OutdoorIllinois VOLUME IX, NUMBER 9 OUTDOOR ILLINOIS is published monthly by the Department of Natural Resources, Office of Public Services, 524 S. Second St., Springfield, IL 62701-1787, phone (217) 782-7454, e-mail editor@dnrmail.state.il.us. (Publication number: ISSN 1072-7175) Periodical Postage Paid at Springfield, IL POSTMASTER: Send address changes to OUTDOOR ILLINOIS, Department of Natural Resources, Dept. NL, 524 S. Second St., Springfield, IL 62701-1787. George H. Ryan    Governor Brent Manning    Director James D. Garner    Deputy Director Jim Riemer, Jr.    Deputy Director STAFF: James L. Fulgenzi, office director; Gary Thomas, editor; Liz Pensoneau, managing editor; John Alien, staff writer; P.J. Perea, staff writer; Adele Hodde, chief photographer; Chas. J. Dees, staff photographer; Charles J. Copley, design & layout; Cheryl Gwinn, production coordinator; Vera Lynn Smith, circulation. Illinois Department of Natural Resources Internet Address: http://dnr.state.il.us Staff-written material appearing in this publication may be reprinted without permission, provided that OUTDOOR ILLINOIS, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, is acknowledged as the source. OUTDOOR ILLINOIS assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts or illustrations. Equal opportunity to participate in programs of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and those funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies is available to all individuals regardless of race, sex, national origin, disability, age, religion or other non-merit factors. If you believe you have been discriminated against, contact the funding source's civil rights office and/or the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, DNR, 524 S. Second, Springfield, IL 62701-1787; 217/785-0067; TTY 217/782-9175. All public meetings conducted by the Department of Natural Resources will be accessible to handicapped individuals in compliance with Executive Order No. 5 and pertinent state and federal laws, upon notification of the anticipated attendance. Handicapped persons planning to attend and needing special accommodations should inform the Department of Natural Resources at least five days prior to the meeting by telephoning or writing the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, Department of Natural Resources, 524 S. Second St., Springfield, IL 62701-1787, phone (217) 785-0067. Department of Natural Resources information is available to the hearing impaired by calling DNR's Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (217) 782-9175. Printed by the Authority of the State of Illinois PRT3216173-28,395-7/01 Illinois Department of Natural Resources Printed on recycled and recyclable paper with soy-based ink. Illinois Department of Natural Resources

What'sInside 2 World Class Fishery Anglers from throughout the Midwest are using these three words to describe the Illinois River. 6 Bank Shots This shore angler learned how to capture the essence of fishing on film. 9 Hands On For a learning experience second to none, visit The Grove at Glenview. 14 Snap Decisions Take your camera along this year, then enter your best photos in our second annual OutdoorIllinois photo contest. 15 Just Outside Chicago DNR has teamed up with the Chicago Park District to get city kids into the Illinois outdoors. 20 NewsFront We'll tell you about law enforcement's new point system, Free Fishing Days, DNR's new fishing guide, this summer's ENTICE program, a national hunting and fishing survey, the Foundation's new website, communities receiving Tree City honors and this year's winners of the state Arbor Day poster contest in this month's NewsFront. On the Cover... DNR photographer Chas. J. Dees took the cover photograph of bluebells in bloom at Kankakee River State Park.

May 2001

Does it seem like your favorite fishing hole is less crowded than it has been in the past? Do you notice fewer blaze orange caps when you're pheasant hunting? Or maybe your best outdoors buddy has suddenly lost interest in what was once a passionate pursuit? If you spend any time at all outdoors, you might have observed that there are indeed fewer people hunting and fishing. Our licensing section shows overall declines of more than 20 percent in the numbers of people buying hunting and fishing licenses over the last decade. And it's not just in Illinois; other states across the country also are reporting declines in license sales. There are any number of reasons for these declines: our transformation from an agrarian/rural society to an urban one; increased competition from other activities such as school sports, video games, 500-channel cable TV and the Internet; less available time to spend outdoors; as well as the expense of buying licenses and equipment. In various national studies, lack of time is the reason most often given by people who don't hunt or fish. Most of the other entertainment options can be spur-of-the-moment decisions, whereas hunting and fishing require a little advance planning. Our own studies have shown an increase in the number of days anglers/hunters are spending in the field, meaning the occasional angler/hunter has dropped out, while the more avid outdoor enthusiasts are spending more time out there. As a sportsman, your first reaction might understandably be that this is good, considering the number of species available for taking and less competition for places to hunt and fish. From DNR's perspective, however, this is not good. I'll concede that the Department has a vested financial interest in the number of licenses sold, but our mandate is to provide recreational opportunities by efficiently managing species and habitat, and license sales are the primary way we finance that work. Less license revenue means less money to spend on fish and wildlife stocking and habitat improvement programs. In the past few years, DNR has created numerous programs aimed at increasing the number of people who hunt and fish. These include the Urban Fishing Program; the Access to Fishing rod/reel loan program; youth dove, deer, turkey, duck and goose hunts; the "Becoming an Outdoors-Woman" Program; and the Disabled Outdoor Opportunities Program. We've also made it easier to introduce newcomers to fishing through the annual Free Fishing Days promotion, scheduled for June 6-9, when license and stamps are not required for fishing any public waters in Illinois. We've even tried to lure the occasional angler by offering a 24-hour fishing license that includes Lake Michigan salmonid privileges for a mere $5.50. As a government agency, we've tried everything we can think of to increase participation in fishing and hunting. Now we need your help. If you know someone who might be interested in fishing or hunting, tell them about the many ways the DNR has made it easier for them to get involved. Point out how much fun these activities are, and how they offer the whole family a way to share quality time together. Then give them the benefit of your expertise by offering to take them with you. Getting more people involved in hunting and fishing is the best way to ensure these activities are available to future generations.