'Newsbits' from the Department of Natural Resources           

[JULY 13, 2005]  July Art Spree: Discover decorative collectibles Wednesday and Thursday (July 13-14) from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Illinois Artisans Shop July Art Spree in the atrium of the James R. Thompson Center, 100 W. Randolph St. in Chicago. Select members of the Illinois Artisans Program will display and sell original fine art and crafts perfect for unique gifts or summer decorating. Thirteen artisans will present beaded jewelry, sterling silver jewelry and animal pins, ceramic tiles, pots and vases, hand-blown glass, handmade boxes and fine art. As a special feature, a variety of two-dimensional work will be displayed, including original oil paintings, graphite drawings and pastels, notecards, watercolors, and fiber pieces. The Illinois Artisans Shop, a not-for-profit endeavor, is a showcase for artwork created by the state's finest artisans. For more information, phone [phone].

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Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant application deadline Friday: The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is now accepting applications for the Volunteer Fire Assistance Local Government Grant Program. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service has awarded IDNR approximately $300,000 in federal funds for these grants, which will be distributed to firefighting agencies as 50-50 matching grants with a maximum award of $12,500 to a fire agency. Grant application packages must be postmarked no later than July 15, and grant awards should be announced in September. Those interested in applying for these funds can obtain a grant application package through the IDNR website or by contacting the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Office of Resource Conservation-VFA Program, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702-1271; phone [phone]. [To download Adobe Reader for the application PDF file, click here.]

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Mussel contracts: Contracts for the commercial harvest of mussels on a portion of the lower Illinois River are available July 15-Aug. 31. Mussel harvest will be allowed by contract from the mouth of the Illinois River at Grafton to the LaGrange Lock and Dam at river mile 80.1. Those interested in obtaining a contract must have an Illinois mussel harvest license and not have been guilty of a fishing violation within the past 12 months. Each contract holder must fill out a daily report of mussel harvest. For more information, phone [phone].

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Snake program Saturday: Giant City State Park, Makanda, hosts an informative and exciting program on "The Snakes of Southern Illinois" on Saturday (July 16) at 10 a.m. For more information, call [phone].

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Benefit fishing tourney: Anglers are invited to participate in the 10th annual Sam Romano Lake Michigan Fishing Tournament the morning of July 21 out of the Winthrop Harbor Yacht Club at North Point Marina in Lake County. The tournament is a benefit for the Illinois Conservation Foundation's youth fishing, hunting and other outdoor recreation programs. The cost is $1,000 for each five-person boat, or $200 for an individual angler. The cost includes a chartered fishing experience on Lake Michigan, breakfast, lunch and awards. For more information, call [phone] or register via the Illinois Conservation Foundation website at www.ilcf.org.

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July issue of Outdoor Illinois: Discover some of the quiet, scenic state park campgrounds and locations throughout Illinois offering rent-a-cabins and rent-a-tents, perfect for breaking in camping novices of all ages. A red-bellied woodpecker graces the cover of the July issue of Outdoor Illinois, the monthly magazine of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and the story "The Drill Team" describes why woodpeckers are the ultimate multitasker. Other stories include the fisheries of Evergreen Lake near Bloomington, how to make boile baits, Clinton Lake State Recreation Area, the climate of Illinois, brown recluse spiders and more.

Outdoor Illinois is a great tool for learning about Illinois' natural, cultural and recreational resources and is a bargain at only $15 for a one-year, 12-issue magazine subscription. Call 1 [phone] to subscribe, or check the IDNR website for information and an order form. Visa and MasterCard are accepted. For information on advertising in Outdoor Illinois, call [phone] or e-mail [e-mail].

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Wildlife grants: Applications are being accepted by the Special Wildlife Funds Grant Program,  administered through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Illinois Habitat Fund grants can be awarded for projects seeking to preserve, protect, acquire or manage habitat (wetlands, woodlands, grasslands and agricultural lands, natural or altered) in Illinois that have the potential to support populations of wildlife in any or all phases of their life cycles. Eligible recipients are limited to any appropriate not-for-profit organization or government agency that has the expertise, equipment and permission from the landowner (if applicable) to develop or manage habitat.

State Pheasant Fund grants can be awarded for projects that include land acquisition, pheasant habitat improvement on public or private land, pheasant research, or education of the public regarding pheasants and pheasant hunting. Eligible recipients are limited to appropriate not-for-profit organizations.

The deadline for submitting applications for the grants is 5 p.m. Aug. 1. New application forms and instructions are available from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Office of Resource Conservation, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702-1271; phone [phone]; or on the IDNR website.

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Pheasant management workshop set: Illinois landowners, sportsmen and others who want to see ring-necked pheasant numbers increase are invited to attend the free Landowner's Pheasant Management Workshop on Aug. 6 in Peoria County. The workshop will be at the Gilles brothers' farm north of Brimfield. The workshop will include a morning program at 9 a.m. followed by a tour of habitat practices and a free lunch provided by Pheasants Forever. The program and lunch will be completed by 1 p.m.

Illinois Pheasants Forever, Illinois River Valley Pheasants Forever Chapter, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and Farm Services Agency, Peoria County Soil and Water Conservation District, University of Illinois Extension, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources sponsor the event.

The workshop will focus on improving pheasant habitat using state, federal and private programs to implement habitat restoration practices. Resource agency speakers will discuss improving the farm landscape for ring-necked pheasants and other wildlife through the establishment and management of nest cover plantings, native grass and forb grasslands, food plots, filter strips, field borders and contour buffer strips.

Register in advance for this free workshop by phoning the Peoria County Soil and Water Conservation District at [phone]. Those who register in advance will have their names entered in a drawing for a shotgun donated by Pheasants Forever and will receive detailed directions to the workshop site. From Interstate 74, take the Brimfield Exit (Maher Road) to U.S. Route 150. Turn left (west) on Route 150 through Brimfield to Brimfield Road. Turn right (north) on Brimfield Road and go eight miles to Troxel Road ("T" intersection). Turn right, and the first farmstead on the left is the workshop site.

For more information, interested landowners and sportsmen may call the Department of Natural Resources at [phone] or [phone].

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Astronomy program: "Nature's Nightlights," a summer astronomy viewing, will be Aug. 6, 8:30-10 p.m., at Giant City State Park. Join the Astronomical Association of Southern Illinois for exciting explorations of the night sky. Highlights will include the moon, Venus and Jupiter. For your comfort, bring a reclining lawn chair or blanket. All astronomy programs are weather-permitting. Meet at the Giant City Visitors Center parking lot, 235 Giant City Road, Makanda. For more information, phone [phone].

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Wing shooting clinics: The Department of Natural Resources and a variety of participating sponsors are hosting a series of wing shooting clinics for beginners and hunters this summer. At select clinics for youth and women, Saturday session instruction is available for young wing shooters 10-15 years of age. Sunday sessions are for girls and women and are open to all those ages 10 and older. Instructors are certified by the National Sporting Clays Association. All supplies, including shotguns and ammunition, are provided these clinics. Hunter clinics are designed to enhance the wing shooting skills of hunters ages 16 and older. Hunters with wing shooting skill levels from beginner to advanced are encouraged to attend. A small fee is assessed each hunter clinic participant to cover the cost of clay targets and refreshments. Upcoming youth-women's clinics and contact phone numbers are:

• Aug. 20-21 -- Shabonna Lake State Park, DeKalb County; [phone]
• Aug. 27-28 -- Fisher, Champaign County; [phone]
• Aug. 28 -- Decatur, Macon County; [phone]
• Sept. 10-11 -- Sam Dale Lake Conservation Area, Wayne County; [phone]
• Sept. 17-18 -- Johnson Sauk Trail State Park, Henry County; [phone]

Upcoming hunter clinics are:

• Sept. 10-11 -- Amboy, Lee County; [phone]
• Sept. 17-18 -- Jim Edgar Panther Creek SFWA, Cass County; [phone]

Check the IDNR website for the complete schedule of wing shooting clinics.

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2005-2006 ENTICE workshops scheduled: The Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Division of Education, is sponsoring 19 educator workshops through the Environment and Nature Training Institute for Conservation Education program for 2005-2006. These free workshops offer continuing professional development units for teachers. Check the IDNR website for the complete schedule and a registration form. [To download Adobe Reader for the form, click here.] Registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. All applicants will be contacted regarding the status of their registration. Contact the IDNR Division of Education at [e-mail] or [phone] for more information.

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New IDNR list server: Educators throughout Illinois now have the opportunity to obtain instant notification about new products, scheduled workshops and many other events and items from the IDNR Division of Education electronic list server. Educators will receive e-mail messages when new materials, such as posters and activity books, are available. To join the list, send an e-mail with the text "subscribe education Your Name" in the body of the message to the address [e-mail]. For example, "subscribe education May Apple" would be what you enter if your name is May Apple. You may leave the list at any time by sending an e-mail containing the text "unsubscribe education" to the address [e-mail]. There is no charge to participate. Should you have any problems subscribing, please e-mail [e-mail].

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Wolf Creek State Park deer hunting opportunities: The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will conduct an archery deer hunt this fall at Wolf Creek State Park, located eight miles northwest of Windsor, between Findlay and Bruce. Site permits for Wolf Creek State Park will be issued for a total of 12 one-week hunting periods from Oct.1 to Jan. 9, 2006. The unit will be closed to archery deer hunting Nov. 12-20 and Nov. 28-Dec. 4, during the weeks of firearm deer season. Archery hunting periods will be filled through a mail-in random application drawing. The purpose of this new hunt is to increase recreational opportunities at the site for archery deer hunters. Wolf Creek is already hunted during the firearm deer season. Archery hunters will be required to harvest a doe before harvesting an antlered deer. This requirement is intended to help manage the large deer population on and near the site.

Applications are available at Wolf Creek State Park, the Charleston IDNR district office and the IDNR Region 3 office at Clinton Lake. The permit application can also be downloaded from the IDNR website. To qualify for the site drawing, applications must be received by the Charleston district office by close of business July 30. Successful applicants will be notified by mail by Aug. 15. All hunters will be required to show proof of a current hunting license, habitat stamp, state-issued archery permit and issued site permit.

For more information on deer hunting opportunities and site regulations at Wolf Creek State Park, contact the Wolf Creek State Park office at [phone] or Doug Brown, IDNR district wildlife biologist, at [phone].

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Crow season dates announced: The upcoming Illinois crow hunting season will be Oct. 15 through Feb. 28, 2006, except the crow season is closed during all firearm deer hunting seasons. Please note these are new dates. Illinois formerly offered a split crow season of July 1-Aug. 15 and Dec. 15-March 1. Hunters expressed a preference for more crow hunting opportunity in the fall when crows are migrating and are found in larger numbers in Illinois.

[Illinois Department of Natural Resources news release]