More than a month ago, local wildlife biologist Bob Massey gave a heads up about many public dove sites in Illinois having trouble getting plantings in.
This morning, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources sent around a fuller breakdown of what was or was not planted or what was used in place of sunflowers.
IDNR Reminds Dove Hunters to Scout Sites Wet, cold spring delayed and canceled sunflower planting in some areas SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is reminding the state’s dove hunters to scout sites before applying for permits as some hunting areas were unable to plant sunflowers due to an unusually cool, wet spring. Unfortunately, this spring’s weather just didn’t cooperate with our typical sunflower planting schedule, said Ryan Prehn, chief of parks, IDNR. In fact, only a small percentage of sunflowers were planted on time and, at some hunting areas, park staff were unable to plant sunflowers at all. In many cases, our staff has planted alternative crops instead. While dove sites will still be available, Prehn said there may not be an active crop in the fields and the agency wanted to let them know so they could plan accordingly. When it comes to managing natural areas, weather challenges come with the territory, Prehn said. When we encounter those challenges, we do the best we can, but it does mean that concessions have to be made. That’s why we’re asking hunters to scout sites before permit drawings so they know the conditions of the fields. As of July 1, many of the alternative crops have been plants. The sites affected by delayed or canceled sunflower planting are listed below: Site Region Sunflowers Contingency Crop Planted Jubilee 1 Y N/A Snakeden 1 Y N/A Rice Lake/Double T 1 Y Proso Millet Matthiessen/Starved Rock 1 N Proso Millet Le Aqua Na 1 Y N/A Mackinaw 1 N Proso Millet Mautino/Hennepin Canal 1 N Millet and wheat Green River 1 N Proso Millet Argyle 1 N N/A Morrison Rockwood 1 Y N/A Big Bend 1 Y *Will have reduced # of spots available* Big River 1 Y N/A Shabbona 1 N Proso Millet Chain O’Lakes 2 N Winter wheat Silver Springs 2 Y N/A Des Plaines 2 N *Site will utilize West Grounds w/ wheat planted* Kankakee 2 N Wheat Fox Ridge 3 N Wheat Shelbyville 3 N Proso Millet Middle Fork 3 N Proso Millet Woodyard 3 N Buckwheat Moraine View 3 N Proso Millet Clinton Lake 3 Y Proso Millet Iroquois 3 Y N/A Buckhorn 4 N stick with flowers Coffeen Lake 4 Y stick with flowers Carlyle Lake 4 Y N/A Horseshoe Lake SP 4 Y N/A Pere Marquette SP 4 N Mow annual weed Ray Norbut 4 Y N/A Sangchris 4 N Proso Millet Siloam Springs 4 N N/A Jim Edgar Panther Creek 4 Y N/A Washington Co. 4 N Proso Millet Randolph Co. 4 Y Proso Millet Peabody River King 4 Y Wheat Baldwin 4 Y N/A Eldon Hazlet 4 N stick with flowers Weinberg-King 4 N buckwheat Madigan 4 Y N/A 10-Mile Creek 5 Y Winter Wheat Burning Star 5 N Mow annual weeds Cape Bend 5 N wheat and buckwheat Dixon Springs 5 Y Mow annual weeds Forbes 5 N Proso Millet Giant City 5 N Mow annual weeds Horseshoe Lake SFWA 5 N Proso Millet Mt. Vernon GF 5 N Proso Millet Pyramid 5 N Proso Millet Carlyle 5 Y N/A Ramsey Lake 5 Y Wheat Rend 5 N Proso Millet Skinner Farm 5 N Mow annual weeds Union Co. 5 N Proso Millet For more information on dove hunting in Illinois, visit https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/Pages/DoveHunting.aspx.