Category: Illinois

Posted By:
davehunter03
Web Member

01-07-2013 07:11
– – –
Kevin: Thanks for the reports this season! I for one really appreciate them, as not many post reports anymore. I know it was a slow season for most, but folks just don’t take the time to post up.

SR.

Posted By:
Kevin-Stallard
Field Editor

Fayette Bond Co. 01-06-2013 06:09
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 10-20 Degrees – Ice
Did a little scouting and saw very few birds up on the northend of the lake. Snows and Specks are few and far in between, the ducks are using whatever open water they can find. Most fields are still snow covered but some having success. Airboats are the only way to manuver north of the railroad tracks and if you make a hole the ducks are responding.
No significant weather changes are in the forecast although a brief warm-up and showers later in the week may thin some of the ice. It was great when the water was open but now mother naure put a pretty big hold on everything, only 2 1/2 days left to chase the ducks here, hoping for a weather change to get after the dark geese and eventially the snows.

Posted By:
Scott-Martin
Field Editor

Not hunting 01-02-2013 00:01
– – 10-20 Degrees – Ice
Saw lots of geese in ne IL and SE wisco. Still foraging in fields with light snow but not much open water but for rivers and the big lake. Most all else is frozen. A few groups heading south at sunset but more still working fields. Multiple groups of 2000 plus in fields. Cold this week will push them but not a lot of snow up here, yet….

Scott

Posted By:
Michael-PhillipsIL
Field Editor

SW Pike Co 12-22-2012 10:09
– – –
Lots of ducks in the area. Thursday had blizzard conditions with 8 man limits between 10am and 2pm. No one could hunt yesterday but I heard the middle of the day was awesome.

Posted By:
Kevin-Stallard
Field Editor

Fayette/Bond Co. 12-19-2012 04:34
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – 45-50 Degrees
Hunted flooded corn yesterday afternoon and noticably fewer ducks in the sky but did manage three man limit of mallards and a couple bonus birds. Saw an increase in speck numbers while snow and blues remain plentiful. If the weatherman hits this one right we should see a big jump in ducks and longnecks in a couple of days, rain to light snow and heavy wind here, but blizzard conditions up along the Mo/Iowa/Illinois border.

Posted By:
Scott-Martin
Field Editor

Central il 12-18-2012 00:42
Cloudy, High Winds – 40-45 Degrees
Wow there are a lot of ducks in the valley. And wow do they like to fly up high! Trading between favorite spots. But after sundown they like to be where you are. Watched that this past weekend in a flooded corn land. It was an awesome sight and pleasure was that my nine year old got to see it. Didn’t matter what we had shot. Picking up decoys with mallards and many other ducks made the day. It was awesome. We did manage a few birds and the next day we saw even more. Some worked. Some groups of 200+ were winging south on the wind. A couple came in close including the black duck that came down from sky high. A perfect end to a tough season even if it was the last one. Scott.

Posted By:
Michael-PhillipsIL
Field Editor

SW Pike Co 12-11-2012 16:14
– – –
Yesterday was one of those days to remember. 12 guys killed 44 mallards with the other 4 needed lost in the corn. Everyone I talked to around Delair got their limits yesterday. This morning was slow but I am hearing the ducks are flying this afternoon. Looks like some ducks have arrived.

Posted By:
Scott-Martin
Field Editor

Not hunting. Ugh. 12-10-2012 00:52
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
Not much to report here except swim meet times and hockey game scores. Had a full weekend with the kids and their activities. Friend was on the flooded corn today and ducks just don’t want it this year. Yet. Hopefully. Only a few days to go. Hoping for a change that will make a green head hungry. Scott

Posted By:
bigwoody2
Web Member

12-06-2012 10:20
– – –
still lots of ducks and geese up north and they don’t need to leave, hooray.

Posted By:
Drake Slayer
Web Member

12-06-2012 06:33
– – –
Kevin…

Wish you and and your family nothing but the best with the grandson! Congratulations!!!

Gonna be nice referring to you as Grandpa now……;)

“Shut it, old man”

“Slow down there, Grandpa”

These are all out there for use now??!!! LOL!!

Take care, and I’ll be thinkin bout ya!

Posted By:
Kevin-Stallard
Field Editor

S/W Illinois 12-05-2012 17:50
Cloudy, Winds Calm – 50-60 Degrees
I haven’t reported much lately because the past couple of weeks have been a nightmare for me, I had a grandson born that required special care at Cardinal Glennon Hospital thus making it almost impossible to get out and hunt. He is doing better but it will be awhile before he is home.
I have talked to several guys hunting in the area and the report was very good early around Carlyle Lake, the first several days of the season almost everybody was getting their limits. The birds got smarter and mother nature gave us 70 plus degrees with a strong south wind that sent alot of the birds back north. There is probably a third of the birds in the area as there was at its peak in middle November, but a new front is scheduled to be here early next week that could bring the birds back.
There are tons of snows in the area, not many specks or canadians yet, but they should get here when mother nature decides it is winter time. Otherwise stay patient and pray for a big ol blast of winter…..

Posted By:
Michael-PhillipsIL
Field Editor

SW Pike 12-03-2012 22:08
– – –
Haven’t been able to get out as much this year as usual but the report is that hunting is tough right now. Warm weather plus a full moon does not equal ducks for us. A ton of ducks are going into the ponds about a half hour or more after sunset and leaving about a half hour before shooting time in the morning. The only thing that will change this pattern is weather but I don’t see much until maybe early next week but even that isn’t much. This is much like what happened last year in December. Going out tomorrow afternoon for the first time in about a week. Hopefully things change.

I have heard that Carlyle is holding a bunch of birds right now.

Posted By:
bigwoody2
Web Member

11-27-2012 19:26
– – –
Hunting has been good in the western burbs with good numbers of ducks, geese are plentiful but hit specific fields. i agree this site is way underused from past years, I miss all the banter and the reports from all over the state even though I only hunt a few areas. Thanks to those that do report even if conserving ammo is all that is happening.

Posted By:
davehunter03
Web Member

Ill river 11-27-2012 09:52
– – –
2: My weekend hunt was one where I conserved ammo..no shots fired. Ducks are just not in the Upper Ill. river yet. I’m hoping the weather changes soon, or I can put my waders away. Reporting is miserable this year on here.

Sr.

Posted By:
2footroper
Web Member

Bath, IL 11-27-2012 08:12
– – –
I guess I’m one of the only ones hunting in the state of Illinois.:-[ Very dissapointing. I’ll really think hard about giving up my hard earned $$ to join this site next year.

[Edited By 2footroper on 2012-11-27 08:14]

Posted By:
2footroper
Web Member

Bath, IL 11-26-2012 09:08
Cloudy, Winds Calm – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
Hunted Fri. Sat. and Sun. with very little happening. Only 15 birds total for 3 days – 5 hunters. Tens of thousands of ducks in the area but the Nut Grass on Stewert lake is killing us. Feeding on Stewert then flying to Crane for rest. If they don’t get these brids off Stewert no one in the area will have a season. On a bright note I did kill a banded Drake Mallard on Saturday.

Posted By:
2footroper
Web Member

Bath, IL 11-22-2012 05:34
– – –
Hey Dave, shoot me an email. Maybe we can get together for a beer. rockingzranch@msn.com Heading to Bath later today after the stuffing. By that I mean me. Reports from the club are slow, slow, slow, but I think it’s going to get with it in the coming days. As I write this there is a nasty winter weather allert for the Minot, ND area and it should give us the push we are all looking for. I’ll be hunting Friday and Saturday and if it looks good I’ll add Sunday unless I have my possession limits. Good luck everyone and have a GREAT THANKSGIVING
Shoot-em-in-the-lips!!!!!!!!!

Posted By:
Michael-PhillipsIL
Field Editor

SW Pike County 11-20-2012 19:59
– – –
There are a lot of ducks around but they have no reason to leave. The clubs north of Delair were really getting them as of last week. Cannon Refuge, which is on the MO side of the Mississippi directly across from Mozier, IL, has 219,000 ducks on it. I think that is a record for them. The following is the most recent report from the area biologist:

Hi Everyone,
I’m reporting a new peak number for the refuge this week at a total of 219,782 ducks!
The percentage of mallards is rising but we are not seeing many of the other species fluctuate. The birds have had pretty stable weather and are not actively feeding during the day. It appears like a bit of a front may be moving in north of us and we’ll see cooler temps towards the end of the weekend. I expect we’ll start seeing more mallards and less of the other species as the next week goes on.

Posted By:
davehunter03
Web Member

Ill river valley 11-18-2012 06:51
– – –
2 Foot: Thanks for the report, not many posting on here these days…good or bad. I think you and I live in the same town, actually one street south of you. Ducks in the upper valley are sparce…need a push and some weather. Good luck
Sr.

Posted By:
2footroper
Web Member

Bath IL 11-17-2012 04:52
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 50-60 Degrees
3 blinds hunted the past 3 days. 2 or 3 ducks per blind!!! There are alot of ducks around but there is also alot of food and little need for the birds to move around. Too warm, no wind, and the Dakotas warming back up again. I guess we’ll have to wait another week or so and see what happens next.

[Edited By 2footroper on 2012-11-17 04:54]

Posted By:
2footroper
Web Member

Bath IL 11-13-2012 07:53
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – 45-50 Degrees
Well I didn’t get to hunt due to this darn thing called work but the guys at the club shot 28 Mallards yesterday. I believe it’s on as the Dakotas start to lock up. Hope they save me some birds as I can’t get down there till Friday. This won’t happen to me next year!!!! 160 days till retirement;-]]]

Posted By:
Drake Slayer
Web Member

11-12-2012 06:56
– – –
Hey Stallard….Boats went out Tuesday to save spots up at Carlyle. The sign in sheet at Tamalco had 3 PAGES of people signed in 11/9 or before.

Posted By:
Scott-Martin
Field Editor

SE Wisco 11-10-2012 23:40
Cloudy, Winds Calm – 50-60 Degrees
Hello geese. They are here. And if you are where they want to be it is awesome as was this AM. Limits by all 815am…. Days like today keep you coming back…awesome. Scott

Posted By:
Kevin-Stallard
Field Editor

South Central Zone 11-09-2012 16:20
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 60-65 Degrees
Looking at the calander tomorrow is the opener, but with 70 degrees a possiblity for Saturday and Sunday the real opener may be Monday when it struggles to get out of the 30’s and a brisk north wind. Either way good luck to all and be carefull.
By the way I heard there are boats lined up already at some of the ramps at the public areas around Carlyle Lake.

Posted By:
Michael-PhillipsIL
Field Editor

SW Pike Co 11-08-2012 21:00
– – –
Saw nice groups of mallards flying around for the first time yesterday. Seemed like a flight came in. Looking at the weather I would think ND will lose a lot of their birds this weekend. Hope we get some of them. Monday could be good.

Posted By:
2footroper
Web Member

11-08-2012 08:34
– – –
Where is the newest migration reports????

Posted By:
Scott-Martin
Field Editor

Not hunted 11-07-2012 21:59
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 45-50 Degrees
Today seemed like a day that I should have been in the blind. If we had water at the best spot I probably would have tried it for a couple hours…. But duty calls…

Observations. Seeing more mallards in northern IL. Not piles but noticed new pairs on the pond at work and in the ravine. Small groups even… Also seeing more flying around at dusk. Went to the goose field this past Sunday and son a pile of them. All were north of us unfortunately and the two groups that decided to come to the field were after shooting time. Shorter days and cloud cover would have helped. Looking forward to that.

Was down in the il river bottoms last friday and it was slow, with a capital SLOW. Saw a total of 6 ducks all am. But managed one woodie drake in the pm from a day saving group. It was a great father-son dinner, even if just one duck on two plates. A memory that will last a lifetime.

Scott

Posted By:
Scott-Martin
Field Editor

Not hunted 11-07-2012 21:59
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 45-50 Degrees
Today seemed like a day that I should have been in the blind. If we had water at the best spot I probably would have tried it for a couple hours…. But duty calls…

Observations. Seeing more mallards in northern IL. Not piles but noticed new pairs on the pond at work and in the ravine. Small groups even… Also seeing more flying around at dusk. Went to the goose field this past Sunday and son a pile of them. All were north of us unfortunately and the two groups that decided to come to the field were after shooting time. Shorter days and cloud cover would have helped. Looking forward to that.

Was down in the il river bottoms last friday and it was slow, with a capital SLOW. Saw a total of 6 ducks all am. But managed one woodie drake in the pm from a day saving group. It was a great father-son dinner, even if just one duck on two plates. A memory that will last a lifetime.

Scott

Posted By:
bigwoody2
Web Member

11-07-2012 16:11
– – –
OK we will keep the mallards up here, easy limits in corn this morning

Posted By:
bigwoody2
Web Member

11-07-2012 16:11
– – –
OK we will keep the mallards up here, easy limits in corn this morning

Posted By:
davehunter03
Web Member

Ill river valley 11-07-2012 04:52
– – –
Big: Ducks still up north, I think most of us are sitting on the bench awaiting arrival. Most of the local ducks around here have left. Too many deer posts, isnt there a site for deer hunters? Get’s old!
Sr.

Posted By:
bigwoody2
Web Member

11-06-2012 17:53
– – –
Where is everyone? Deer hunting? Working? Not hunting cuz no reports.

Posted By:
webmaster
root

McHenry County 11-03-2012 18:21
– – –
Mallards are here in a lot better numbers. Kids did well this morning- all greenheads. Biggest flock was close to a hundred birds. Lots of shots heard in the distance. get em while they are here.

Posted By:
bigwoody2
Web Member

north zone 11-02-2012 08:47
– – –
this week has been very good in evenings for geese and mallards, probably locals but a few groups seem to be new. plenty of geese all over too

Posted By:
2footroper
Web Member

Bath, IL 11-02-2012 05:20
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 45-50 Degrees
I did not hunt the past couple of days but word from the other guys that did is it’s very slow. No new birds and few if any flying. only 3 ducks shot in 2 days.

Posted By:
Drake Slayer
Web Member

11-01-2012 14:39
– – –
I stopped at the Chain-o-Lakes State park when I was up in Richmond workin the other week…..Just sayin….

Posted By:
webmaster
root

McHenry County 11-01-2012 09:43
– – –
Took a long scouting drive with the binoculars. Bufflehead and GWT scattered all over — in the Chain-o-Lakes, Wonder Lake etc…. Mallard numbers are fair, gadwall good.

Goose numbers are excellent. Most are stacked along the edges of city water impoundments and heading to nearby fields to feed. Good access = good hunting.

Posted By:
2footroper
Web Member

Bath, IL 10-30-2012 09:32
– – 45-50 Degrees
Fantastic opening day Saturday. Lots of Mallards to be had by all. Also some Gadwalls. A few woodies and teal as well but mostly Mallards. Reminded me of a late season migration day. If you saw them high and called, you got them to work. Sunday was a different day. Only 1 Mallard. What a difference a day makes.

Posted By:
Michael-PhillipsIL
Field Editor

SW Pike Co 10-23-2012 08:47
– – –
A ton of woodies around. Good amounts of teal. A Missouri waterfowl biologist who just got back from Canada and the Dakotas wrote that the ducks are heading out of Canada because of snow and cold already and heading into the Dakotas. Said the potholes are absolutely loaded with ducks up there. Look forward to them getting here.

Posted By:
Scott-Martin
Field Editor

Ne IL 10-20-2012 22:02
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 45-50 Degrees
Great day in the marsh and the mud! Have never experienced mud lik this before but the rain this week helped make it a good day. Slow in the early hours but things picked up when bird started coming back from the feed. Geese and mallards mostly. All reports from friends good. Now that the birds in the area are shot up we will need some new ones. Watch north…

Posted By:
Seeds
Web Member

Boone County 10-20-2012 14:41
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 35-40 Degrees
Very slow opener…a few Woodies, mallards and local geese.

Posted By:
Scott-Martin
Field Editor

Ne il. Not hunted 10-16-2012 00:00
Cloudy, Rain & Thunderstorms – 50-60 Degrees
Thank the rain gods for the rain. We may get to hunt opener after all at a favorite spot. New mallards spotted with this front. The first bunches have arrived here. Birds in central zone too New ones not there a week ago Only a few days to go….

Posted By:
Michael-PhillipsIL
Field Editor

Pike County 10-08-2012 13:12
– – –
Brushed the blinds on Saturday and saw a nice amount of woodies and a ton of blue wings around. Also saw a lot of geese. I heard that quite a few ducks and geese came in on Saturday night with that northwest wind.

Posted By:
Scott-Martin
Field Editor

Ne il. Not hunted 09-28-2012 23:48
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 50-60 Degrees
Didn’t hunt but watching more and more birds arrive. Mostly geese are noticeable. Saw my first group of cacklers this week with the locals…. It is starting!

Posted By:
Scott-Martin
Field Editor

SE wisco 09-24-2012 00:47
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – 45-50 Degrees
Went to a goose spot on sat am hoping to see the usual early migrants to no avail…. They either aren’t there yet or not where I was or didn’t fly in the windy stormy conditions. A thunderstorm rolled thru to the north at sunrise and then the wind filled in from the NW. Lots of wind. I had to walk the marsh boat most of the way in and then paddle hard to get across the lake … Got my workout for the weekend. Had one chance when I was fixing a couple of upside down decoys but had to say bang since my benelli was in the boat. Did see a few ducks (blue wings, mallards and a pintail) that hopefully will stick around until next weekend. Reports from north zone of wisco are good and I heard a lot of geese on the wing today. It is starting…. Eyes peeled north….

Posted By:
webmaster
root

McHenry / Boone County 09-19-2012 13:58
– – –
Early migrant geese are already arriving — pretty much on schedule.

A number of fields look to have picked swaths of corn for insurance calculations and I suspect they will be mowed or tilled in the coming weeks.

Be aware of local fields near your hunting locations or you could end up with fines for hunting over bait.

Posted By:
eryberg
Web Member

Pool 12 09-17-2012 18:29
– – –
Saturday there were a bunch of blues around. Sat, we got a 4 blues along with a stupid goose. Sunday (9-16) nothing. I spoke to a couple of boats out of Blanding and they also saw big numbers at the first sliver of sun light but very few after that. Vegetation has changed on the pool once again. Not many pads. A long grass species has taken over. I think that is good. I have hunted the pool since the late “60’s. The River always changes. Back in the day you could get around easily with a tiller. Not any more. This is now a mud motor pool.

Posted By:
Kevin-Stallard
Field Editor

Fayette Co. 09-12-2012 05:47
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – –
The last several days have been good to those chasing the blue rockets around. Many folks went home with their four birds the first few days, but the birds are getting a little smarter as early season goes on. We are hunting private flooded corn and taking limits each venture. Sightings of smiley’s, woody’s and mallards are on the increase as well.

Posted By:
huntorski
Guest

Miss pool12 09-08-2012 15:09
– – –
Decent number of blue devils around

Many limits claimed at ramp

Lots of woodies but not many local mallards

It is so great to be back hunting!

Posted By:
Michael-PhillipsIL
Field Editor

St. Louis County 09-06-2012 20:26
– – –
While dove hunting last weekend just outside STL we must have seen 10 different groups of teal buzzing around in the MO River bottoms. With the weather coming this Saturday could be pretty good.

Posted By:
webmaster
root

Illinois 08-30-2012 10:42
– – –
From the IL DNR:

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.

Attached to this email are pertaining sections of the 2011-2012 Illinois Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations that provide additional information on migratory bird hunting and federal baiting regulations.

For questions about federal baiting regulations, please call 217-782-6431, Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Posted By:
webmaster
root

McHenry / Boone County 08-20-2012 09:52
– – –
Did some goose scouting yesterday. The cooler nights have helped with early morning and evening movements the past week.

Cut wheat seems to be the ticket for early morning and late evening feeding spots. Doves were thick in these fields as well.

With most smaller marshes dry and creeks in the area barely a trickle — geese are roosting on big water exclusively.

Need rain. Lots of it.

Posted By:
Duckcarver
Web Member

Saw some teal moving 08-18-2012 22:20
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 60-65 Degrees
Saw some teal moving at sunset. Pretty cools seeing about 200 of them in two flocks. Got the binos on them and they were all blues.

Posted By:
webmaster
root

McHenry County 08-16-2012 17:33
– – –
Well, we got another 0.5″ of rain today. A long way form filling the duck ponds but every little bit helps.

Posted By:
davehunter03
Web Member

08-15-2012 09:29
– – –
Looks like another 60 day season for 012. ‘
Sr.

Posted By:
Duckcarver
Web Member

08-07-2012 10:38
– – –
Corn is starting to be harvested….way early and underdeveloped. Seems like the year started with a lot of promise, but might fizzle out due to the drought.

Posted By:
Drake Slayer
Web Member

Southern IL 06-25-2012 08:49
– – –
Took a golf trip down to extreme southern IL this past weekend….Friday – Sun. I live around the Belleville – Freeburg – Smithton area. Corn in this area is doing alright. Needs rain, but the early corn seems to be weathering this drought fairly well. In my travels south this weekend, I noticed the corn crop south is in DIRE condition!!! It looks absolutely pitiful!! I don’t even know if it can be saved?? Turning brown at the bottom already, tassels forming, and it’s only 3 feet tall. All the leaves are curled in, and the whole stalk is spindly and weak. Weather conditions this week are not going to help. Weather man calling for 104 degree temps for Thursday and Friday. That’s air temp, not heat index!! Not looking good…….

Pray for rain, folks…..

Posted By:
Kevin-Stallard
Field Editor

Highland 06-21-2012 06:11
– – –
Slayer between Highland and Trenton on Rt.160 they have already cut about 10 acres of sweet corn, I like the look of cut cornfields it gives you that tingley/funny feeling…… Days are getting shorter from here on out…….the trail cameras are out, the white bass are just starting, the sunflowers need rain, two out of three ain’t bad.

Posted By:
Drake Slayer
Web Member

06-20-2012 07:21
– – –
Been seeing quite a few corn fields already tasseled out. June 20th….tassels on corn?? Guess that blows “knee high by 4th of July” completely outta the water??!!!

Posted By:
Kevin-Stallard
Field Editor

Highland Area 06-12-2012 06:13
Cloudy, Rain & Thunderstorms – Over 70 Degrees
After all the planting we finally got a good soaker yesterday. Corn was getting stressed since it has been basically a dry spring. Corn about waist high and welcomed the inch or so we got.

Posted By:
Michael-PhillipsIL
Field Editor

SW Pike County 05-22-2012 13:42
– – –
Saw a wood duck hen and about a dozen little ones crossing the road on my way home from a hunt test over the weekend. The hunt test was at Banner Marsh. It was my first time making that drive up from our farm in the Pleasant Hill area and I could not believe the amount of wetlands up there.

Posted By:
Scott-Martin
Field Editor

NE IL 04-19-2012 00:05
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – 60-65 Degrees
Big day. Saw the first group of little yellow puff balls today. A few hour old Canada geese with their proud parents this afternoon. Earliest date for seeing them that I can remember. Usually hope to see them by may day. But they are here early. And the calm spring… Hopefully lots and lots of them… Post reports….

Posted By:
eryberg
Web Member

Pool 12 04-02-2012 16:56
– – –
Opened up the shack this past weekend, Friday. Since we had no winter except one cold snap the third week of Jan. the dig was fine. Went out onto the pool to take a look. I motored from the levee at 12 to just short of Galena. This was a 6 hour total round trip run on Sunday. I dipped in and out of areas just to get a good look. I can not remember the River being this low in late March early April ever. The northern migration was in full swing. There were bus loads of everything on the pool. It was fun to ID what got up as I spooked them. Easier at this time of the year as they are in full dress. I hope some stay to nest. The last 3 years have not been good nesting for dabblers on 12. To much/high water. Lets see. Five months until early teal and goose.

Posted By:
Kevin-Stallard
Field Editor

Fayette/Bond Co. 02-28-2012 12:02
Mostly Cloudy, No Precipitation – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
Webby, they must take the survey in the middle of the morning becaue I have been seeing twice as many as that by 8 AM flying off the lake.I posted an aerial picture myself on the photo section and it was taken at 11AM when most the birds were gone.

Posted By:
webmaster
root

LIght Goose Survey 02-28-2012 11:13
– – –
Over 40,000 snows in southern survey area at this time:

http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/waterfowl/surveys/Pages/SIAerialSurveys.aspx

Posted By:
Terry Wiseman
Guest

The Shoe 02-19-2012 06:47
– – –
We still have plenty of ducks here, a few local Honkers. The specks seem to have left and still not very many snows here.

Posted By:
Kevin-Stallard
Field Editor

S/W IIllinois 01-29-2012 19:33
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
Seems to be a push of dark geese (whatever came down) to the north. The mild temps have the dark geese including specks heading back to the north. Snow geese appear to e ready for the journey also. We got our dark geese today coming from the south. To bad ducks aren’t in could have had a good time with them as well.
Going to chase the light geese tomorrow with the big warm up predicted. Spread set, charging the e caller and waiting for the 1st to pull the plug. Good luck.

Posted By:
davehunter03
Web Member

01-24-2012 18:03
– – –
Lot’s of geese moving back to the N.zone yesterday (yes in that wind) and today. Reverse migration again.
SR.

Posted By:
Scott-Martin
Field Editor

Central IL 01-24-2012 17:16
Cloudy, High Winds – 25-30 Degrees – Ice
Got in one last goose hunt today for my season finale. A good day. Limits for all. Tons of geese in the northern central zone but with the warmer weather a lot are already flying to the north to feed and testing the weather and water trying to go back north. Saw a lot of ducks up close and personal also. Big flocks of pintails buzzing around. They usually are not still north this time of year. Fun to see them. Should be a lot of ducks back on the prairies this spring. Scott

Posted By:
Terry Wiseman
Guest

Horseshoe 01-22-2012 07:24
– – –
Season closes today and ducks are just now gitin here. Weds hunted with a buddy on the draw area. we got 8 mallards 2 gaddies 1 pintail and 1 redhead. Birds finally found my millet so we hunted it from noon till quittin time yesterday. 5 guns 19 mallards 4 gaddies 1 greenwing and the proof of how screwed up the season is, 1 BLUE WING.We had the other mallard down but couldnt find it. But hey, GREAT way to close a good season let alone this pathetic 1.

Posted By:
Scott-Martin
Field Editor

NE IL 01-22-2012 00:01
Cloudy, Accumulating Snow – 10-20 Degrees – Ice
Geese buggin out here … a few sitting on the open water… saw a pile of goldeneye in the neighborhood today and the past few days….

Posted By:
GooseMe1
Guest

Fulton Co. /Canton 01-20-2012 19:22
Cloudy, High Winds – 10-20 Degrees – Ice
Good number of big geese around. Had a great day today. Too bad season almost over. Will keep after them until the end of season.

Posted By:
Kevin-Stallard
Field Editor

S/W IIllinois 01-20-2012 04:56
Cloudy, High Winds – 25-30 Degrees – Ice
WIth a strong N/NW wind today saw more dark geese SB. Several migrators flying high getting away from the bitter cold and some snow north of us. Also more snow geese in the area, but I don’t know if they are following the same routine as the dark geese, you would have thought most of them would be south already but 4-5000 are in the area.
Ended up with a two man limit during the afternoon hunt hoping more will follow today.

Posted By:
benjack71
Web Member

Cache 01-16-2012 22:37
Cloudy, High Winds – 50-60 Degrees
Alot of snow geese, some ducks. Ducks are very very spooky. Alot of standing on the south side of the Cache and skybusting waterfowl coming out of belrose..I mean pass shooting. Watched geese get shot at that were over the refuge, probaly 60+ yards high from guys who were standing on the south side of the Cache..now if they were to get really really lucky and actualy have knocked one down..how the heck were they going to retrieve it..Need a CPO with a empty ticket book to hang out down there.

Posted By:
scattermaster1
Web Member

Coal City Road 01-15-2012 08:22
– – –
Too cold to fly, seen 15 flock of migrators yesterday. Drive home yielded big numbers of geese huddled up like penguins on Renwick and the Dupage. Should have gone ice fishin

Posted By:
Terry Wiseman
Guest

horseshoe 01-15-2012 06:39
– – –
hunted yesterday and seen alot of ducks,10min after shooting time. But hey that didnt bother some people. That just makes them fly even later.

Posted By:
Kevin-Stallard
Field Editor

S/W IIllinois 01-14-2012 05:12
Cloudy, Accumulating Snow – 10-20 Degrees – Open Water
Scott, that movement you were talking about didn’t make it this far south. Had a good show of ducks making it past us, but the geese SB didn’t happen yet. Did have the pleasure of watching a group of about 30 Cans swimming in the decoys this morning, you know its late when the great bull Can is in the neighborhood.
Very little wind last night so most of the water will be hard this morning, hope the pump did its job and we get some of those geese Scott is talking about down here today…
We got about 2″ of snow the last two days but the NW wind was kicking 30 MPH, most the fields around here have just small accumlation.

Posted By:
Scott-Martin
Field Editor

Gardner, il 01-13-2012 22:37
Cloudy, High Winds – 25-30 Degrees – Ice
2 years in a row I have had the pleasure of being in the field sharing the blind with great people to watch a massive goose migration – no specks but just about every sub species of the Canada goose went past us today in the am hours. Big ones, little ones, fat ones, skinny ones… It was absolutely fantastic to watch. Lots and lots and lots and lots of geese decided this am that it was time to head south. Not sure where they stopped but for the ones that stayed in our decoys. Good news is that today is the very first day that this has happened. Friday the 13th (of January!). No bad news. More will decide to move tomorrow with these low temps up north. Then more the next day and many will stick around on the warm water spots. Not enough snow to blow them all the way through ( I hope). Though some will go all the way to the St louis exit.

Missi was happy to see geese come home. But unhappy that she was not there to chase cripples. She will be 13 in a few weeks. Heart and head are not failing her, just her legs. Maybe a goose will fall close in a soon hunt and she can get a lab smile on….

Watch north…

Posted By:
Scott-Martin
Field Editor

NE IL 01-12-2012 00:28
Cloudy, Winds Calm – 25-30 Degrees – Open Water
Here it comes … snow up here, cold on the way … geese and ducks that are stacked up in the North Zone refuge will be moving south this weekend…. snow will be on the food. Drive south….

Posted By:
eryberg
Web Member

N.E. Illinois 01-10-2012 08:58
– – –
If you want to see an impressive sight do a drive by at the Three Oakes Recreation Lake, formerly Vulcan Lake, in Crystal Lake. There are thousands of geese, bunches of swans and mallards roosting on the ice and open water. They come and go all day. The park is closed for the winter but you can see the waterfowl from Rakow and Pingree Roads.