Here is the annual recap on opening day harvest numbers for doves at nearby and some Downstate sites; Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area is the early leader, but updates could change that.

By Dale Bowman

The view on opening day last year at Johnson-Sauk Trail State Recreation Area, a familiar one for dove hunters at public sites around Illinois. Credit: Dale Bowman — A view, this one is at Johnson-Sauk Trail State Recreation Area, many dove hunters had at public sites on opening day Tuesday, Sept. 1.

It was a different year for opening day of dove hunting in Illinois, especially at public sites. As usual, opening day was Sept. 1, Tuesday this year.

One other thing remains the same, with the help of biologists, site superintendents and site staff, I pulled together some numbers from opening day at some Illinois public sites. Rain impacted many areas, but, even in those spots, some doves were harvested.

Because of some of the procedures and protocols related to the pandemic, numbers may be skewed slightly.

At any rate, I may update another time or two, if numbers change and some more sites come in.

Site: Hunters, doves harvested, doves per hunter

Jim Edgar Panther Creek SFWA: 88 hunters, 829 doves harvested, 9.4 doves per hunter

ADD 1 Snakeden Hollow SFWA: 24, 168, 7.0

Kankakee River SP: 11, 66, 6.6

ADD 2 Matthiessen SP: 52, 212, 4.0

Iroquois County SWA: 31, 115, 3.7

Silver Springs SFWA: 67, 188, 2.8

Des Plaines SFWA: 35, 67, 1.9

Johnson-Sauk Trail SRA: 92, about 150, 1.6 (some cards missing, results likely higher)

Green River SWA: 85, 135, 1.6

Shabbona SP: 43, 44, 1.0

Chain O’Lakes SP: 24, 8, 0.3

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Opening day: Dove hunting harvest for Illinois public sites, early leader is JEPC, second update

Here is the annual recap on opening day harvest numbers for doves at nearby and some Downstate sites; Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area is the early leader, but updates could change that.