With all the venom launched at Sarah Palin and her moose-dressing skills, you'd think blue states like Illinois didn't hunt and fish. Not so.
The fall trout season opens on Saturday.
"In Cook County, Axehead, Belleau and Horsetail will be stocked," according to Dale Bowman."In DuPage, Silver, Deep Quarry and Grove will be stocked. The three DuPage lakes are closed to all fishing until trout season opens. All other trout lakes are closed to trout fishing until the opener. Other area lakes stocked include Bird Park Quarry (Kankakee County), Big Lake at Silver Springs State Park (Kendall) and Banana and Sand lakes (Lake)."
Likewise, north-south waterfowl season opens on Saturday, and Bowman notes that "There have been some changes. The daily duck bag is six of any species, including teal (except mergansers), but no more than four mallards (no more than two hen mallards), no more than three wood ducks, no more than two redheads and no more than one black duck, pintail and scaup (two scaup can be taken Nov. 4-23). Canvasbacks are closed. The daily bag for all mergansers is five, only two of which can be hooded. White-fronted geese don't open in the north zone until Oct. 31."
On the hunting front, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources says that "Illinois hunters pursue the white-tailed deer more than any other game species the state has to offer." Archery season opened October 1st; firearm deer season opens the Friday before Thanksgiving.
Upland game season begins the first Saturday in November.
