Waterfowl blind draws: The outdoor social event of the summer is back in Illinois

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will hold its usual draw for waterfowl blinds at public sites in July.

SHARE Waterfowl blind draws: The outdoor social event of the summer is back in Illinois
File photo of the waterfowl blind draw at Rice Lake State Fish  and Wildlife Area in 2019, last time the live draws were held. Credit: Dale Bowman

File photo of the waterfowl blind draw at Rice Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area in 2019, last time the live draws were held.

Dale Bowman

Illinois will hold its usual July draws for waterfowl blinds at public sites. It’s another sign of some normalcy returning.

Here is the word from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources:

IDNR Announces 2021 Schedule of Waterfowl Blind Site Drawings SPRINGFIELD, Ill – Waterfowl hunters are encouraged to mark their calendars for upcoming waterfowl hunting blind site random drawings to be held at several public hunting areas in Illinois in July and August. Since the state has entered Phase 5, the Department intends to hold traditional blind drawings at all sites not already drawn, with current guidance from the CDC and Illinois Department of Public Health regarding use of face coverings and social distancing being observed. Participants are also reminded to follow any site-specific drawing procedures. Duck and goose hunters must register in person for waterfowl blind site drawings and must be present at the drawing held at each location designated below immediately after the registration period to claim their blind sites. Mail-in or pre-registrations are not accepted. Blind allocations for these sites are good for one or two years, as listed below. To participate in a drawing, all applicants must present a 2020 or 2021 regular Illinois hunting license (no apprentice license and no youth license unless the youth license holder also presents hunter safety certification), a 2020 or 2021 Illinois Migratory Waterfowl Stamp at the time they register, unless exempted by law, and valid photo identification. Applicants must be at least 16 years old by the date of the drawing. Applicants needing to purchase new licenses and stamps should do so prior to the drawing. Most blind drawing locations will not have license sales available. Licenses and stamps are available at any IDNR license and permit vendor, through the IDNR website at www.dnr.illinois.gov or by calling 1-866-716-6550. Registrants are no longer required to possess a valid Illinois Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card from the Illinois State Police to participate in blind drawings. Also, in order to be an eligible applicant for the drawing, the participant must not have his or her hunting privileges suspended or revoked by the IDNR or any other jurisdiction at the time of the drawing. Out-of-state residents must have an annual (5-day licenses not accepted) 2020 or 2021 non-resident hunting license for Illinois and a 2020 or 2021 Illinois Migratory Waterfowl Stamp. An individual with a disability precluding him/her from hunting from a waterfowl blind may be accommodated through issuance of a Standing Vehicle Permit from IDNR. Please visit this link for a Standing Vehicle Permit application. The schedule for 2021 blind drawings is listed below: SUNDAY, JULY 18, 2021 (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. • Mississippi River Pool 24: Registration 10 a.m. - noon at the IDNR Office, Route 106 West, Pittsfield. SATURDAY, JULY 24, 2021 (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 Catfish Cove picnic area, in main park by boat ramp and concession area. 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. Address: 24621 North River Road, Wilmington, IL 60481. • 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. Address: 7705 East Huston Road, Braceville, IL 60407. • Shabbona Lake State Recreation Area, DeKalb County: Registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the park office. Directions: Go 2½ 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 Shelter #2, 126th St. and Ave. 0, Chicago. SUNDAY, JULY 25, 2021 (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 10a.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 mile 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. • Meredosia Lake in Morgan and Cass Counties (allocated for two years): Registration Noon - 2 p.m. at the Jim Edgar Panther Creek Hunter Check-In Building (located adjacent to the JEPC site office, approximately seven miles southeast of Chandlerville) 10149 County Highway 11, Chandlerville. • 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 Buffalo Rock State Park (near the large picnic shelter area). Three miles west of Ottawa on Dee Bennett Rd. • Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area, Woodford County: Registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the area check station, 5.5 miles north of Spring Bay on Illinois Route 26. SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 2021 (Blinds allocated for two years) • Mississippi River Pool 16: Registration 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Rock Island County Fairgrounds, 4200 Archer Dr, East Moline. • 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 Big River State Forest site office, eight miles north of Oquawka on the Oquawka-Keithsburg blacktop. Additional hunting information and maps on the above sites can be accessed at https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/FactSheets/Pages/default.aspx

The Latest
The man was found unresponsive in an alley in the 10700 block of South Lowe Avenue, police said.
The man suffered head trauma and was pronounced dead at University of Chicago Medical Center, police said.
Another federal judge in Chicago who also has dismissed gun cases based on the same Supreme Court ruling says the high court’s decision in what’s known as the Bruen case will “inevitably lead to more gun violence, more dead citizens and more devastated communities.”
Women make up just 10% of those in careers such as green infrastructure and clean and renewable energy, a leader from Openlands writes. Apprenticeships and other training opportunities are some of the ways to get more women into this growing job sector.
Chatterbox doesn’t seem aware that it’s courteous to ask questions, seek others’ opinions.