Illinois Hunting Report: Second deer season nears

Marseilles SFWA Hunting Hours: Marseilles State Fish and Wildlife Area in La Salle County will be open again this year Wednesdays through Sundays for programmed hunting opportunities. The site will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Site hours will be 5:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. During the Firearm Deer Season, the check station will be opened at 4:30 a.m. Detailed specific information can be found on the Marseilles SFWA web page on the IDNR website atwww.dnr.illinois.gov. For more information, contact Illini State Park at 815-795-2448.

On Sunday, 21 hunters took 13 mallards, one canvasback, one green-winged teal, one black duck, one gadwall, four shovelers, one ringneck, one bufflehead, one hooded merganser and one Canada goose; on Saturday, 44 hunters bagged nine mallards, three gadwalls, seven shovelers, two ringnecks, five buffleheads, three goldeneye, two redheads and one black duck.

Youth Goose Hunt: Interested youth can register now for the 13th annual Central Illinois Youth Goose Hunt sponsored by the IDNR on Dec. 26-27 at private waterfowl hunting clubs in Peoria, Fulton and Knox counties. Youth hunters must phone in to 217-785-8060 to register for a drawing to participate in the hunt. The registration deadline is Friday, Dec. 7. The drawing will be conducted on Dec. 10 and youth hunters selected will be notified by mail. First-time applicants will be given a priority over previous participants in the drawing. The hunt is open to youngsters ages 10-15 at the time of the hunt. All applicants must have successfully completed a hunter safety education course, possess a valid Illinois hunting or sportsman’s license, have a Harvest Information Program (HIP) registration number, and have a 20-gauge or larger shotgun. Youth hunt participants must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who must possess a valid firearm owner’s identification (FOID) card. To register for the hunt or for more information, call 217-785-8060.

Dear Waterfowl Hunters: Due to ongoing drought conditions in Illinois, some farmers are mowing or tilling their unharvested crop fields to collect crop insurance payments. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) reminds hunters that the manipulation, including mowing or tilling, of unharvested crop fields is not a normal agricultural practice for waterfowl hunting purposes. The IDNR has received guidance on this issue from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Federal baiting laws still apply, even during times of drought. Therefore, it is a violation of the baiting laws under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act if scattered grain is not totally removed 10 days prior to hunting. Hunters should familiarize themselves with baiting laws in Illinois. For more information on waterfowl baiting regulations, refer to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service website link regarding baiting regulations at http://www.fws.gov/le/waterfowl-hunting-and-baiting.html. Questions regarding hunting crop fields mowed or tilled due to drought insurance claims; 1. If a standing grain crop is 100% void of any ears (corn field produced no ears), can the field be mowed then hunted? Yes, as long as there is no grain present in the field. A field that produces NO ears of corn will probably be a rare occurrence. 2. If a standing grain crop has any amount of grain present after it is mowed, can it be hunted? No, it is a baited area until 10 days after the complete removal of the grain. 3. Can a standing crop that was mowed be disked and made legal for hunting? The field can only be hunted after all exposed grain has been completely removed or buried for a period of 10 days. Hunters should keep in mind that if a dry field is tilled to the extent that no grain is visibly present, strong winds or the first rain is likely to wash off some covered grain, thus still making it a baited situation. 4. Why can a person not hunt over a mowed area? Under federal baiting regulations, mowing or tilling of a standing crop is not a normal agricultural planting, harvesting, post-harvest manipulation, or normal soil stabilization practice as determined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Cooperative Extension Service. . . . For questions about federal baiting regulations, please call 217-782-6431, Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.