Opening day in Illinois: Dove harvest at area public sites, select downstate ones, surprises (updated)

UPDATED: Wanted to add Spring Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area, which had an outstanding start to the season.

Here are the dove harvest numbers from opening day on Wednesday, Sept. 1, at area public sites and some Downstate Illinois ones, too.

The most unusual numbers came from Shabbona Lake State Recreation Area, where you have to go back to 2002 for numbers like that. Iroquois County State Wildlife Area lived up to the promise of its fields and deservedly takes the top spot second spot. They had 10 limits out of their 33 hunters.

I would add the caveat that I think some of the numbers might be skewed slightly at some sites because of self reporting in the field, instead of hunters returning to the office or draw spot to report their take.

Site: doves harvested, hunters, dph

Spring Lake SFWA: 437, 38, 11.5

Iroquois County SWA: 319, 33, 9.7

Shabbona SRA: 389, 47, 8.3

Des Plaines SFWA: 460, 61, 7.5

Matthiessen State Park: 563, 82, 6.9

Green River SWA: 593, 98, 6.1

Jim Edgar/Panther Creek SFWA: 621, 122, 5.1

Silver Springs SFWA: 260, 70, 3.7

Kankakee River SP: 1, 14, 0.1

Chain O’Lakes SP: 0, 11, 0