you have questions about fishing Pools 16-19 contact the Fairport Fish Hatchery at 563-263-5062.

SOUTHEAST
Lake Odessa
Odessa ramps remained flooded.

Lake Belva Deer
The water is fairly clear. The recent warm weather is finally getting the water temps back into the 70s. Bluegill - Good: There are still some active spawning beds where you can catch some nice sized males. The first spawn was very successful with lots of young of the year bluegills now swimming around. Largemouth Bass - Good: Some bass are in shallow around the trees and other habitat. Also look for bass around the mounds at the upper end of the lake.

Pollmiller Park Lake
Channel Catfish - Fair: Anglers have been catching some really nice 1 to 3 pound catfish. Bluegill - Excellent: Bluegill fishing has been very good lately. They are hitting on almost anything: small baits, lures, and wax worms have all been producing limits.

Lake of the Hills
Lake of the Hills is the only lake in West Lake Park that allows the use of live minnows as bait. Channel Catfish - Fair: Catfishing is starting to pick up. Chicken liver, worms, and stinkbait all are working at one time or the other. Bluegill - Fair: Worm and bobber is still the best way to catch the bluegills. Work the shallow water habitat and tree falls. Largemouth Bass - Fair: If you're looking to catch some bass work the deeper brush piles with plastic worms.

Railroad Lake
Remember the use of live minnows as bait is not allowed in Railroad Lake. The outflow from Bluegrass Lake remains the best place to fish on this lake. Channel Catfish - Slow: The recent cool nights have slowed the bite down some. Bluegill - Fair: Anglers are picking up bluegills along the area around the inflow from Bluegrass. Float a bobber a little further out in the flow for the bigger ones. Largemouth Bass - Good: The bass are getting active along the rocks as well as around the trees on the west side. Crappie - Fair: Anglers are also picking up crappies in the same area as the bluegills.

Wilson Lake
Rainbow Trout - Excellent: Anglers are still catching a lot of trout. Try the cooler parts of the day using small feather or hair jigs or wax worms. Work the 3 to 5 feet down zone.

Skunk River (Coppock to Mississippi River)
The river level continues to drop.

Iowa River (Columbus Junction to Mississippi River)
Still above flood level. Starting to drop slowly.

Big Hollow Lake
The lake remains muddy. Channel Catfish - Good: Catfishing has been good down around the terrace around the overflow box down at the dam.

For more information on the above lakes and rivers call the Lake Darling Fisheries Station at 319-694-2430.

Hannen Lake
Remember, no minnows are allowed here. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills are in the shallows, especially under overhanging brush. Many fish are 7-9 inches. Use a small worm or small jig. Crappie - Fair: Some fish are shallow; some have pulled off the bank. Most fish are about 9 inches. Try small jigs tipped with waxies.

Iowa Lake
Channel Catfish - Good: Catfishing is starting to pick up. Rocky areas will continue to improve. Bluegill - Good: Look for bluegills in the shallows, especially around overhanging brush. Crappie - Fair: Most fish are 8-9 inches. Some fish are still shallow, while some have pulled off the bank. Redear Sunfish - Slow: A few large redears are being caught in the shallows.

Lake Macbride
Water temperature is in the low 70s for the most part. The 10 h.p. motor restriction and 5 mph speed limit is in effect. Water clarity in much of the lake is poor due to an algae bloom. Channel Catfish - Good: Look for catfish around shallow rock. Live bait is usually best now. Bluegill - Good: Bluegills are up shallow to spawn. Size is marginal with fish over 7 inches very rare. Walleye - Fair: A few fish are being caught shallow on sand and rock. Some fish are being caught trolling flats. Many fish are 13-14 inches, with some 16-20 inches.

Pleasant Creek Lake
Water clarity is excellent and water temperature is around 70 degrees. Remember, largemouth bass must be 18 inches to keep and musky must be 40 inches to keep. White Bass - Good: Fish shallow, wind-blown shorelines with small crankbaits or jigs. Bluegill - Good: Fish around overhanging brush with a jig and waxie. Largemouth Bass - Good: Some bass are being caught on rocky banks and flooded weeds. Walleye - Fair: Some walleyes are being caught by trolling cranks or live bait rigs.

Diamond Lake
The lake is still murky. Remember, no minnows are allowed here. Channel Catfish - Good: A few fish are being caught on worms or stinkbait. Bluegill - Good: Bluegills have moved shallow and many are around 8 inches. Small jigs and/or worms are working best.

Otter Creek Lake
The lake is dirty from recent rains. Mornings seem to be the most productive fishing time. Channel Catfish - Fair: Catfish are starting to be caught around rock. Crawlers are working well. Bluegill - Good: The fish are very shallow now. Look for them under overhanging brush. Yellow Bass - Fair: Look for fish roaming the shallows.

Coralville Reservoir
The lake level on June 12 is 704.4 feet (normal 683 feet) and falling. Many boat ramps are still flooded.

Iowa River (Coralville Lake to River Junction)
Outflow from the Coralville Dam is 18,000 CFS. Flows are expected to be cut to 10,000 CFS this weekend.

For more information, contact the Lake Macbride Fisheries Station at 319-624-3615.

Lake Wapello
Anglers have had some luck catching channel catfish using nightcrawlers or liver. Use spinnerbaits and plastic worms to catch largemouth bass along the submerged structures along the shoreline. The crappies and bluegills have been hitting small jigs.

Red Haw Lake
Bluegill - Good: Anglers have been having success fishing small jigs along the shoreline. If the bluegill get picky, try adding a chunk of nightcrawler or a wax worm to the jig. Largemouth Bass - Good: Use plastic worms and spinnerbaits around the fishing jetties and in the artificial structures that were placed in the past. Don't forget to try along the face of the dam.

Lake Keomah
Try spinnerbaits or rubber worms along the fishing jetties and around the submerged structure along the shoreline.

Lake Sugema
Bluegill - Fair: Try using jigs tipped with a chunk of nightcrawler. Try shallow areas with some submerged structure. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Use rubber worms or crankbaits along the rip rapped shorelines. Also try areas with submerged trees close to shore.

Rathbun Reservoir
The current lake level is 918.20 feet with normal pool being 904 feet. Water temperature is 68 degrees. Crappie - Fair: Anglers have been catching crappies. Try jigs or jigs and minnows. With the high water the crappies are spread out so try different areas if the fish aren't hitting. Sorting is required for larger fish. Walleye - Slow: Walleye fishing has been slow. Try trolling or drifting nightcrawlers around submerged points and underwater rock reefs. Don't forget Lake Rathbun contains zebra mussels so make sure to clean, drain, and dry boats before transporting to another water body. Spray boats and trailers with high pressure hot water (above 104 degrees) or let them dry for at least 10 days (5 days in the sun).

If you have other questions regarding fishing in south central Iowa call the Rathbun Fish Hatchery at 641-647-2406.

SOUTHWEST
Beaver Lake
Bluegill - Good: Bluegill can be caught fishing small jigs tipped with crawlers 2 to 4 feet below the surface around much of the standing timber. Crappie - Fair: Drifting panfish jigs around the standing timber mid lake is producing crappie.

Rock Creek Lake
Bluegill - Good: Bluegill, crappie and largemouth bass are present throughout the lake in less than four feet of water. The bluegill are spawning and catchable. Use small jigs and pieces of crawlers and fish shallow.

Big Creek Lake
White Bass - Good: A large white bass population is present in Big Creek with many fish up to 13 inches. They are providing some active fishing near windswept points and in the canal when water is going over the spillway and there is current. Bluegill - Good: The bluegill spawn is winding down, but some spawning bluegill are still being caught in less than four feet of water close to shore throughout the lake, especially in the back of the protected bays. Big Creek bluegills are good size with many fish over 8 inches. If fish aren't found shallow start drift fishing small jigs with crawler, especially over the old road beds.

Hickory Grove Lake
Bluegill - Fair: Better bluegill catches are now coming from drift fishing or fishing near pallet and brush piles in 6 to 10 feet of water. Fish with small jigs or pieces of crawler under a bobber.

Lake Ahquabi
Bluegill - Fair: The bluegill spawn is ending and fish are now being caught drifting or casting crawlers under a bobber along the vegetation edges. Crappie - Fair: Crappie are suspended along the northwest shoreline just outside the vegetation line. Cast or drift small panfish jigs out from the vegetation.

Red Rock Reservoir
Channel Catfish - Fair: Channel catfishing is also picking up below the spillway at Saylorville. Anglers should use cut or live bait. White Bass - Good: White bass and wiper fishing is picking up below the spillway at Saylorville. Minnows or shiny/white lures are a good choice for white bass. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Anglers need to use caution due to floating debris in the lake. However, bass fishing in the flooded bays over vegetation can be good.

Saylorville Reservoir
Channel Catfish - Fair: The catfishing is starting to pick up below the spillway. Cut or live bait should be fished in the slack water or in current seams. White Bass - Good: The white bass fishing is good below the spillway. Use white/shiny lure or spoons to attract these fish. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Anglers should use caution due to floating debris on the lake. However, bass fishing in the flooded bays over vegetation can be good.

Des Moines River (Stratford to Saylorville Lake)
Channel Catfish - Fair: River levels are still elevated, but more summer like temperatures is picking up the channel cat bite using stink baits and cutbaits.

The bluegill spawn in central Iowa is nearing the end and summer panfishing patterns are beginning. For questions on central Iowa lakes and rivers contact Ben Dodd or Andy Otting at 515-432-2823.

Greenfield Lake
Bluegills are close to shore. Largemouth bass can be caught around the jetties and around structure. Greenfield also has a good channel catfish population with many 2 to 3 pound fish. The boat ramp is usable. Channel Catfish - Fair: A few channel catfish have been caught around the jetties using shrimp. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills are close to shore spawning. Cast small jigs to catch 7 to 8-inch fish. Largemouth Bass - Good: Spinner baits and crankbaits are catching bass around structure and close to shore.

Meadow Lake
Bluegills are spawning on the underwater reefs. The lake is full. Bluegill - Good: Cast small jigs on top of underwater reefs to catch 8 to 9-inch bluegills. Largemouth Bass - Good: Largemouth bass can be caught casting plastic baits to shore and around cedar tree piles. Crappie - Slow: A few crappies are being caught around underwater reefs. Meadow has large crappie that range from 10 to 14 inches.

Nodaway Lake
Crappies are being caught around submerged trees. Bluegills are close to shore. Catfish are being caught in the upper end of the lake. Channel Catfish - Good: Catfishing has been good using shad sides and liver. Bluegill - Good: Bluegill in the 7 to 8-inch size range are being caught casting small jigs close to shore. Crappie - Slow: Small jigs and minnows are catching crappie around trees.

Orient Lake
Bluegill and catfish can be caught at Orient. Channel Catfish - Good: Many two pound catfish are being caught on cutbait. Bluegill - Good: Bluegills are spawning along the dam at Orient. Cast small black jigs to catch 7 to 8-inch fish. Crappie - Slow: Minnows under a bobber around sunken cedar trees will catch crappie up to 10 inches.

Littlefield Lake
Bluegills are close to shore spawning. Bluegill - Good: Fish small jigs on the rocky point north of boat ramp and southeast shoreline to catch spawning bluegills. Fish are 7 to 8 inches.

Lake Anita
Bluegills can be caught close to shore on their spawning beds. Largemouth bass fishing has been good. Bluegill - Good: Bluegills are reported to be caught close to shore and around jetties with small black jigs. Fish are 8 to 9 inches. Largemouth Bass - Good: Largemouth bass are reported to be caught close to shore and around structure casting spinnerbaits and plastic worms. Fish are all sizes. Crappie - Slow: A few crappies are being caught around underwater reefs and the jetties using minnows.

Willow Lake
Largemouth bass fishing is been good. Bluegills can be caught close to shore. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegill and being picked up with small jigs close to shore. Willow bluegill are in the 7 to 8-inch range. Largemouth Bass - Good: Bass fishing has been good in the upper end of the lake using a variety of spinners and plugs.

Mile Hill Lake
Mile Hill has a gravel boat ramp. Crappie - Fair: Fish minnows under a bobber to catch 10-inch crappie.

Viking Lake
Largemouth bass fishing was good this week at Viking. Channel catfish is another species to target while at the lake. Channel Catfish - Fair: Channel catfish can be caught around underwater reefs and rock fields using cutbait. Many fish are 2 to 4 pounds. Largemouth Bass - Good: Largemouth bass are being caught casting the shoreline with spinnerbaits and slow trolling crankbaits. Fish are all sizes.

DeSoto Bend
The middle boat ramp is the only place to launch at Desoto Bend. Largemouth bass fishing is good. Largemouth Bass - Good: Largemouth bass of all sizes are being caught casting plastic baits to shore.

Lake Manawa
Crappie fishing was slow this week. Channel Catfish - Fair: Fish the windy shoreline for catfish of all sizes. Crappie - Slow: Fish minnows under a bobber around structure and in the canals.

Cold Springs District Farm Ponds
Bluegill fishing has been good in ponds. Largemouth bass are aggressive and easily caught this time of year. Remember to always get permission before fishing private farm ponds. Bluegill - Good: Cast small jigs close to shore to catch spawning bluegill. Largemouth Bass - Good: Casting small spinners and jigs around structure has been good for bass. Crappie - Fair: Fish minnows and small jigs around structure to catch crappies.

Largemouth bass fishing has been good this week and bluegills are close to shore spawning. For more information on lakes in southwest Iowa, call the district office at Cold Springs at 712-769-2587

Lake Icaria
Water clarity remains fairly good. Bullhead - Excellent: A lot of bullheads can be caught from shore in three feet of water using a crawler on the bottom. Channel Catfish - Excellent: The channel catfish are biting on and crawlers, crayfish, or cut bait. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Largemouth bass are being caught just off-shore or from the cedar tree piles. Crappie - Slow: A few mid-sized crappies can still be caught from deeper areas off-shore. The shoreline along the north side of the campground and the south end of the dam are very good spots. Walleye - Fair: Casting and trolling crawlers or leeches along the north bank and the campground point is working to catch a few walleyes.

East Lake (Osceola)
Water clarity is fairly good. Bluegill - Excellent: Several bluegills can be caught from shore using a crawler suspended about two feet down.

Grade Lake
Water clarity is good and the fish are biting. Bluegill - Good: Some real nice bluegills are being caught from the east end of the dam using crawler pieces suspended two feet down.

Q Pond City Park
Water levels and water clarity is typical for late spring. Channel Catfish - Good: Crawlers or cut bait is working well for channel catfish. Bluegill - Good: A lot of nice bluegills are being caught from shore using crawlers suspended two feet down.

West Lake (Osceola)
The water level is normal and the clarity is good. Crappie - Slow: The crappies are suspended about 6 to 10 feet down.

Little River Watershed Lake
The lake has filled. All ramps are accessible. All fish have been restocked but they are small. Channel Catfish - Good: Several two pound channel catfish are being caught from the shoreline access areas using crawlers on the bottom.

Badger Creek Lake
Water levels are near full and clarity is average for spring. Bluegill - Fair: A few very large bluegills can be caught from the structure in 4 to 6 feet of water.

Fogle Lake S.W.A.
The lake is full. Clarity is good. Crappie - Fair: Some mid-sized to large crappies are being caught from along the dam and off the flooded trees.

Lake of Three Fires
Water levels are full and clarity is good. Bluegill - Excellent: Several mid-sized and bigger bluegills are being caught from some of the coves and the east end of the dam. Largemouth Bass - Good: Several mid-sized and big largemouth bass can be caught from the near-shore structure. Crappie - Fair: Crappies are moving off-shore but a few are still being caught.

Sands Timber Lake (Blockton Reservoir)
The lake has been drained to allow completion of shoreline work and a wetland at the upper end.

Green Valley Lake
The lake has filled. Clarity is good. The fish are biting. Channel Catfish - Excellent: Several channel catfish can be caught from shoreline areas using crawlers suspended just off the bottom, crayfish, or cut baits. Bluegill - Excellent: The bluegills are on the spawning areas during the mornings and evenings. Small jigs tipped with crawlers seem to be working well. Largemouth Bass - Excellent: A lot of mid-sized largemouth bass are being caught from the shoreline structure. Crappie - Fair: The crappie spawn is winding down but several can be caught from the flooded tree piles 8 feet down.

Summitt Lake
Water levels are full. Boat access is easy from the main ramp. The fishery has been restocked.

Three Mile Lake
The water level is full. Water clarity at mid lake and the dam is good. Crappie - Fair: A few crappie are moving off-shore to the deeper structure. Walleye - Fair: A few walleyes are being caught trolling crawlers or leeches over the mounds and steep points.

Twelve Mile Creek Lake
The water levels are full and boat access is easy. Bullhead - Good: Some real big bullheads can be caught from shoreline areas using crawlers on the bottom. Channel Catfish - Good: Some real nice channel catfish are biting on crayfish, cut baits, or crawlers. Bluegill - Excellent: The bluegill bite is on. Small jigs or bits of crawlers seem to be working well. Largemouth Bass - Excellent: Several largemouth bass are being caught from structure near shore and the flooded cedar tree piles. Crappie - Fair: A few suspended crappies can still be caught from deep rock and rubble areas around the jetties, or armored points. Walleye - Fair: Leeches or crawlers are starting to work for walleye. The mounds and steep banks seem to be the better areas.

The water temperatures are in the near 70 degrees. The water levels at most lakes are full but not overflowing excessively. Water clarity remains average at most lakes.

Missouri River (Sioux City to Little Sioux)
Channel Catfish - Fair: Anglers are catching catfish on dip bait/stinkbait and worms. Try the side channel areas around logs, river and stream inlets, wing dykes and revetments. Flathead Catfish - Slow: Anglers have been catching a few flathead catfish. Water temperatures need to warm up yet for better fishing. Walleye - Fair: A few walleyes are being caught on jigs and minnows.

Missouri River (Little Sioux to Council Bluffs)
Channel Catfish - Fair: Anglers have had some success catching mostly smaller channel catfish mainly on worms. Flathead Catfish - Fair: Bait shops report that flathead bait sales are up. Walleye - Fair: Anglers are reporting catching a few walleye.

Missouri River (Council Bluffs to Missouri State Line)
Channel Catfish - Fair: Anglers have had some success with worms, dip bait/stinkbait. Try the side channel areas around logs, river and stream inlets, wing dykes and revetments. Flathead Catfish - Fair: Fishing has been fair for flatheads. Bait shops are selling a lot of flathead bait. Temperatures will need to rise for better flathead fishing. Walleye - Fair: A few walleye are being caught in the lower Missouri River.

The Missouri River at Decatur, Nebraska is at 22.25 feet / 34,500 cfs. Water levels have risen 3.27 feet from last week. Water temperature is around 69 degrees.

Emden man retiring from outdoors travel business

2013-06-13T14:04:59Z

It is the dream of every outdoorsman or woman to find a way to earn a little extra income hunting or fishing.

Gerald Sampen, 82, is winding down a second career booking outdoors adventures for hunters, anglers, bird-watchers and other enthusiasts.

Sampen, a retired farmer who lives in Emden, has been booking trips through the Outdoor Connection.
“It’s a franchise, and since the early 1990s, I’ve been booking fishing and hunting trips all over the world,” he said.

With 20 years experience in outdoors travel, Sampen said there is one simple rule to live by: Don’t believe everything you read on the Internet.

“One thing hunters do wrong is they rely an awful lot on the electronics,” Sampen said. “Some people think if it’s on the Internet, it’s got to be gospel.”

Sampen tells the tale of a hunter who booked a hunt with a business that did not exist, even though the business had glossy brochures and a mailing address.

The hunter lost thousands of dollars in the process.

Sampen said his company will drop outfitters that do not live up to their advertising.

“Sometimes it doesn’t work out,” he said. “If they’ve been pulling something — out they go.”

He said hunters also should be skeptical of hunts advertised with 80 percent or higher kill rates.

“Beware if the kill rate is too high,” he said. “I always tell them, if they say 100 percent, be careful. If it sounds too good, it may be.”

Most outfitters now parse the percentages to include “opportunity” to make a kill, because sometimes even the most experienced hunter will miss.

Sampen said one perk of his job was to go on inspection trips, to check out the businesses that will ultimately host the client and make or break the trip.

“You go to look at the facilities, the guides, and the people,” he said. “If it is a black bear hunt, you will go on a hunt to get a first hand look at how they treat you. And you will see if there is game.”

Right now, company representatives are inspecting eight to 10 places that host hunts in Africa.

One of Sampen’s favorite inspection trips was in Alaska.

“Alaska was great,” he said. “We hit four places in seven days, so we were really moving.”

They were moving a little too fast, maybe.

Sampen was not far removed from back surgery and his doctor advised him against too much strenuous activity. So he avoided some activities, but couldn’t resist a salmon fishing outing.

Apparently the 43-pound king salmon Sampen hooked didn’t get the doctor’s message.

Sampen was fishing comfortably from a seated position, but had to stand up (with help) to keep the taut line from touching the bottom of the boat where it surely would snap.

He had a copy mount made of the fish to put on his wall at home.

Brazil was an exciting trip, too, except for the tarantulas on the ceiling.

“I had some great inspection trips,” he said.

But Sampen is ready to sell his franchise and slow down a bit. He is interested in perhaps staying on to make an occasional sale, but he wants to move out of the regular operation.

And there are a lot of trips out there, once-in-a-lifetime adventures that just have to be connected with the right person.

There are horseback riding trips, float trips, rafting and a yacht trip that takes passengers close to glaciers.

“There are a lot of trips besides hunting and fishing,” he said.

For more information, call Sampen at 376-3873, or visit http://www.outdoor-connection.com.

Chris Young can be reached at 788-1528 or chris.young@sj-r.com. Follow him at twitter.com/ChrisYoungPSO.

Ball State team collars fawns to track migration

2013-06-12T16:17:57Z

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Staring into a field of wet, shoulder-high brush Tuesday morning, Chad Williamson and Tim Carter joked about a scene in "Jurassic Park 2," where a group of unsuspecting scientists wading through tall grass were picked off by a pack of velociraptors.

In reality, they were about to walk straight into the woods south of Ind. 46, north of Lake Monroe, in search of a more common nuisance. They and a handful of fellow researchers stood about 10 feet apart, forming a horizontal line to comb the vegetation. They were looking for a little creature curled up like a sleeping cat, only it would have longer legs, tiny hooves and white spots across brown fur.

They had caught and collared 16 fawns as of Monday for an academic study that will compare the movements of urban and rural white-tailed deer. It would have been 17 fawns if Williamson hadn't released a baby deer in a yard in downtown Bloomington because he lifted an arm to protect himself from a charging doe. She stopped short of him, beating her hooves into the ground. But, they all agreed, it's best to give up when an angry mother is threatening to stomp on you.

This time, the line moved forward several paces before Williamson, standing to the left of center, abruptly said "fawn." The line stopped, and Ball State University student Chad Argabright threw his net over an 11-pound fawn less than a week old. It let out a cry, and its mother stood in the distance, barking back. The fawn kicked as researchers worked to fit it with a collar to track its movements.

In the forest, a doe's fear of humans outweighs its motherly instinct to protect its young. In the city, where deer are familiar with people, that's not exactly the case.

Bloomington's ecosystem has drawn Carter, Williamson and their team to the area. Because deer-versus-human conflicts have been an issue in more urban parts of town, the Ball State study is hoping to pinpoint how fawns migrate between the city and its nearby forests, The Herald-Times reported (http://bit.ly/ZvCn5o ).

Williamson, who is getting his master's degree at BSU, has helped assemble a team including BSU students Argabright and Riley Carswell, BSU graduate Stephanie Raiman and researchers Ashley Jones and Adam McDaniel for the work of combing the brush. Jones has also looked for fawns in Wisconsin, where they tend to pop up near fresh water sources and more marshy areas.

Tuesday, the research team found four fawns in three hours, lying in matted areas of vegetation. That haul — an impressive catch for one morning — brought their out-of-town fawn total to 10, matching their number of in-town collars. Their hope is to have 50 fawns tagged in the next couple of weeks, split equally between woodland and urban, before the fawns are a week old and will run when approached by people.

A few days after a fawn is born, it will sit still when a "predator" approaches, because it doesn't carry a smell that would prompt an attack. That's why a doe will keep its distance and visit the fawn maybe twice a day, because its own scent brings with it a greater chance of harm to its young.

Tuesday, at least one of the fawns showed it was ready to run. When Raiman noticed it, nestled at the top of a hill, she motioned for Carter and Williamson to keep a position at the base, outflanking the animal if it bolted. And it did — right into Carter's net.

Once a fawn is captured, Jones and McDaniel work to place a GPS-enabled collar on the fawn. They also test the fawn's saliva and hair to take stress readings; it takes several hours or days for those hormones to develop in the animal, but these tests will tell the researchers if fawns inside or outside of the city experience more stress on a daily basis, not including the process of collaring it.

Until Aug. 1, the BSU team will monitor the fawns. If the fawn stops moving, prompting the collar to send back a rapid beeping signal, then Carter and his researchers will go into "CSI mode" and try to figure out why the animal died. Fawns that survive will keep the expandable collars, Carter said. Next year, Williamson said a team will be back out, starting the hunt all over again with another batch of fawns.

Until then, the fawn-finders are sweeping the forest and responding to tips about fawns in residents' yards. As Williamson and his crew broke for lunch Tuesday, the group was startled to see a white car stop on the gravel road near their search site. A man got out because he had hit something. Williamson walked over to car, concerned it could be one of their newly collared fawns.

It ended up being a 4-foot snake.

They all breathed a sigh of relief after Williamson came back with the news. He also had a tip: The man said he sees at least a dozen fawns in his yard from year to year. It's a nice, marshy property, like Jones was used to seeing in Wisconsin.

"Sound like a good tip," Williamson said. They hopped in their cars and left.

___

Information from: The Herald Times, http://www.heraldtimesonline.com

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Ohio golf courses dedicating more space for wildlife

2013-06-12T16:12:55Z

NEW ALBANY, Ohio (AP) — Three bird boxes flank an overgrown area near the first tee of the north course at New Albany Country Club.

The high grasses indicate not a missed spring cleaning but a conscious effort by the club, which, like several other Columbus-area golf courses, has committed to making itself more environmentally friendly.

The courses are dedicating more space to wildlife, thus saving money in mowing costs; limiting the use of pesticides; and adding bird boxes.

Allocating money specifically for environmental planning is a relatively recent development at New Albany Country Club, said Paul Hollenbaugh, director of golf.

"We've been open 21 years now, and until two or three years ago that wasn't really a factor," he said. "I've noticed a groundswell of people interested in that sort of thing."

Stephen Harris, a club volunteer, is one of them. The photography and fishing buff — also a golfer — asked club employees several years ago whether he could fish the club ponds.

They said OK.

Ever since, he said, he has spent "hundreds of hours" looking at the club's grounds management from a different angle.

He set up motion-detection cameras in the woods to capture animal traffic (and the occasional golfer looking for a lost ball) and took aerial photographs of the grounds to get a bird's-eye view of the habitat with which he was working.

His reward? Scores of animal photos — beavers, foxes, coyotes and white-tailed deer, among others — and a 9-pound largemouth bass he caught and released from one of the ponds.

"It's brought a lot of pride to the golf course," Harris said.

At other central Ohio golf courses, too, volunteers are getting involved.

Roger Teters and Mike Doherty, both longtime volunteers at Blacklick Woods in Reynoldsburg, spearheaded a project five years ago to maintain and construct dozens of bird boxes at the Metro Parks-owned golf course.

Their annual routine begins in March, when they take to the course to repair broken boxes, Doherty said. They also grease the bird-box poles to keep out mice and snakes — and, by May, birds begin to nest.

Teters, a self-proclaimed "bird nanny," said he and Doherty check twice a week throughout the summer to ensure that all is well in the boxes, which Teters said has been both rewarding and relaxing.

"I just stand over the pond and listen to the sounds and see what I can see," said Teters, an avid golfer.

"It's very therapeutic to go out on the golf course and watch the painted turtles in the pond and the kingfishers."

Blacklick Woods and New Albany Country Club are both certified under an Audubon International program that encourages golf courses to consider the environment as they are maintained. Thirteen courses in Ohio have the certification.

In addition, Longaberger Golf Club near Nashport is one of the state's three Audubon Signature courses — new properties committed to conservation.

Several other area courses are in the process of receiving Audubon certification.

Much of the program's focus concerns proper water management and conservation, which fosters a friendly habitat for birds and other animals.

Draining runoff to specialized pipes instead of storm drains and letting grass grow higher around ponds are routine ways of keeping contaminants out of the water, said Blacklick Woods superintendent Mike Samulski.

The golfers don't always recognize Blacklick Woods' environmental strides, he said, but those who do are usually appreciative.

"A lot of our golfers don't really know exactly what we're doing in detail, but they do know that, well, 'They're a certified sanctuary golf course,'" Samulski said.

"They just go: 'Well, I know that name and what it stands for, and I think the program there is worth it. They do good things.'"

___

Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Fla. deputy removes Doritos bag from deer’s head

2013-06-12T16:10:31Z

BIG PINE KEY, Fla. (AP) — A deer in the Florida Keys is breathing more easily after a deputy removed a Doritos bag from its head.

The Monroe County sheriff's deputy discovered the Key deer while on patrol late Saturday evening. Its entire head was stuck in the chips bag.

Sheriff's spokeswoman Becky Herrin says the deer allowed the deputy to remove the bag without a struggle.

Key deer are the smallest of the Virginia white-tailed deer subspecies and are endangered. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services says the deer have been threatened by development, habitat loss and hurricanes.

Herrin reminds Florida Keys visitors to properly dispose of trash to protect animals from harm.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Arizona mountain lion population appears to be growing

2013-06-12T15:51:59Z

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — An already "robust" population of mountain lions in the Catalina Mountains appears to be increasing — and that could pose a threat to a planned reintroduction of bighorn sheep in the range this fall.

Lions, which sometimes prey on bighorns, might hinder or even derail an effort to rebuild a herd in the Catalinas.

In response, state wildlife officials have approved a plan for what they call the "administrative removal" — or killing — of lions that kill sheep.

"This would be done in a very limited, conservative way," said Mark Hart, spokesman for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. "If we determine that a particular lion is killing sheep, and if we can find it, then it will be removed. But it would be a very tightly controlled process."

Game and Fish officials last month confirmed their plan to move 30 bighorns from a healthy herd near Yuma to the Pusch Ridge Wilderness in the Catalinas, north of Tucson, in November. Additional transplants in the following two years would bring the total to about 100 animals.

It's an effort to re-establish a once-flourishing herd that died out in the late 1990s.

Possible reasons for the herd's demise, according to wildlife officers, include urban encroachment, human disturbance, disease, fire suppression - and predation by mountain lions.

That lion threat could increase because the population of the big cats is apparently on the rise.

The population — estimated very generally at 60 to 70 lions in the Catalina and nearby Rincon Mountain areas — is "robust, and there's a pretty strong indication that the population is going up," said Jim Heffelfinger, regional game specialist for the Game and Fish Department.

He said it's difficult to accurately survey the lion population because the animals are secretive, stealthy and hard to see. But other indicators — including frequent lion sightings in Sabino Canyon, and increasing numbers of lions killed by hunters in recent years — point to a rising population.

Concern over the lion threat prompted the department to consult with several environmental and wildlife groups and the U.S. Forest Service to draw up a plan for dealing with the powerful predators.

Called the "Santa Catalina Adaptive Mountain Lion Management Plan," the document calls for the killing of "specific individual mountain lions which prey on bighorn sheep."

It does not authorize pre-emptive killing of lions in the Catalinas before sheep are moved there.

"That is not something we considered," Heffelfinger said.

An obvious question: How will wildlife officers know they got the "right" lion — the one that killed a sheep?

Technology and data on lion behavior play key roles.

Bighorns released in the Catalinas will be fitted with global positioning system collars. The collars include a "mortality signal" that is activated after four hours of inactivity by the animal.

Using the GPS signals, wildlife officers can locate a dead sheep quickly.

This is where lion behavior plays an important role.

"When a lion kills a sheep or another big ungulate (a mammal with hooves), the lion hangs around for 100 to 200 hours," Heffelfinger said, citing data from collared lions and other research. "They will basically bed next to the dead carcass" or nearby.

A hunter using lion-tracking dogs then might locate and kill the lion near the kill site - with reasonable assurance that it was the lion that killed the sheep.

Heffelfinger said skilled lion hunters would be hired to track the animals because the department doesn't have such hunters on staff.

It's possible, Heffelfinger noted, that there will be few rather than many problems involving predation by lions.

One reason that could be the case is that the population of white-tailed deer — prime prey for lions — has increased dramatically in the Catalinas since fires about a decade ago improved habitat for deer.

"It's not like the lions will be starving for large ungulates," Heffelfinger said. "They have a good prey base up there."

While environmental group leaders sometimes oppose the killing of one species of wildlife to protect another, the plan has won guarded acceptance from some in this case.

"The end goal for the two species, predator and prey, is coexisting as they have naturally done," said Mike Quigley, Arizona representative for The Wilderness Society. "While sheep numbers are artificially low, there may need to be some targeted predator control."

Others, including Sandy Bahr, director of the Grand Canyon Chapter of the Sierra Club, have more of a wait-and-see outlook.

"We're supportive of restoring bighorn sheep, but we're looking closely at the implementation of this mountain lion plan," Bahr said. "We will keep a close eye on them and make sure they don't just eliminate lions right and left. Lions are part of the system, too."

Randy Serraglio, Southwest conservation advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity, said he favored the Game and Fish plan - and he also sees a vital role for people.

"Part of what we're trying to do here is re-establish that balance between sheep and people," Serraglio said. "That means learning to coexist with sheep by observing trail restrictions and dog restrictions" in areas where sheep are released.

"With some education and a positive attitude about this reintroduction, it's an achievable goal," he said.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Report: Teen reaches plea deal in hunting death

2013-06-12T15:48:57Z

GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP) — A 16-year-old Malta boy has reached a plea agreement after being charged in Youth Court with negligently causing the death of a hunting companion in 2010, it was reported Thursday.

The boy has agreed to plead "true" to a charge of negligent homicide in the death of Logan Wilson, The Great Falls Tribune (http://gftrib.com/186jWaQ) said.

The Attorney General's Office will recommend that he be placed on probation until July 2017, when he turns 21.

The agreement also calls for the boy to have no access to firearms and to relinquish his hunting and fishing privileges while he is on probation.

A statement by the boy said he was about 50 yards behind Wilson and another boy and was looking through his scope trying to find a whitetail deer they had seen earlier. He said Wilson motioned to him to join the other two boys.

"I started getting up but sort of lost my balance and fell," the boy said in the May 16 statement cited by the newspaper. "As I caught myself I dropped my rifle butt down on the ground. My rifle went off when it hit the ground or when I grabbed it. The bullet struck Logan. This hunting accident was caused by me."

Judge John McKeon set a June 25 hearing to decide whether to accept the plea agreement. A trial scheduled for June 17 was vacated.

Wilson was 16 when he died in October 2010 after being shot in the back of the neck in a field about 24 miles northwest of Malta.

Initially, the defendant, then 14, and another boy on the hunting trip told authorities that Wilson accidentally shot himself, but an autopsy determined he had been shot by the same caliber of gun the defendant was carrying.

The Department of Justice investigated the case for more than a year. In December 2010, the defendant acknowledged the fatal shot had come from his rifle.

In January 2012, the Department of Justice determined there was not enough proof to charge the boy in Wilson's death, but the agency recommended the Phillips County attorney charge the boys in Youth Court with obstruction of justice. The county attorney's office declined.

Wilson's parents, Dawn and Jerry Wilson, filed a wrongful death lawsuit in May 2012 naming both boys.

The state Attorney General's Office filed a motion in January 2013 in Youth Court charging the boy with felony negligent homicide. Officials said new information prompted the charge.

The Associated Press withheld the name of the defendant because he is a juvenile.

___

Information from: Great Falls Tribune, http://www.greatfallstribune.com

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

SD panel cuts deer hunting licenses due to EHD

2013-06-12T15:46:52Z

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission set hunting rules Thursday that will reduce the number of deer that can be shot this fall to help the population recover from losses caused by a disease.

Chad Switzer, a program manager for the state Game, Fish and Parks Department, said the changes were prompted by epizootic hemorrhagic disease, a virus spread by a biting midge. Officials have said at least 3,400 deer died of EHD last year, and many more likely were killed by the disease because they were never found.

The commission approved an East River rifle season that will allow a total of 50,635 deer to be shot east of the Missouri River. That's a reduction of 7,950 tags from last year. The season runs Nov. 23-Dec. 8, and will reopen Dec. 28-Jan. 5 for hunters with unfilled tags for antlerless deer.

The West River season will allow resident hunters to shoot slightly more than 45,000 deer on western prairies, down more than 1,000 from last year. A small number of licenses also are issued for nonresidents. The rifle season in western South Dakota will run Nov. 16-Dec. 1 in most areas. Unfilled antlerless tags will be good Dec. 28-Jan. 5.

The number of licenses available in the Black Hills will be reduced only slightly from last year, with a few more than 3,500 being issued.

No one testified in person on the deer seasons at Thursday's meeting, but the commission received letters from several hunters urging that licenses be kept low so the population can recover.

The archery deer season will run Sept. 28-Jan. 15 statewide, with no limit on numbers sold.

Officials have said EHD hit particularly hard in parts of southeastern South Dakota. The losses were high enough to cause several thousand tags to be returned by hunters or withdrawn by wildlife officials before the hunting seasons started.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Early-season results for the Sangchris Bass Club

2013-06-11T12:38:39Z

The weather took a bite out of the early Sangchris Bass Club schedule, with the March snowstorm wiping out the first qualifying tournament.

Here are the results of qualifying tournaments held so far plus a Memorial Day singles tournament.

April 21

Dennis Loveall and Steve Miller were first with 18.67 pounds.

Todd Bates and Josh Argo were second with 16.11 pounds.

Doug Henley and Mike Zerfowski took third with 14.43 pounds.

The big bass prize went to Ray Roberts and Tony Kertis with a fish weighing 5.13 pounds.

May 19

First place went to Steven Henley and Matthew Henley with a total weight of 16.91 that included a 6.05-pound fish good for big bass honors.

Josh Argo and Craig Drone were second with15.7 pounds.

Third went to Dave Sapetti and Mike Walker with 15.39 pounds.

Memorial Day Singles Tournament held May 26 - 27

Chris Clem took first place with a two-day total of 18.93 pounds.

Steve Miller was second with 18.39 pounds.

Third place went to Casey Pratt 18.02 pounds, including the first day big bass of 5.42 pounds.

Rod Cooke took second-day big bass honors with a fish that weighed 4.22 pounds.

June 9

Todd Bates and Josh Argo took first place with a total weight of 15.87 pounds.

Bates and Argo also took big fish honors with a bass weighing 5.09 pounds.

Second place went to Bill Garrett and Eric Garrett with 15.81 pounds.

Jeremy Mull and Jacob Olsson were third with 15.67 pounds.

For more information and a schedule, visit: http://www.sangchrisbassclub.com.

Chris Young can be reached at (217) 788-1528 or chris.young@sj-r.com.

Hughes and Bowling win Boat Dock Catfish Tournament

2013-06-11T12:24:49Z

Chad Hughes and John Bowling won The Annual Boat Dock Customer Appreciation Catfish tournament held June 9 on Lake Springfield with a total weight of 32.8 pounds.

Hughes and Bowling also took big fish honors with a catfish weighing 13.8 pounds.

Jason and John Rath were second with 28.1 pounds. Third place went to Brian Black and Matt Mantei with 26.2 pounds.

Menard Archers public 3D shoot June 23

2013-06-11T12:17:51Z

The Menard Archers will hold their next public event on June 23 at their range located two miles south of Petersburg off Illinois 97 behind Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site.

Registration begins at 7 a.m. and closes at 1 p.m.

All shooters are welcome and youth 14 years and younger shoot free.

For more information about the shoot or the Menard Archers see the web at http://www.menardarchers.com or contact Gary Sumpter at (217) 632-7421 or John Castro at (217) 632-3679.

Wis. DNR hires new deer, elk researcher

2013-06-11T11:43:43Z

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin wildlife officials have named a new deer and elk researcher.

Dan Storm will work on Department of Natural Resources projects studying buck and fawn mortality and the nutritional condition of car-killed deer. He'll also serve as a consultant on deer and elk issues for DNR managers.

Storm joined the agency last year as a researcher and studied deer-vehicle collisions and furbearer monitoring. DNR Wildlife and Forestry Section Chief Karl Martin says the agency moved Storm into the deer and elk position on June 2 after his predecessor, Jared Duquette, resigned.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Rend Lake fishing report for May 10

2013-06-10T19:08:27Z

Rend Lake fishing report for June 10:

Fishing remains excellent for crappie, bluegill and catfish. Largemouth bass and white bass are rated good.

Largemouth bass

Fishing is good on worms, black and blue jigs and minnows.

Fish for bass in shallow bays near brush cover and bushes, around bridges and along the rocks. Fish are reportedly being caught around Jackie Branch and Sandusky cove.

There is a 14-inch minimum limit, six daily creel limit. In ponds, there is a one-fish daily creel limit with a 14-inch minimum length.

Crappie

Crappie fishing remains excellent.

Jigs are working well. Quarter-ounce pink and white tub jigs. Also small and medium minnows.

Fish are in flooded brushy areas. Set bait two-feet deep. Reports of fish being caught shallow in buck brush in any cove and also deep water ( 8 – 11 feet) around brush piles. From shore, fish near structures. Hot spots are Jackie Branch, Sandusky and Marcum Coves, and North Marcu Boat Ramp.

There is a 25 fish daily creel limit with no more than 10 fish 10 inches or longer.

Bluegill

Fishing is excellent on crickets, worms, wax worms, meal worms.

Fish in the back of necks in shallow water or along rocks. The hot spot is off the rocks under the sailboat harbor bridge in one to four feet of water.
There is a 10-fish daily creel limit in ponds.

Channel catfish

Fishing is excellent on Sonny’s stink bait, Hoss’s Hawg Bair, leeches and large minnows.

Creeks running into the lake are hot spots. Also try the Waltonville Dam, Turnip Patch, Jackie Branch and North Sandusky Day Use Area. Set line three to four feet from the shore over rocks. Try leeches in moving water.

Six-fish daily creel limit in ponds.

Jugs must be attended at all times while fishing.

White bass

Fishing is good on worms, black and blue jigs and minnows. Fish in shallow bays near brush cover and bushes. Fish around bridges and along the rocks. Reports of fish being caught around Jackie Branch and Sandusky Cove.

Twenty fish creel limit. No more than three fish 17-inches or longer daily.

Lake information as of June 10.

Lake level: 410.41

Average pool for this date: 407.39

Water temperature: 72 degrees

Call Molly Rawlinson for more information at (618) 724-2493.

Wildlife officials say 2 butterfly species extinct

2013-06-10T18:24:03Z

MIAMI (AP) — U.S. wildlife officials say two types of butterflies historically found in South Florida are now likely extinct.

After several years of studying imperiled butterflies, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service believes the Zestos and rockland grass skippers are likely extinct.

The Zestos skipper was last observed at the Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical Garden on Stock Island in 2004. That butterfly had not been observed on mainland Florida for decades. The rockland grass skipper was last observed at Everglades National Park in 2000.

The Zestos skipper wasn't considered imperiled globally because it is found throughout the Bahamas and eastern Antilles. It was only recently discovered that the Zestos skipper in Florida was a distinct subspecies, but it was gone before conservation efforts could protect it.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Stargazing: Thirty Meter Telescope gets funding from Japan

2013-06-10T18:16:05Z

HONOLULU (AP) — A group building what will be the world's largest and most advanced optical telescope atop Mauna Kea says the Japanese government has allocated key funding for the construction of the project.

The Thirty Meter Telescope said Wednesday the Japanese parliament last month approved a budget including more than $12 million for the telescope.

TMT says Japan is expected to manufacture the main telescope structure and the mirror blanks for the segmented primary mirror. In total, Japan is expected to fund one-fourth of the total cost of construction.

The telescope is being built by a group including the California Institute of Technology, the University of California and the Association of Canadian Universities for Research in Astronomy. Government-supported observatories and scientists in China, India and Japan are also participating.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Centennial Park Prairie

2013-06-10T11:54:00Z

Paddling association ask parks to review float bans

2013-06-10T11:51:49Z

JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) — The American Packrafting Association says the National Park Service needs to re-examine allowing paddling sports on the rivers of Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks.

In a letter last month, the newly formed association criticized the Park Service for inaction.

Currently, river paddling in Wyoming's national parks is allowed only on the Snake River in Grand Teton and in the channel between Lewis and Shoshone lakes in Yellowstone.

Packrafting is a new sport that allows paddlers to access smaller streams in hard-to-reach wilderness areas.

The Packrafting Association says the sport ought to be considered more in-depth.

But Grand Teton spokeswoman Jenny Anzelmo-Sarles tells the Jackson Hole News & Guide (http://bit.ly/15UgbRK ) that paddling has an impact on water quality and river resources.

___

Information from: Jackson Hole (Wyo.) News And Guide, http://www.jhnewsandguide.com

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Problem grizzly relocated south of Yellowstone

2013-06-10T11:49:07Z

JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) — Wildlife officials have trapped and relocated a grizzly bear that was frequenting a campground west of Cody.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department says the sub-adult male grizzly was caught in the area of the North Fork of the Shoshone River on Friday and was relocated the to the Bridger-Teton National Forest about 12 miles south of Yellowstone National Park.

Wildlife officials say food, bird seed and horse feed should be kept away from bears to prevent conflicts with humans.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Ellsworth teen a young falconer

2013-06-10T11:45:20Z

ELLSWORTH, Ill. (AP) — Cole Pliura likes to fish and hunt. He gets good grades and plays basketball at LeRoy High School. Typical 17-year-old stuff.

He is also a licensed falconer with his own red-tailed hawk.

Pliura named her Aspen; he caught her last November after finding a sponsor, passing a test, going through an inspection, then obtaining a capture permit.

"We had some missed attempts and finally we hit gold," he said.

As he positions the bird on an outdoor perch, you can see the intensity of a serious falconer mixed with the excitement of a teenager in Pliura's eyes.

He walks about 30 yards away and holds up a gloved hand with what Pliura calls a "tidbit" of quail meat.

Aspen moves her head a bit from side to side and unfurls her wings. With a few flaps and a glide, she lands on Pliura's outstretched hand and reaps her reward.

For now, Aspen is on a special lightweight, long leash that prevents her from flying away.

During falcon hunting season, which runs roughly from Oct. 1 to March 31 in Illinois, she could fly free with a bell on one leg, a radio tracking transmitter and antenna on the other.

Pliura's mother, Pam, watches with approval as her son demonstrates what his hawk can do.

"The bird needs to be taken care of every day," she said. But unlike some parents who have to remind their children to feed or walk their dog, Pam Pliura said she has never had a problem. "He gets up early before school to take care of it.

Among his tasks as the hawk's caretaker are weighing the bird every day or so to make sure he is feeding her enough but not too much, ensuring her bath pan is full of water and checking her "poop" for worms or any other sign of problems.

He also has to keep an eye on the hawk's beak and talons, sometimes sanding them to keep them sharp and in good shape.

"The beak can get overgrown in captivity," Cole Pliura explained.

The Pliuras live in rural Ellsworth, across from Moraine View State Park. They raise the quail that Cole Pliura uses for most of Aspen's diet.

His father, Tom Pliura, an attorney and physician, said, "I'm amazed at his commitment to this."

Cole shrugs and says, "I've always kind of been fascinated by birds."

His father introduced him to a longtime friend, Louis Luksander, a master falconer who has been involved in falconry for more than 35 years.

"I was really pleased to work with Cole," said Luksander, who agreed to be his sponsor. "He shows maturity beyond his age. He's very conscious of doing the right thing."

Obtaining a sponsor willing to commit at least two years to training an apprentice is only one step in obtaining a falconer's license in Illinois.

Cole also had to pass a 100-question, multiple-choice test with a score of at least 80 percent and submit to an inspection from an Illinois conservation police officer to ensure he had the proper equipment to care for and train the bird.

Both the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are part of the process.

Brian Clark, the DNR's falconry coordinator, said there are about 180 to 190 licensed falconers in Illinois.

The minimum age is 14, but Clark didn't have figures readily available on whether Cole is among the state's younger falconers.

"We don't have too many who are young," Clark said.

After capturing Aspen, Cole said the first step was to gain the hawk's trust and show the bird he wasn't going to hurt her.

"It's not really based on affection, like a dog. With hawks, it's based on you giving them food," he said. "But it's cool to be around them."

Cole said, "A lot of my close friends have all been out to see it and some of my teachers."

The bird is going through its molt now, growing new feathers. By fall, she will have the characteristic rusty red tail feathers that give the bird its name.

Although the necessary equipment for falconry is available for purchase, Luksander had his apprentice make his own.

"I'm a little old school with that," Luksander said. This included such items as leashes, jesses and a harness for the pigeon used as bait to catch the hawk. Jesses are strips of leather that attach to the ankles of the bird.

Luksander believes making the gear is important because it makes a person better able to maintain and repair the gear and to monitor the quality of the leather.

Luksander has been a falconer since 1977 and has achieved the top classification of master.

"It's just one of those things that get in your blood. For me, it's been my life, pretty much," he said. In addition to engaging in falconry, he also runs a business that makes and sells radio tracking telemetry used in falconry.

"It's peaceful to go out in the quiet country and let your hawk go," Luksander said. And when a falcon or hawk spots its prey and swoops down to catch it, he said, "It's breathtaking to watch."

Pliura will be a high school senior this fall and has already started visiting campuses. He is not sure what university he will attend, but the knows about Aspen's future: "Right before I go to college, I'll let her go back to the wild."

___

SOURCE: The (Bloomington) Pantagraph, http://bit.ly/13WcdVp

___

Information from: The Pantagraph, http://www.pantagraph.com

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Boater turns viral carp video into river advocacy

2013-06-10T01:16:38Z

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) — Brendan Kearns has a warning for anyone who hops into his brown 16-foot, flat-bottom boat for a trip up the Wabash River.

"If they get to jumping, guard your face," he told The Indianapolis Star (http://indy.st/13XhuiL ), throwing his arms up like a boxer blocking a right hook. "Get ready to use your ninja skills."

Kearns, a 40-year-old Terre Haute occupational health and safety consultant, has had plenty of practice on those skills in his pursuit of a fish that has given him a claim to fame: the silver carp.

The aquatic invader, native to Asia, has rapidly expanded through Midwestern waterways, giving biologists heartburn because it threatens aquatic ecosystems, commercial fishing and, yes, people.

Silver carp, you see, not only gobble up organisms vital to a waterway's food chain, but when they're disturbed by a boat, they're prone to leaping from the water, sometimes by the dozen, and often directly into the boat's path.

If you surf the Web or watch cable TV, you may have witnessed Kearns getting beaned by a carp. Kearns became the stuff of viral-video lore after uploading a 2010 clip in which hundreds, yes hundreds, of the fish burst from the Wabash, he and his buddy dodging the assault, Kearns "giggling like a little schoolgirl who lost her mind."

Typical Kearns. A spinner of tall tales, Kearns quipped he grabbed lightning from the sky, grew plantains in his backyard and sold them on the black market, just to see if a reporter was paying attention. That style contributed to the success of his video and his popularity as a local speaker.

Kearns estimates his upload and its various pirated copies and knockoffs have generated close to 10 million views. The clip appeared on Comedy Central's popular viral-video show "Tosh.0." He's been interviewed by media outlets across the U.S. and in Europe. He was featured via Skype on Japan's version of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (Van Halen's "Jump" played during the segment). And he's even battled a TV network for using the clip without his permission.

While Kearns' clip isn't the only viral "flying carp" video out there, it has given him a measure of celebrity in his native Terre Haute, where he gives a presentation to community groups called, "How Asian carp changed my life."

Like much of what Kearns said on a recent trip up the Wabash, the title of his talk is both lighthearted and serious. Though the leaping fish are fun to watch, he says, the threats they pose to aquatic ecosystems and boaters are very real.

"When you're going along at 25 or 30 mph, and a 15- or 20-pound fish hits you, you're going to have a very bad day," Kearns said. "At 10 miles an hour, they hurt when they hit you. I know because I've been hit."

Doug Keller, aquatic habitat coordinator for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, said there's plenty of cause for concern. Actually, two species of invasive Asian carp, bighead and silver, are considered well-established in some Indiana waters. As they move along the rivers feeding on tiny planktonic organisms vital to the ecosystem, the fish can grow to 60 to 100 pounds and eat up to 40 percent of their body weight in a single day.

"They're eating the absolute base of the food chain," Keller said.

The carp were first introduced in Arkansas and other states to clean sewer lagoons and aquaculture ponds.

The carp escaped confinement and began to spread. Prolific breeders with few natural predators, they headed up the Mississippi and other rivers, eventually making their way to Indiana and beyond.

The carp have traveled up the Wabash into the Logansport area north of Kokomo, Keller said, and up the White River at least as far as Martinsville.

Biologists are especially concerned about the fish taking hold in the Great Lakes, where they pose a threat to one of the nation's largest commercial fisheries and the region's recreational boating and fishing.

The silvers are the only ones that jump when disturbed by boats. Strangely, it's a uniquely American trait. Keller said that in Asia, they don't jump at a boat's approach.

Government biologists have spent millions of dollars and used everything from electric barriers, controversial aquatic DNA sampling and poisoning to block the fish's passage, collect evidence of their expansion and to kill as many of the carp as possible.

It's illegal to put an Asian carp, dead or alive, back into the water.

Indiana lawmakers last year even passed a law that gave the state's Natural Resources Commission the authority to set rules allowing people to shoot carp on the Wabash with firearms. (It's perfectly legal to hunt them with a bow and arrow.) The commission, however, has yet to weigh in on whether it's a good idea to allow people in boats to blast away with guns at flying fish.

But state and federal efforts to control the carp's spread have met with dubious results.

"The magic bullet hasn't been discovered yet," Keller said.

Kearns said that when he shot his video, he didn't know anything about the carp — or even that he was breaking the law when he was flipping the fish out of his boat.

He said he got an earful from a DNR official about the flub but no citation. Now, he keeps the fish and eats them. He says they're quite good, especially when smoked over alder wood and grilled with olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper.

Kearns said he gets out on the river at least once or twice a week, trying to make the fish dance, with different degrees of success.

On a recent overcast day when the river was high and extra muddy, Kearns, dressed in full Eddie Bauer chic, tried all his tricks. He varied boat speeds, stomped his feet and played music. Only a few dozen hopped up here and there over the course of about two hours, mostly when Kearns' satellite radio began playing "Kangaroo Court" by the electro-pop band Capital Cities.

One bit of advice: Never, ever play country. "The country music seems to depress them," he said wryly, "so that they don't jump much."

Turning serious, Kearns says he's never been able to replicate the footage of hundreds of flying fish, nor his maniacal giggling that made his video so special.

"It was pure chaos," he said. "I just started laughing. It sounds like I just lost my mind, and I think I did. Literally hundreds were jumping. It is the most surreal thing I've ever experienced. I was scared. I was excited, a little bit of everything."

And he said he never thought the video would turn him into an advocate for a waterway scorned by many recreational boaters and fishermen because of ecological problems caused by sewage outflows and industry. But it has.

On this particular day, Kearns stopped to take the temperature of the water below an outlet dumping effluent from the local coal-fired power plant. (Only three degrees hotter. Not bad. He says he's seen hotter.) He made note of the trash along the river's lush, green tree line ("Was that a condom hanging from that branch?"), and the signs posted within feet of the boat ramp warning of raw sewage contamination.

On the same trip, he also pointed out the river's natural beauty: a swirling whirlpool in an eddy below a railroad bridge, a bald eagle that erupted from its perch as the boat approached, a wild turkey that flew across the river, its beard nearly dragging in the water, a family of wood ducks with a brood of cheeping ducklings and squawking great blue herons, which he lovingly refers to as GBHs.

For Kearns, the jumping carp put a face to the human-caused problems on the river he loves. He uses them to remind us that we're the only ones who can fix them.

"I try to take people out here just to show them how beautiful it is," Kearns said. "It's its own little world not too far from the city. But when we're cruising along going, 'Oh, look at that nice bald eagle,' and a silver carp comes out and slaps them upside the head, it changes everything."

___

Information from: The Indianapolis Star, http://www.indystar.com

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Out & About from the Peoria Journal-Star for June 9

2013-06-09T12:46:21Z

Seeking Out & About items

The Journal Star is interested in publishing your upcoming outdoor events or recent tournament results. Please email (sports@pjstar.com), fax (309-686-3205) or call (309-686-3214) us with outdoor items.

TODAY’S EVENTS

Archery shoot

Pottstown 3D Range shoot, 7 a.m. to noon. (309) 696-8015.

Free fishing days

Illinois free fishing days (today and Monday) when anyone is allowed to fish without a license, inland trout stamp, or salmon stamp.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Archery shoots

June 15-16 — Pottstown 3D Range shoot, 7 a.m. to noon. (309) 696-8015.
June 15-16 — Chillicothe Sportsmen’s Club Rudy Rudolphi 3D Shoot, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. (309) 274-9653.
June 29-30 — Black Diamond Archery (Canton) 3D shoot, gates open 7 a.m., must be on range by noon, (309) 251-5016.
Prairieland anglers meeting
June 10 — at Dawson Lake, 6 p.m. Fishing, lake cleanup.
July 8 — at Dawson Lake, 6 p.m. Fishing, fish fry.
Aug. 12 — at Dawson Lake, 6 p.m. Fishing, wiener roast.

Bass tournament

June 29 — “Fishing to Remember” tournament to raise money for Alzheimer’s Association at Banner Marsh, big bass format. Six weigh-ins. Contact casting_memories@aol.com

Archaeology meeting

July 3 — Illinois Valley Archaeological Society meets 7 p.m. at Dickson Mounds Museum in Lewistown, (309) 547-3721.

Herpetology meeting

July 4 — Central Illinois Herpetological Society meets 7 p.m. at Forest Park Nature Center, (309) 682-6208.

Hunter safety classes

Aug. 9-10 — Wilmor Sportsman’s Club in Morton, 5-10 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday (dinner, lunch provided). (309) 266-6666.

Sept. 20-21 — Wilmor Sportsman’s Club in Morton, 5-10 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday (dinner, lunch provided). (309) 266-6666.

RESULTS

Bass tournaments

Dennis Woods of Mapleton won the Illini Lunker Hunters Bass Club tournament June 1 at Banner Marsh with three fish weighing 5 pounds, 7 ounces. Robin St. Clair of Manito placed second (3, 4.50) and Bill Steele of Mapleton third (2, 4.35). Big bass was won by Woods (3.70).
Sheldon Bevard of Pekin won the Illinois Central Bass Club tournament May 30 at Lake Springfield with four fish weighing 8.96 pounds. Ken Wolland of Bartonville placed second (3, 6.60) and John Southey of Bartonville third (2, 5.18). Jeff Welch of Morton won big bass (3.80).

Trap shoot

The trophy list for the Illinois Central Zone Trap Shoot held June 1-2 at Peoria Skeet and Trap Club includes:

Singles — Champ: Anthony Fortino (199x200), Class AA: Pat Hermes (196x200), RU AA: Mike Dennis (196x200), Class A: Brett Klebe (195x200), RU A: Kevin Wunder (195x200), Class B: Tim Arndt (196x200), RU B: Roland Seger (194x200), Class C: Jack Vick (191x200), RU C: Gary Franklin (189x200), Class D: Guy Skaggs (190x200), RU D: Dennis Kerns (188x200), Lady: Denise Dressler (194x200), RU Lady: Kathy Turpin (187x200), Junior: Clayton Harden (197x200), RU Junior: Calvin Harden (188x200), Sub Junior: Hannah Martin (176x200), RU Sub Jr.: Kassidy Groeper (147x200), Vet: Steve Ellison (195x200), RU Vet: Marvin Carter (193x200), Sr. Vet: Larry Hight (196x200), RU Sr. Vet: Duane Cripe (196x200), OZ Champ: Lucas Schmedeke (197x200).

Doubles — Champ: Anthony Fortino (100x100), AA: Preston Crandell (95x100), RU AA: Bob Wahlbrink (93x100), A: Mike Dennis (94x100), RU A: Kevin Wunder (94x100), B: Tim Hayes (94x100), RU B: Ken Dressler (91x100), C: Terry O’Brien (90x100), RU C: Randy Lohr (90x100), D: Ron Bauer (94x100), RU D: Rick Epley (89x100), Lady: Denise Dressler (73x100), Junior: Calvin Harden (82x100), Sub Junior: Hannah Martin (74x100), Vet: Larry Lark (91x100), RU Vet: Charles Rhine (89x100), Sr. Vet: Bill Jordan (97x100), RU Sr. Vet: Larry Hight (93x100), OZ Champ: Lauren Mueller (95x100).

Handicap — Champ: Larry Murphy (26) (96x100), 18-21 yds.: Terry Phillips (20) (95x100), RU 18-21 yds.: Jerry Hasler (21.5) (94x100), 22-23 yds: Ken Dressler (23.5) (96x100), RU 22-23 yds.: Tim Arndt (22) (96x100), 24-25 yds.: Ron Cox Jr. (25) (95x100), RU 24-25 yds.: Kent Temple (24.5) (94x100), 26-27 yds.: Preston Crandell (27) (95x100), RU 26-27 yds.: Bob Wahlbrink (26) (93x100), Lady: Denise Dressler (19.5) (94x100), RU Lady: Linda Weihmer (21) (92x100), Junior: Anthony Fortino (27) (93x100), RU Junior: Jordan Matzke (18) (91x100), Sub Jr.: Hannah Martin (18) (91x100), RU Sub Jr.: Kassidy Groeper (19) (67x100), Vet: Marvin Carter (22) (95x100), RU Vet: Burton Dillon (22.5) (93x100), Sr. Vet: Duane Cripe (21.5) (95x100), RU Sr. Vet: Jack Boyer (22.5) (94x100), OZ Champ: Lucas Schmedeke (18) (98x100).

High All Around: Anthony Fortino (392x400). O/Z High All Around: Lauren Mueller (384x400).

New guided hike app to feature Illinois sites

2013-06-08T16:54:12Z

The first small steps have been in offering an Illinois-based guided hike application for smart phones.

The Prairie State Hike App is available for download at the iTunes store for 99 cents.

It is published by the Prairie State Conservation Coalition, an organization of land trusts including the Friends of the Sangamon Valley in Springfield, Openlands in Chicago, The Land Conservancy for McHenry County, The Nature Conservancy in Illinois and the Natural Lands Institute in Rockford.

The first hike available – the Beta hike, if you will – covers the Nipper Wildlife Sanctuary, 9560 Withers Road outside Loami just southwest of Springfield.

More hikes will be coming online in the coming weeks and months and will be available as updates. Users will not have to buy a new app.

“You will have access to as many trails as you want,” said Vern LaGesse, executive director of the Friends of the Sangamon Valley. “You will be able to select the ones you want to download.”

LaGesse said the goal is to have upward of 100 hikes, because many larger sites have multiple trail systems.

Coming soon is the Openlands Lakeshore Preserve and the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie managed by the U.S. Forest Service in Will County.

The Natural Lands Institute is working on a hike for its Nygren Wetland Preserve.

LaGesse said the app idea grew out of discussions with other land trusts on how best to use emerging technology.

Brook McDonald, president and CEO of The Conservation Foundation in Naperville, said new technology will help conservation groups connect with a new audience.

“Anytime you can engage people where they are at, it is a good thing,” McDonald said.

He said his organization, headquartered on a 60-acre organic vegetable farm, is modeling practices of sustainable, farm-to-table agriculture.

McDonald also is the current president of the Prairie State Conservation Coalition.

“It’s not a park, but people do come here during business hours because they are curious,” McDonald said. “They say, ‘I drive by all the time, but I’ve never stopped to see what you do here.’”

In the past, visitors could pick up a brochure. Soon they will be able to download the app and take a self-guided, interactive tour of the farm.

How it works

Visitors to the Nipper Wildlife Sanctuary in Sangamon County will be guided to various points of interest on the property.

“There is an icon at the upper right that takes you to a map,” LaGesse said. “The hiker is the blue dot.”

Click on the red pin closest to you and hear or read a brief description of the site history, natural features or other site information.

Users can scroll through pictures, too.

LaGesse said technology helps nonprofits serve visitors even when staff members are not able to be present.

“A teacher can take a tablet out and have the same experience,” he said.

LaGesse said having the first hike out and working gives groups something to show potential sponsors and other groups that might want to become involved.

“We’ll be coming out with more custom aspects as we go along,” he said. “For example you will soon be able to upload a picture to a Facebook page for that particular trail.”

For those interested in visiting the Nipper Wildlife Sanctuary, hours are dawn to dusk.

Chris Young can be reached at 788-1528 or chris.young@sj-r.com. Follow him at twitter.com/ChrisYoungPSO.

Georgians work to protect wood storks

2013-06-08T16:47:58Z

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Dot Bambach and Mary Ellen Urbansky keep regular tabs on the biggest wood stork maternity ward north of Florida, making a 60-foot vertical climb to do so.

"It's not a race," warns Bambach before she grabs the first rung of the observation tower at Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge.

No worry, gravity enforces the rule.

Bambach, a retired banker and top-notch birder who lives at The Landings, and Urbansky, a biotechnician intern from Rincon, go slowly and wear gloves to protect their hands from the inevitable vulture guano that clings to the caged ladder.

From the viewing platform, the cypress trees below look like bird hotels. Wood storks, with their 6-foot wingspans, need the penthouse to maneuver into place.

The great egrets and anhingas nest below them on the upper floors. Smaller wading birds, including snowy and cattle egrets, plus three kinds of herons — tri-colored, blacked-crowned night and little blue — fill in near the basement.

It's loud. Chicks of all the species call to their parents. All but the wood storks call back. These massive birds are voiceless as adults.

Bambach and Urbansky waste no time getting to work. Early in the season, Urbansky mapped out the trees closest to the tower, giving each a number.

The women's job is to record what's happening in each wood stork nest in 32 trees. On this bright May day, the trees are thick with wood stork adults, chicks and eggs.

Peering into a spotting scope, Bambach calls out her data:

"Ten A is one egg, two adults standing. Ten B is two eggs, two adults standing."

The women continue until the four dozen or so nests they're monitoring have been updated.

At times, it takes all their patience to outwait a nesting mother.

"Stand up, stand up," Bambach urges, willing a bird to move aside so she can see what it's protecting.

When the bird finally does stand, it reveals three eggs. They start out white, but after a few days in the stork's not-so-sterile abode, they look like little potatoes.

A nearby nest has babies, which resemble nothing so much as miniature pteradactyls.

They're grayish-blue when they hatch because their down is so sparse you see only skin, said Bambach, who's witnessed babies pecking their way out of an egg and sitting momentarily in the nest with a half eggshell on its head like a cartoon chick on an Easter card. As their feathers come in, the babies turn white. Their beaks grow into comically long shnozzes.

Harris Neck is important to wood storks for two main reasons.

First, it's a big, well-protected colony. Other colonies can lose a whole season to drought. But Harris Neck's man-made pond is pump-fed so it never dries up.

That means alligators, which refuge manager Kimberly Hayes affectionately calls the mafia, are omnipresent. Their protection racket costs the storks an occasional fallen chick, but it ensures the colony's success.

"People don't realize alligators are critical," Bambach said. "They keep raccoons out of the trees. If it's a dry summer and the alligators leave and raccoons come in, the whole colony collapses. Here we have a well and a pump. If it's a dry year, we pump to get the water up."

Along with adding to the numbers of endangered wood storks, which are doing well enough to be considered for uplisting to threatened status, Harris Neck also provides oodles of data to wood stork researchers.

Last year, Urbansky, along with Bambach and a few other dedicated volunteers, was able to estimate that average nest productivity was 1.6 fledglings per nest, down slightly from the two previous years, in large part because tropical storm Debby killed a number of chicks. The colony fledged out an estimated 760 chicks.

It's that repurposed fire tower that gives Harris Neck an edge over other research sites.

"We're the only place that gets this kind of data," Urbansky said. "Other places don't get to go in and get as much data — once or twice a month they get counts. Even at the Jacksonville Zoo, where they have a small colony, they don't have the time to go in and do a count."

The tower makes all that data available, as long as researchers like Bambach and Urbansky are willing to climb it.

___

Information from: Savannah Morning News, http://www.savannahnow.com

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Government moves to wrap up gray wolf recovery

2013-06-08T16:44:12Z

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Federal officials are declaring victory in their four-decade campaign to rescue the gray wolf, a predator the government once considered a nuisance and tried to exterminate.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Friday proposed removing the animal's remaining protections as an endangered species across the Lower 48 states. The exception would be in the Southwest, where the recovery effort for the related Mexican gray wolf is lagging.

Despite criticism from some scientists and members of Congress who consider the move premature, agency director Dan Ashe said the wolf can thrive and even enlarge its territory without continued federal protection.

"Taking this step fulfills the commitment we've made to the American people — to set biologically sound recovery goals and return wolves to state management when those goals have been met and threats to the species' future have been addressed," Ashe said.

The proposal will be subject to a 90-day public comment period and a final decision made within a year.

Wolves once roamed across most of North America. But trapping, poisoning and aerial shooting encouraged by federal bounties left just one small remnant, in northern Minnesota, by the time they were placed on the protected list in 1974.

By then, attitudes had shifted. Wildlife managers acknowledged the role predators play in providing balanced ecosystems, and the then-new Endangered Species Act mandated protections.

More than 6,100 wolves have now spread across portions of 10 states, primarily in the Northern Rockies and the western Great Lakes regions. Most are in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Packs also have formed in portions of Washington and Oregon, and individual wolves have been spotted in Colorado, Utah, the Dakotas, California and the Northeast.

But they have yet to return to vast additional territory that researchers say has suitable habitat and abundant prey, including parts of the Pacific Northwest, the southern Rocky Mountains, upstate New York and New England.

Environmental groups say wolves could make their way to those places — but only if legal protections remain to prevent them from being shot. Removing them now would put wolves "at serious risk for ever achieving natural recovery," said Diane Bentivegna of the National Wolfwatcher Coalition.

Colorado alone has enough space to support up to 1,000 wolves, according to Carlos Carroll of California's Klamath Center for Conservation Research. He suggested wildlife officials were bowing to political pressure, exerted by elected officials across the West who pushed to limit the wolf's range.

"They've tried to devise their political position first, and then cherry-pick their science to support it," Carroll said of the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Maggie Howell of the Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem, N.Y., said the Adirondack Mountains and other parts of the Northeast are "screaming for a predator like the wolf" to thin an out-of-control deer herd.

Ashe, however, said it's unrealistic to think wolves can return to all or even most of their former range, even if scientifically feasible.

"Science is an important part of this decision, but really the key is the policy question of when is a species recovered," he said. "Does the wolf have to occupy all the habitat that is available to it in order for it to be recovered? Our answer to that question is no."

The wolf's resurgence has been unpopular among ranchers and others unhappy about attacks on livestock and popular sport animals — even as hunters and trappers in the last several years killed some 1,600 wolves after protections were lifted in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Government wildlife agents responding to livestock attacks have killed thousands more in recent decades.

Removing legal protections could ease the hostility in the West, where many ranchers complained they're helpless to protect their herds from marauding attackers.

Hunting advocates also have complained as elk herds dwindle in some areas.

"We can't just say, let them go and let the predators manage the big game. That's not going to work in this day and age," said David Allen, president of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

Yet the former director of the Fish and Wildlife Service under President Bill Clinton said the agency's proposal "is a far cry from what we envisioned for gray wolf recovery when we embarked on this almost 20 years ago."

"It's a low bar for endangered species recovery," said Jamie Rappaport Clark, who was with the agency when wolves were reintroduced in Idaho and Wyoming in the mid-1990s. She now heads the group Defenders of Wildlife.

David Mech, a leading wolf expert and senior scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey in St. Paul, Minn., said wolves already occupy about 80 percent of the territory where people are likely to tolerate them.

The Center for Biological Diversity vowed to challenge the government in court if it takes the animals off the endangered list.

The Humane Society of the United States, which has filed a lawsuit challenging the removal of protections from Great Lakes wolves, is reviewing the government's latest proposal, spokesman Kaitlin Sanderson said.

Ashe said the plan had been reviewed by top administration officials, including new Interior Secretary Sally Jewell. But he dismissed any claims of interference and said the work that went into the plan was exclusively that of the Fish and Wildlife Service.

He said the agency wants to focus future recovery efforts on a small number of wolves belonging to a subspecies, the Mexican gray wolf. Those occur in Arizona and New Mexico, where a protracted and costly reintroduction plan has stumbled in part due to illegal killings.

The agency is calling for a tenfold increase in the territory where biologists are working to rebuild that population, which now numbers 73 animals. Law enforcement efforts to ward off poaching in the region would be bolstered.

___

Brown reported from Billings, Mont.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Ill. prosecutor criticized over concealed carry

2013-06-08T16:41:16Z

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A state's attorney who has decided to stop prosecuting Illinois' last-in-the-nation ban on having guns in public said Friday a federal court's scrapping of the prohibition empowers him to let citizens go ahead and carry concealed weapons.

Madison County's top prosecutor, Tom Gibbons, announced the move Thursday and has since drawn criticism from several colleagues who question whether he's wrongly acting like a maker of laws instead of someone whose job is to enforce them.

A concealed-carry measure awaits action from Gov. Pat Quinn, but Gibbons said he's grown tired of the months-long bid to get permissive legislation on the books.

"As this process dragged on in Springfield, with all sides working very hard on it, we had to do something," he told The Associated Press on Friday from his office, northeast of St. Louis.

The Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals late last year threw out the state's prohibition, giving Illinois lawmakers a deadline to come up with a measure allowing concealed carry. The state's General Assembly signed off on a bill that's now before Quinn, who hasn't indicated how he'll decide it by a newly extended July 9 cutoff.

Gibbons said "it serves no purpose" to deny residents in his southern Illinois county from carrying weapons after the appellate court nullified the ban. Concealed carry is being allowed in the county only for those gun owners who meet certain requirements, he said.

Legal experts have said prosecutors are well within their rights to decide which cases they will or won't pursue. But several of Gibbons' colleagues across Illinois believe he's jumping the gun as Quinn still weighs the bill.

"We are a nation of laws, and we should follow the law and not pick and choose which ones we're going to follow," said Chuck Garnati, who's in his eighth four-year term as the top prosecutor in southern Illinois' Williamson County. "I commend the Legislature for passing the conceal law and sending it to Gov. Quinn. But until he signs it, it's not the law in Illinois. That's the bottom line."

Bob Berlin, the state's attorney in the Chicago area's DuPage County, said his job is "to uphold and enforce" and that's what he's sticking to as well.

"I'm not going to criticize what Tom Gibbons is doing, but my approach right now is: The law is that you can't carry guns," Berlin said. "Until we have a new law, it's not for me to decide what the law is."

While the 7th Circuit's nullifying Illinois' ban may have spurred confusion, "that does not by any authority I'm familiar with allow state's attorneys to interpret the law or fashion their own version when we don't know what the law will be," said Jon Barnard, top prosecutor in Adams County in western Illinois.

"State's attorneys are not legislators, and I think the most prudent course is to treat the law the way it is now — enforceable," Barnard said.

Law enforcement groups agreed. The Illinois State Police, Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and the Illinois Sheriffs' Association said in a "public safety advisory" after Gibbons' declaration Thursday that authorities "will continue to enforce Illinois' current unlawful use of a weapon statute in all jurisdictions."

Still, Gibbons' move isn't without precedent. The appointed state's attorney in central Illinois' McLean County announced last summer that he no longer would enforce what he called the state's unconstitutional, antiquated ban on concealed weapons. Ronald Dozier said then he hoped that would "make a statement to the Legislature."

Dozier, a retired judge, stepped down last October and was replaced in the state's attorney role by Jason Chambers, who said his office doesn't have an all-out ban on prosecuting violators of Illinois' concealed-carry prohibition and instead uses discretion in deciding which cases to take to court.

"Every case, every circumstance, every victim is individual," Chambers said Friday, calling the timing of Gibbons' move "baffling in that here the Legislature is on the verge of passing something and people are making announcements like this."

"It seems gimmicky," he said. "Counties shouldn't be fiefdoms."

Gibbons labeled his move as appropriate, noting that law-abiding citizens will be allowed to carry concealed weapons if they meet seven requirements including having a federal Firearm Owner's Identification card and undergoing a background check.

Since the 7th Circuit's ruling, Gibbons said, his office has been reviewing cases involving people accused of unlawfully using a weapon without it being related to some other crime. Gibbons is deciding whether to have those cases — a small portion of the office's overall workload — dismissed.

"That law was found unconstitutional, so that behavior (once questioned) became constitutionally protected," he said Friday. "The (7th Circuit) gave a limited amount of time to clean up this situation. But it didn't give relief to citizens for whom the Bill of Rights were written for."

In Madison County's Granite City, Shannon McEntyre applauds Gibbons' moxie. The owner of Rainbow Taxi Service said her 15 drivers deserve the right to carry guns for protection — and the sooner, the better.

"I'm all for it, because it is our Second Amendment right," said McEntyre, 43. "We should have had this a long time ago, and it's ridiculous we're the only state that doesn't."

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Brush up on your ‘old school’ outdoors skills

2013-06-07T22:04:05Z

A recent magazine article listed a variety of “classic old school skills” that would help readers “master the wild.” Among those listed were knowing how to sharpen an axe, rig a pork rind, bake mouthwatering biscuits for deer camp appetites, and how to “knife paddle” a canoe to make a silent water approach in a backwater area were ducks were congregating. I do not possess any of the skills listed. In fact, I'd never heard of some of them.

When I became interested in outdoor pursuits, I was lucky enough to have mentors who taught me safety and responsibility; skills that transcend old school and classic. Besides that, I learned how move slowly and quiet and stalk a deer. I still know the trick to getting a squirrel back on my side of the tree. In the wild country where cell phones don't show any bars, I can look at the sky and get a clued-in on tomorrow's weather. Afternoon sundogs in the west almost always forecast a fair day tomorrow. If you see them in eastern sky at sunup, give it your best shot today because there's a good chance precipitation is on the way.

I know several people who demonstrate what I consider to be classic skills that will never make anybody's list. Tony can bone a pheasant in less time than it took you to read this sentence. Certainly, he also knows how to sharpen a knife. Boyd can catch crappie in a tea kettle, fry them up at the end of the day, slap them on a plate with some fried potatoes and make you forget that you didn't catch anything. Lloyd and Curt know how to fix just about anything. Between them they carry enough tools to clean a shotgun, or build an aircraft carrier.

If I need to find out about guns, ammunition or hunting gear, where to find the best prices or latest product reviews, all have to do is call Big John. He knows what's what and can separate the wheat from the chaff. With all the twists and turns, it's easy to lose track of where the tale began sometimes, but Rustin can make me smile when he spins a yarn that's as long as it is wide. He can take your mind off your worries. Buckwheat can grow big red tomatoes and sweet corn that brings the Green Giant down to size. Better yet, he's willing to share.

It seems my greatest skill is latching on to people who have real skills. Even if I didn't know enough to zip a gun case, I'm still smart enough to know that the pals I share the outdoors with are more valuable than any classic skill I might master. In the outdoors, as in many other places, it's not what you know; it’s whom you know that really makes all the difference.

Contact George Little at CCMGlobal@aol.com.

“Massive” grass carp caught in cow pasture

2013-06-07T21:39:49Z

A fledgling fisherman, Dan Dunham learned two key lessons last weekend about how to reel in a big catch.

Sometimes, you need special equipment. Like, a pitchfork.

And you always want to find an out-of-the-way fishing hole. Like, a cow pasture.

That’s how Dunham and his in-laws found a 42-pound Asian carp. They spotted and speared the ungainly beastie in a wet field outside Congerville.

“It was the biggest catch of the day,” Dunham, 33, says with a chuckle.

Before you get spooked about this scenario, don’t worry: the slimey, disgusting Asian carp haven’t learned to walk on land. Yet. But that development certainly would make for an awesome B-grade flick: “The March of the Killer Carp!”

Meantime, Dunham has been learning all about carp and other fish. The Morton resident, who works as the production coordinator at Harvest Bible Chapel in East Peoria, hasn’t fished more than a handful of times in his life.

“I’m more of a city boy,” he says, almost apologetically. “But I’m learning.”

The tutelage is coming at the hands of his in-laws, who live outside Congerville, about 25 miles east of Peoria. Last Saturday, Dunham drove there to meet up with father-in-law Eric Miller,49, and brother-in-law Jake Miller, 15. The trio went to try their luck on Lake Evergreen in Bloomington, but managed to snag just a couple of tiny nibblers.

“We threw ‘em back,” Dunham says.

To get back to Congerville, they took Danvers Road. Just outside town they drove past a cow pasture owned by Miller kin. Cows were grazing on a hill, far from water covering a low-lying stretch near the road. It looked to be about 2 feet deep, thanks to recent rains, plus the spring flooding by the nearby Mackinaw River and tributaries.

Glancing at the temporary lake, the trio notice some rippling in the water.

“We saw fins, or whatever they’re called, poking out of the water,” Dunham says.

They pulled over to take a look-see. They thought it might be a catfish, which would make for a tasty finale to their fishing expedition. To get a closer glimpse, they put on waders and trudged into the water.

Dang. They realized it was not a delicious catfish but a massive Asian carp, which they didn’t care to eat. Still, they decided to catch it and make the world a better place with one fewer watery menace.

Rather than mess around with a pole and bait, they decided to go with the Captain Ahab method and harpoon the beast. They happened to have a pitchfork in the trunk, along with nets.
They decided to let the teen take a shot.

“Jake took a first stab, and the carp wrestled and thrashed a bit,” Dunham says, as if narrating his own fishing show. “Took another stab and it swam away. Third stab, he got the carp and held it under.”

Jake Miller, 15, of Congerville hoists the carp, which measured 4 1/2 feet. Grass carp are a type of Asian carp, the invasive species that threatens the livelihood of the Illinois River.

The teen’s father tied a line into the fish’s mouth to subdue it; it quickly died. They took a few pictures, drawing the attention of neighbors and passersby, who also stopped for photos of the beaming trio and their peculiar prey. At one point, about 10 cars were parked along the roadside as curiosity-seekers gawked at the wayward carp that had wandered into a cow field.

How did that happen? Perhaps the fish got hungry, says Kevin Irons, Aquaculture and Aquatic Nuisance Species Program Manager for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
He said the Congerville carp was a grass carp, a type of Asian carp. But they’re fewer in number in the Illinois River than silver and bighead carp — the kind you often see jumping out of the waterway.

Asian carp of all sorts have pushed into the Mackinaw River and its tributaries, he says. Or, sometimes, grass carp are stocked in private ponds to control vegetation. Either way, flooding created new waterways. And when hungry — they eat three times their body weight daily — Asian carp will travel (often alone) just about anywhere, even a cow pasture.

“It was a lake when it got there,” Irons says with a laugh.

Often, he says, the voracious carp will keep chomping away even when flooded areas begin to recede: food takes precedence over safety. Sometimes, when a flooded area drains, Asian carp will be left behind in a mass (though well fed) kill-off.

Irons says he has seen grass carp as large as 70 pounds. Looking at a photo, he was impressed by the size of the Congerville carp.

“By any stretch, this is a big fish,” he said.

Later Saturday, Dunham and the Millers later weighed and measured their surprise catch: 42 pounds and 4 1/2 feet long. They cut it up so a neighbor could use it for coon bait. But it lives on in their collective memory.

“How often do you find a carp in the middle of a field?” Dunham says.

Plus, his in-laws — even after years of conventional fish stories — continue to marvel over the weird adventure.

“They said it was one the best days of fishing they ever had,” Dunham says.

PHIL LUCIANO is a Journal Star columnist. He can be reached at pluciano@pjstar.com, facebook.com/philluciano, 686-3155 or (800) 225- 5757, Ext. 3155. Follow him on Twitter @LucianoPhil.

VIDEO: Centennial Park Prairie ‘A sea of white flowers’

2013-06-07T20:19:39Z

Mobile users: If you are having trouble viewing the video, watch it on YouTube: http://youtu.be/4x6OKJaISxo

The early summer prairie is off to a spectacular start wtih a sea of white Penstemon blooming in the Centennial Park Prairie.

The flowers stretch over much of the 70-acre site just off Bunker Hill Road and the trailhead of the Sangamon Valley Trail.

They are among the first prairie wildflowers to bloom, coming on in May and early June.

Soon the snow white show will be over, and other flowers will take their place.

The scene will continue to change throughout the summer and early fall.

Take some time to walk the prairie this summer. There are at least two miles of trails mowed through the tallgrass and wildflowers.

The prairie, on the northwest side of the SVT, was planted about five years ago as part of a partnership between the Springfield Park District, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service and The Friends of the Sangamon Valley.

Chris Young can be reached at (217) 788-1528 or chris.young@sj-r.com. Follow him at twitter.com/ChrisYoungPSO.

Central Illinois fishing report for June 7

2013-06-07T12:43:43Z

What’s biting

Flooding is still a major issue for most bodies of running water, including the Illinois River. Catfish seem to be biting just about everywhere on dew worms and leeches.

Honey holes

Local strip mines are reporting that bass may be trying to make their beds and crappie are slowly moving out of the shallows.

Anglers at Lake Shelbyville are bringing in 20-25 walleye and sauger per boat. There has been a lot of success with spinner bait on bottom bouncers.

Hybrid striper have been biting well at Clinton Lake, below the spillway. They seem to be hitting top water baits hard. Catfish are biting well too, mostly on shrimp, leeches and stink bait. Crappie are hitting the jig well and are starting to make their beds.

The Emiquon Preserve hasn’t been seeing a lot of action recently, because of high water levels and a lot of rain. With a few days of nice weather, though, fish could be biting in large numbers.

Despite heavy flooding in the Lewistown area, catfish are biting leeches and dew worms pretty well. Now that the rain has slowed, crappie are biting live minnows and fake gulp minnows.

According to larrysfishinghole.com, anglers at Banner Marsh are seeing activity from bass on plastics, small crankbaits and some weedless topwaters.

Bluegill have been biting on wax worms and red worms along weeds or in small weed pockets. Crappie have seen some varied success on jigs and minnows.

Tip of the week

June 7-10 are Free Fishing Days in Illinois. No license or tags are required to fish at any public fishing holes during this time period.

Liability reform could improve access for recreation

2013-06-07T03:09:50Z

Landowners and nonprofit groups can soon breathe a little easier each time they allow public access to their property for outdoors recreation or education.

The Illinois House and Senate recently passed SB1042, a bill that protects property owners from liability if they allow the public on their land to hike, fish, watch birds or participate in other forms of outdoors recreation.

The bill now goes to Gov. Pat Quinn for his signature. If he signs it, the new law would take effect Jan. 1.

For decades, landowners were exempt from liability, but a court case changed that seven years ago.

A lawsuit over a sledding accident caused the law to be amended when the question arose over whether the liability exemption covered an invitation to friends or only if the land was open to the public.

Since then, only hunting and recreational shooting remained exempt.

But other forms of recreation were not protected, and landowners who once welcomed visitors had to say no.

In southern Illinois, landowners of a popular climbing spot, Draper’s Bluff, for example, had to close their property to rock climbers after they became aware of the change.

Organizations such as Openlands in Chicago, The Nature Conservancy in Illinois and others worked for years for the change in the law.

“There were definitely some discouraging moments, but I always thought it was good public policy,” said Lenore Beyer-Clow, policy director for Openlands.

“We’re really happy,” said Susan Donovan, director of government relations with The Nature Conservancy in Illinois. “It is the mission (of the partners working on the bill) to encourage people to open up their land so people can see the cool things they are doing.”

The law applies to organizations or landowners that want to allow public recreation.

For example, if a local group owns a parcel of land and wants to establish hours when the public can visit outside of scheduled events or tours, they can do wo without needing to purchase additional liability insurance, so long as they don’t charge admission.

“What I’d like to do upon signing – and it is our recommendation that the bill be signed - that we work with the advocates from the bill to try to cast a wide net,” said Marc Miller, director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. “There are networks of land trusts for whom this applies and we want them to be aware and how they might be able to open up more access.”

Nonprofit conservation groups have an interest in allowing public access so they can show the benefits of stewardship work, whether the results are improved hunting and fishing opportunities, or a restored landscape free of invasive plant species.

Recreation and educational activities can demonstrate the benefits of restoration.

Marilyn Andress, with the volunteer group River Bend Wildland Stewards in the Quad Cities, said her group often had to purchase liability policies for each public event.

“We do buy policies to cover liability on lands that we work on,” she said. “If our stewards do the work, we are covered thorough our general liability policy up to a certain amount.”

But inviting the public, including students from nearby universities, requires additional coverage.

Andress said liability policies for events cost her organization $300 - $500.

Miller said conservation groups that have land open for hunting will be able to offer additional opportunities under the new law.

“The conservation groups that want to promote hunting opportuntieies can now open up to other activities like hiking, bird watching or canoeing without purchasing additional liability insurance,” he said.

Beyer-Clow said nonprofit groups provide the working example, demonstrating how the new law works.

Andress said her organization is getting ready to make the jump into land ownership.

“It will be better for us because we won’t have liability hanging over our head constantly,” Andress said. “We’re just getting our land trust up and running and (this legislation) is coming at the right time.”

Chris Young can be reached at (217) 788-1528 or chris.young@sj-r.com. Follow him at twitter.com/ChrisYoungPSO.

Guest editorial: Keep Farm Bill conservation component strong

2013-06-05T20:56:14Z

A Farm Bill featuring strong conservation programs just passed the Agriculture Committees of both the Senate and House of Representatives with bipartisan majorities. Many may not realize that the Farm Bill contains the most significant conservation programs intended to protect our country’s natural resources on privately owned lands. The passage of this bill offers huge benefits not just for agriculture, but for wildlife, local residents and our economy as a whole right here in Illinois.

It provides incentives to farmers, ranchers and other private landowners that result in cleaner water, improved soil conservation, enhanced wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation opportunities, increased flood control and stronger local communities and rural economies.

All of those environmental benefits add up quickly when you take into account that there are 76,000 farms and 28 million acres of farmland in the Prairie State. When landowners elect to take advantage of these incentives, they fight soil erosion, water contamination and habitat loss on nearly 80 percent of the land in Illinois, all of which is privately owned.
Farm Bill programs support the work The Nature Conservancy does in places like our Emiquon Preserve and in the Mackinaw River watershed. In addition to providing high-quality habitat for fish and wildlife, restoring and conserving the natural floodplains at Emiquon helps mitigate the type of flooding we saw this April, reducing the amount of private and public funds spent on flood clean up. On the Mackinaw, we’re using wetlands restoration to naturally clean agricultural run-off from the drinking water for the people of Bloomington, all for less than it would cost to construct a water treatment facility.

Farmers and wildlife aren’t the only ones who benefit from the environmental incentives this bill promotes. Recreation and tourism dollars are major economic drivers in Illinois. Hunters and anglers generate $2.1 billion and 22,000 jobs. Over 2.5 million people enjoy watching wildlife, spending $1.1 billion annually. In this way, more conservation on private land adds up to more jobs and more chances to strengthen our local economies.

One of the key components of the Senate version of this bill—which we hope to see maintained—is that it couples crop insurance with conservation compliance. The benefits of this provision are two-fold: it provides farmers with a safety net that protects them from the economic damages of drought, flood, or other disasters. It also ensures that conservation compliance rules, which discourage the draining of wetlands, converting native grasslands to crops and farming highly erodible lands without a conservation plan, are enforced. It is our hope that this provision gets included in the House version of the bill as it gets debated in the next couple of weeks.

Our Senators and Representatives from Illinois will soon have an opportunity to vote on the Farm Bill. When that happens, I hope they will ensure that further cuts to critical conservation programs in the bill do not happen.

Michelle Carr State Director The Nature Conservancy in Illinois

Fishing fair moves after flooding in state park

2013-06-05T15:28:13Z

JERSEYVILLE, Ill. (AP) — Flooding has forced a popular family fishing event to move to a new location this year.

The Two Rivers Family Fishing Fair will be held Saturday at the Jersey County Fairgrounds in Jerseyville. It's usually held at Pere Marquette State Park, which has experienced flooding.

The free event offers educational activities for young people who are interested in fishing. Fairgoers can learn knot-tying, fish identification, fish cleaning, casting and other skills. Each child who completes at least seven stations will receive a prize and have the chance to catch a trout.

Other highlights include dog retriever shows, a noodling demonstration and a 4,000-gallon aquarium stocked with fish found in the Illinois River

Illinois Department of Natural Resources Director Marc Miller says volunteers and sponsors make the event possible.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Danville turtle races scrapped after 49 years

2013-06-05T15:26:49Z

DANVILLE, Ill. (AP) — In one eastern Illinois town, the turtles are being put out to pasture.

Organizers of the 49-year-old Turtle Reunion and Races in Danville have been told by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources that they can no longer gather and have their usual dozens of turtles in one place out of concerns that disease could spread among the animals.

Last Saturday's race was the last one, Turtle Club president Mike Puhr told The News-Gazette (http://bit.ly/17XDjD0). The club has organized the race, which has raised about $10,000 a year for local charities.

"We hope our mission, as a group devoted to helping those with disabilities, can continue," Puhr said. "However, it is also realized, we need to protect these turtles, other reptiles, and our ecological environment from the spread of disease."

Puhr hopes to hold some kind of event without turtles next year to reach the 50-year mark.

Scott Ballard, a biologist and herpetologist with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, said the department received a complaint about the turtle races. Of the more than 95 turtles collected for last weekend's event, Ballard said, one showed signs of illness. That's a potential problem should others become infected and carry illnesses to other turtles when they're released after the races.

There were also potential concerns, he said, about whether those gathering the turtles all had the needed state licenses.

The turtles were all treated humanely, Ballard said.

The annual races were started in 1964. Businesses and individuals sponsored turtles and their donations amounted to almost $400,000 over the years, officials said.

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Information from: The News-Gazette, http://www.news-gazette.com

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Missouri goes whole hog to destroy feral swine

2013-06-05T14:36:20Z

TANEY COUNTY, Mo. (AP) — Dawn's early light belongs to the fog and a whip-poor-will.

A cool beginning to a spring mountain day. Only the bird's call stirs the wooded quiet.

Then, suddenly, a shrieking, frantic squeal. Hooves pound into the dirt. A wild hog races full speed across the makeshift enclosure and crashes headfirst into a wire panel.

Like a stock car into a wall. Then another one. And one after that. They try to climb atop one another.

Men nearby, their boots firmly planted, raise guns. Just in case the trap's panels give way. It's happened, but with bigger hogs. These are smaller, young and, most disappointingly, not nearly as many as the men want to find this recent morning.

"Look here," says James Dixon, a wildlife damage biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation, which just wrapped up the first year of a five-year plan to eradicate feral hogs from the state.

Dixon kneels in the mud. Signs of rooting and wallowing from the night surround the pen.

"They were all here, but only these young ones went inside," he says. "The older ones are too smart."

And big and fast and destructive and mean and ugly. Now factor in prolific and savvy.

Despite years of aggressive kill measures, including aerial shooting, trapping, snares and "shoot on sight" requests to hunters, the U.S. Department of Agriculture refers today to the "expanding" problem of wild swine in America.

An estimated 6 million feral hogs — up from 2 million 20 years ago — some with big heads and sharp tusks linked to Russian boars of generations past, roam the country in collective "sounders" of 15 or so, rooting up land and crops like four-legged diesel equipment.

The hogs used to be mainly a rural Southern problem. But now they're in 38 states and moving north, even into New England. They're encroaching on cities and treating parkland, gardens and golf courses like their own pigpens.

Sounders are as close to Kansas City as Truman Reservoir.

In Missouri and other states, conservation workers and farmers are constantly frustrated by people bringing in truckloads of the animals from other states and turning them loose. Kansas jumped on the problem early by banning sport hunting of hogs and is now a model for the rest of the country.

Costs of feral swine annual damage and control efforts, nationally: more than $1 billion, according to the USDA.

Jeremy Thomas is paying some of that. He farms bottom land along Indian Creek in McDonald County in the southwest corner of Missouri. On a recent day, he stood in a field and looked at a slight furrow running the length of a corn row.

Perfectly straight, as if made by machinery. No, hogs.

"Best I can tell, they put their snouts down and go to rooting," Thomas said. "They get to the end of the row, turn around and come back."

They're after the hybrid seed corn he'd just put in the ground. At $250 per bag, he's reluctant to replant.

"They could be anywhere, just watching," Thomas said.

And waiting.

Wild hogs are like big rats. Three hundred pounds of nasty with sharp teeth. They kill small livestock and eat ground-nesting birds. They contaminate streams and cause erosion. They carry diseases, such as brucellosis and pseudorabies, both of which can be passed to domestic swine.

They devastate hunting areas because they compete with deer and turkey for food.

"They outsurvive other wildlife," Dixon said.

The rules on hunting these critters? Virtually none. Shoot on sight (in areas that allow hunting). As many as you want as often as you want. Out hunting and see a hog? Conservation officials say drop him, please. Drop two or three. Leave them for the sun to bake and coyotes to eat. Go on, treat the vultures.

Nobody cares.

"We're not out to manage them," Dixon said. "We want to wipe them out."

So what is it exactly that makes the feral hog the neo-Nazi of the animal kingdom?

They have no friends. Nobody's out waving signs to "Save the Feral Hog." People who love wildlife and nature hate them. People who like them like them for one reason: to shoot them.

Please, can somebody say something good about this animal?

"They're easier to train than puppies," said John Mayer, who started studying wild hogs 40 years ago and tried to raise one in his house. "They're cute when they're little. Until they start to turn over furniture.

"And they're good eating. Except big boars stink when you cook them. I had a guy tell me once he had to bury a skillet in the backyard."

Really, that's the good? You have to bury the skillet?

The bad?

"They are the worst, most invasive animal on the planet," said Mayer, the manager of the environmental science group at the Savannah River National Laboratory in Aiken, S.C. Mayer also co-authored "Wild Pigs in the United States: Their History, Comparative Morphology, and Current Status."

Feral swine are not native to the U.S. They can be traced to hogs brought to the country in the 1500s by Spanish explorers and allowed to roam free. According to the USDA, the ranks of those early hogs multiplied over time by domestic hogs turned loose into the wild.

At some point, hunters brought in Russian wild boars, which mixed bloodlines with existing sounders.

Now we have gangs of tusked feral hogs that can run 35 mph, jump 3 feet high and, somehow, manage to climb out of a pen with sides 6 feet high. A common saying: "If a fence won't hold water, it won't hold wild hogs."

They are highly intelligent, can live anywhere in any climate, and have sharp teeth and no natural predators.

Now add in two litters a year, six to 10 to a litter, and you get a "national pig explosion" to the point that the USDA has asked for an additional $20 million in 2014 to fight the problem.

In Missouri, the Conservation Department has teamed with the USDA, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the Army Corps of Engineers to kill more than a thousand hogs in the first year of the state's eradication effort. No telling how many more have been killed by property owners and hunters.

"No state has a good handle on this, but we don't want to get like Texas, Florida and Georgia," said Rex Martensen, the state's feral hog coordinator for the Conservation Department.

Dixon talks about tales of hogs attacking humans. Overblown, he says. Like other wild animals, hogs will almost always run from people. They can be scary, though, he adds. One day he walked through high Johnson grass and surprised a bunch of hogs. They surprised him, too.

"Nothing but snouts and hooves," he says. "That'll make you jump."

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Appeals court gives Quinn extra time to review gun law

2013-06-05T04:14:11Z

The Illinois attorney general's office says the federal appellate court has given the state an extra 30 days to lift its ban on concealed weapons.

The court on Tuesday granted Attorney General Lisa Madigan's request to allow Gov. Pat Quinn more time to review legislation passed last week.

However, on issuing its ruling, the court said it would not issue another extension of its mandate past the new deadline of July 9.

Illinois was the last state in the union banning the concealed carrying of guns when, in December, the court struck down the ban. The court gave lawmakers until June 8 to legalize the concealed carry of firearms.

Madigan said the Sunday date would have shortened the time set in the state constitution to allow Quinn to review legislation.

West Nile detected in Cook County mosquitoes

2013-06-04T21:51:51Z

The first mosquitoes to test positive for the West Nile Virus in 2013 have been collected by the Des Plaines Valley Mosquito Abatement District in Hillside in Cook County.

The Illinois Department of Public Health made the announcement Monday.

So far no human cases of West Nile Virus have been reported this year.

Last year, 55 counties reported West Nile positive bird, mosquito batch or human case.

Also in 2012 the IDPH reported as the second highest number of human cases with 290, including 12 deaths.

The worst outbreak was in 2002 when 884 Illinois residents contracted West Nile Virus and 67 died.

West Nile facts

West Nile Virus is transmitted by the bite of a mosquito that has picked up the virus from an infected bird.

The house mosquito (Culex, sp.) that most often transmits WNV is beginning to emerge for the summer season.

Symptoms include fever, nausea, headaches and muscle aches. Symptoms may last for a few days or a few weeks. The majority of people do not exhibit symptoms. People over 50 years old are at higher risk.

Protect your self by wearing clothing that minimizes exposed skin and use repellents with DEET.

Culex mosquitoes prefer to bite at dusk and just after dark.

Remove the sources of stagnant water that may be found around the home. Wheelbarrows, old tires, buckets, wading pools and other possible receptacles should be emptied and removed.

Change the water in birdbaths frequently or use an agitator to keep the water moving.

Keep rain gutters and downspouts clean. Standing water with plenty of organic matter is the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Culex mosquito eggs hatch within 24 hours and larvae – known as wigglers – remain in water for seven to 14 days. They spend an additional one to four days in the pupa stage, where metamorphosis takes place.

Culex mosquito life cycle information from: http://www.mosquitoes.org.

Late nesting season causes angry birds, geese

2013-06-03T12:56:27Z

DEKALB, Ill. (AP) — Some wildlife experts say they're noticing an increase in feisty fowl across parts of Illinois, thanks to a delayed nesting season.

Authorities say the long winter and spring floods washed out some nests, which means geese and other birds are getting a later-than-usual start laying eggs.

The (DeKalb) Daily Chronicle says (http://bit.ly/17ioom7 ) that means the animals are becoming increasingly protective of their territory — and their young offspring.

At the Oaken Acres Wildlife Center in Sycamore, one long-time volunteer was attacked by an angry goose last week when he walked by an area where the bird was nesting.

That man, David Bythewood, says people should maintain eye contact with an angry goose and raise their arms to protect themselves.

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Information from: The Daily Chronicle, http://www.daily-chronicle.com

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.