danieljs | Illinois Learn to Hunt | Illinois Natural History Survey

But Where Do I Hunt? How to Find and Scout Public Land Remotely

Finding a place to hunt can be difficult when you don’t know where to look. Utilizing public information provided by the Illinois DNR and other data sources, you can find and scout public land near you. Narrowing down sites and noting key habitat features before conducting boots on the ground scouting helps saves time and frustration you might have when entering a site “blind”. To aid in this process, I will be going over the steps I use when looking for a new public land site and detail my hunt planning process. I am going to be focusing on deer archery season in Region 2 (the Chicagoland area). I will then pick a site to use as an example and review satellite images to point out some key characteristics that should be looked at once you start on the ground scouting. Throughout this article, we use a public Illinois DNR site and explain our hunt-planning process. While the areas we highlight do appear productive, these are not recommendations for specific hunting spots, but more so, to illustrate and share our thought process as we select areas.

Finding a New Site

Step 1: The IDNR has recently released a new website designed to assist hunters in the hunting-planning process. One new feature of this website is the Hunt Planner tool. To use this tool, go to the new website: huntillinois.org and select the HUNT PLANNER button at the top center of the page.

Step 2: This will open the Hunt Planner tool. Select the portion of the state you are interested in. This can be a specific site, a county, or you can use your current location to find sites near you. I used the region map and selected Region 2 in the northeast corner of the state.

Step 3: Select the species you wish to hunt. This step will filter all the Illinois DNR public sites in the geography you selected that allow hunting for the species you selected. I selected deer so this will show all the sites that allow deer hunting in Region 2 (my selected geography).

Step 4: Review the list of filtered sites. There are 15 sites in Region 2 that have archery deer seasons.

Step 5: After filtering a list of sites that fit your criteria, now you want to further research these sites. There are a few key pieces of information you will want to look up to help you differentiate these sites, so that you can focus on the ones that meet your needs or may be more productive for the species you are targeting.

The first thing to look up are the site-specific regulations. You can find information such as site contact info, site characteristics, amenities, and site-specific regulations (e.g., legal hunting methods, season dates). Site regulations can vary from site to site depending on various factors such as the site’s size and if the site has other uses. It’s important to mention that site-specific regulations can be more restrictive than the statewide seasons and regulations. You can navigate to the site’s web page by clicking on the site names listed. Some sites, such as Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach SP, are not very large and require you to enter a lottery to gain access for a two-week period during the season. Other sites, such as Des Plaines Game Propagation Center, are used for controlled pheasant hunts and limits access to archery hunters during the season. Depending on your preparation (you missed the lottery application period) or availability (you can only hunt weekends), some sites may be unavailable to you. Starting off reviewing site regulations helps narrow down your options without investing additional research and scouting time.

After reviewing the site-specific regulations and narrowing down your list of potential sites, you will want to look up a map of the site and start looking at its various characteristics.

Things to consider:

Habitat – Does the site have diverse habitat suitable for deer? Deer are edge species, so look for habitat transitions. Deer use transitions to feed and navigate across the landscape. Look for food resources (crop fields, oak flats), travel corridors, and bedding locations (overgrown fields, thickets, ridge points).

Topography – Your hunting plan should incorporate an understanding of how elevation changes in the landscape impacts deer movement. Look for ridge lines deer may follow, or steep inclines that naturally constrict and funnel deer movement to a pinch point. Remember, deer like to travel the path of least resistance. Get refreshed on how to read a topographic map here.

Site Access – Identify parking locations around the site. Not only is site access important for knowing how/where you can park and access the site, but it can also help you find areas that may not receive as much hunting pressure. The average hunter doesn’t travel more than a quarter mile away from their vehicle. Trying to get away from the parking lots so that you avoid other hunting pressure may lead to more productive areas. Note where you might set up at and plan your travel route from there.

Step 6: Use the annual Public Hunting Area Report to help narrow down your selection here. In this report you can find valuable information about public land sites in Illinois. It lists total acres, total huntable acres, hunting trips, as well as the number of each species harvested.

For convenience, I compiled the information for Region 2 sites from the report in Table 1 above. In this table, you can see which site is the largest, has the most hunting pressure, and had the most deer harvested the previous season. Some of these numbers maybe a little misleading. It is important to review the site map to see where you can hunt deer specifically. The total huntable acres (for all species) could include areas where deer hunting is not allowed. This also applies to the hunting trips taken. You will see sites like Des Plaines have a lot of hunting trips taken, but many of these are for upland bird hunting. This means that the deer may not be as pressured as it seems. The good news is that there is about 20,486 huntable acres all about an hour outside of Chicago.

Step 7: Choose a site. As an example, I am choosing Momence Wetland LWR on site specific regulations alone. This site has the least restrictions that I found in Region 2. There is not lottery or restrictions on how many hunters can be at the site on any given day. You are also allowed to access the site by boat, which is cool. See site regs below.

Let’s look at a site map to note where we are allowed to hunt and where we can access the site from:

We can hunt the north side of the river, except in the narrow strip of trees located in the middle of the property. There are three entry points to the site indicated by the Parking Lot and Boat Access symbols (highlighted with a green circle). The parking lots are to the far north off E4000 N Rd and to the east near Co Rd N360 E. The boat access is located on the south side of the river.

Finding key characteristics through eScouting

Using satellite imagery, we can note some key characteristics of the site. This will help us understand how deer might be using the property and where we might be able to set up to intercept them.

There is a large island (outlined in orange) in the middle of the property. This could be a great sanctuary not just for the deer, but for you, too. Not many hunters coming from the parking lots will have access to this chunk of land. The privacy is worth taking a boat over to scout out for any deer sign. You may not have to compete with other deer hunters, but note that there are duck blinds along the river at this site. Make sure to set up in a safe location.

In the middle of the property is a travel corridor of trees between two agricultural fields. Referring to the site map, you are not allowed to hunt along this strip. You can still use this corridor to your advantage. Go in looking for deer sign and do some reconnaissance hunts to figure out how the deer are accessing these fields and meet them there. See if you can use the “pinch point” between the river and the fields to get deer in range.

In the northernmost section of the property, we see some new growth. Railroad tracks run down from northeast to southwest on one side, to the south is the river, and to the east are agricultural fields. This area may be thick and secluded enough to be good bedding “B” area. If the deer are utilizing the ag field, you can intercept them in the woods. On a west wind, using a boat, you could get set up in the tree line relatively undetected. Another feature is the funnel or “pinch point” to the west of the bedding area that is made by the railroad tracks and the river. If deer are moving along the bank, setting up there, you have a good chance to get a deer in range when it passes by.

Each of these setups now requires boots on the ground scouting to gather more information. Scouting can take a lot of time and effort driving to and from a site. Knowing how to narrow down your sites and how to use eScouting to develop a plan will help you capitalize on your time afield. I hope the steps covered in this article give you a leg up on finding your next hunting spot.

Knot to be Without — The One Knot Everyone Should Know

When is the last time you learned a simple skill that could save your life? Well, if you don’t already know the bowline knot, that counter will restart today. Take 15 minutes to learn this knot and practice it often enough that it gets engrained in your memory. Anyone who goes outside should know it.

The bowline knot is a quick knot with high holding strength that won’t tighten or loosen when pulling great loads. This makes it the go-to knot in a survival situation if you need to be hoisted out of somewhere because it will hold but not cinch down on you. Now hopefully no one reading this will ever need to use the bowline knot in this way but if you do, knowing it could be the difference in making it out or not.

There are a ton of other practical reasons to use the bowline knot that are less severe too. I’ve had to tie up boats with a fouled motor to be pulled across a big lake in a storm. Pulling a big boat against the wind requires a knot you can trust. You also want to be able to untie the rope after all the tugging when you make it back to the ramp. The bowline knot can be used anytime a strong temporary connection needs to be made. Quick to tie, quick to untie.

Digital illustration of how to tie a bowline knot, with numbered steps.

Bowline knot tied in red rope, accented with black and white stitching.

If you fall in a canyon and someone throws you a rope, it’s time for a bowline knot, that open loop you see would be around you. Could also be through the eyelet of your boat, ATV or used in a hundred other ways.

A bush pilot friend of mine can tie a bowline knot with one hand and his eyes closed in less than 2 seconds. He practices it often due to his higher likelihood of needing this knot in a survival situation. He told me that to be the most useful, you need to practice with one hand and without vision. This covers more scenarios that may arise.

I am not routinely flying through the mountains of Alaska like my buddy but the way I figure, any time you spend honing a useful skill is time well spent. When that skill could help save your life or someone around you, well that’s just the icing on the cake.

If you are looking for more useful outdoors tips check out our LTH YouTube page here: Illinois Learn to Hunt – YouTube

See you in the woods!

Mourning Doves and Grizzly Bears

The farmer who planted the ag fields at my Grandpa’s place had a wheat field loaded down with doves. I must have been right around 15 or so and while I had been hunting for several years, this was my first dove hunt. I wonder if that farmer would have been so willing to grant us hunting permission had he known how good it was going to be?

Up to this point, my hunting career had been lack-luster in terms of procurement. I hunted for several years before I got my first turkey, and it took me a few more to get that first deer. Lots of days sitting in the woods and not seeing much of anything. After all that, walking into that field with my brother, dad and grandpa with doves flying everywhere was a surreal experience.

I had my ammo box that neatly held 50 shotgun shells, my trusty 870 and a small stool. We spread out 30 yards apart or so in some weedy cover on the edge of a 20-acre wheat field to conceal ourselves from the flying birds overhead. Luckily, it hadn’t rained a drop in the couple weeks since the wheat was cut, and the getting was good for the doves. This was the first hunt I had ever been on where there wasn’t any real “down” time.

The limit of doves in Missouri was 15. I eventually got there but not with just the shells I brought. Luckily, my dad and grandpa reached their limits with shells to spare, and they didn’t mind lending me a few. When it was all said and done, I had 15 doves in my bag beside 72 empty shotgun hulls. All of this happened in just a tick over an hour and a half. For the math buffs out there, that’s nearly 5 shots per bird.

I learned how to shoot shotguns on that day, but it was a lengthy process. Doves will kind of force you to do that. Did you know that shotgun barrels can get so hot that you can’t touch them? They tend to jam up when this happens. My most important lesson from that day was to be patient while hunting, especially when you don’t have to be.

Now with 72 shots in roughly an hour and a half there isn’t much time for reflection. Somewhere in there though amongst a string of misses that had me thinking someone forgot to put shot in my shells, I thought about grizzly bears. Thinking about those grizzly bears wading in streams filled with salmon, oh boy are they fun to watch. Some young silly bear chases salmon after salmon in a stream filled to bursting. Meanwhile the wise bear selects a prime location and waits for one to drop in its mouth. On this hunt, I was the young and inexperienced bear chasing salmon.

It’s easy to get excited when there are shot opportunities abound. When you start questioning how you are holding and aiming the shotgun, you are thinking far too much for artisanal marksmanship. I slowed down, I located my prime shooting lane and decided to only shoot after doves entered it. This not only kept my fire rate at a pace my equipment could handle but also increased my shot efficiency. If I didn’t feel smooth and comfortable on a swing, I wouldn’t shoot. There would be better opportunities. I was becoming that fat old bear right in the dove field.

I have shot plenty of limits of doves since and it has never once taken me 2 full boxes of shells again. I like to think I am a pretty fair shot on the scatter gun and I owe a lot of that to this one hunt that occurred in less than 2 hours. While getting a limit of doves is always enjoyable, it’s only really “cool” if you do it with a single box of shells. I haven’t quite achieved this goal as of yet, but I have been close a number of times. Its good to have goals to shoot for.

It’s time now to apply for Illinois managed dove hunts for the first few days of the season. These are usually the days with the hottest action but certainly not the only time that good hunts can be had. Applying is free and can be completed here: – Dove (illinois.gov)

We hope to see you all out in the dove fields this fall!

Modern day Wildlife Management in North America may be the best story never told.

Sadly, most of us were never taught about wildlife management and conservation in our primary education. We can calculate angles of a triangle (if given a couple measurements) and we know when Columbus sailed the ocean blue but somehow wildlife and natural resources did not make the cut. Not as an ordinary part of the curriculum anyway. Did you know that at one time deer, turkeys, waterfowl and a number of wading birds were teetering from threatened to extirpated across much of their range? Do you know the story of how these critters and more went from the edge of extinction to becoming nuisance threats? Pity, as it may well be one of our nation’s greatest success stories.

Its not all sunshine and rainbows, just ask the passenger pigeon. Another pity, but one that helped pave the way for the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. In 1850, as settlers were moving west with the “gold rush”, what was likely a slow decline in pigeon numbers went hardly noticed. That decline began to pick up steam in about 1870 and rapidly progressed until the last known wild passenger pigeon was shot at the turn of the century. An article from Michigan (1878) reads: “An average of 50,000 pigeons were taken per day for nearly 5 months consecutive”, this was one of the last large nesting attempts for the species.

Whenever modern-day debates spark up on expanding harvest opportunities, the folks against such things are quick to bring up the passenger pigeon’s plight as evidence supporting their cause. It is a story that is easy to understand. Pigeons were thought limitless, millions and millions were killed by people and now they are gone forever. Really tugs at the old heart strings, but it’s not the whole story. I have wondered what the sight of a passenger pigeon migration would look like more times than I care to admit. I have gotten downright angry about not having that opportunity! That emotional connection to a bird I will never see does not make the argument a valid one against modern day hunting.

Stuffed bird on a branch with wood in the background that is part of a display case. — A male Passenger Pigeon.

Much occurred during the 1800s across North America. The Louisiana Purchase, Gold Rush, the Civil War and the Wild West just to name a few. Its no wonder that with all that, something like conservation was not yet well established. The loss of the passenger pigeon along with the near loss of bison, pronghorn, white-tailed deer, wild turkey and black bears across the country helped give birth to a new attitude. Just as the passenger pigeon is proof that we can drive a species to extinction, the other critters mentioned above are proof that modern day wildlife management techniques not only work but can be used to aid in species recovery.

Oh, to go back to 1857 when one of the first bills concerning passenger pigeons reached the Ohio State Legislature. To listen to the discussion, the scoffs and the justification from the special senate committee when they ruled the passenger pigeon did not warrant any protections. “Pigeons are wonderfully prolific” they said, no doubt depending on their vast knowledge of the natural world to arrive at that conclusion. Fun Fact: Passenger pigeons would normally lay one egg. When the last captive passenger pigeon (Martha) died in 1914, she became the proverbial canary in the coal mine. The sting of losing something irretrievable and knowing that it was within our power to stop it, is enough to drive any naturalist mad.

You can call this period from around 1800 until around 1900, the period of exploitation and extermination. Luckily, some of those “mad” naturalists were Theodore Roosevelt, Aldo Leopold and George Bird Grinnell (all hunters). As president, Roosevelt started the National Forest Service, started the National Park system and used executive orders to set aside large amounts of public lands unapologetically. Along with George Bird Grinnell, Roosevelt founded the Boone and Crockett Club. The club helped set aside several refuges for non-game wading birds, sought to “regulate” hunting and pushed for a science driven management approach. Aldo Leopold expanded on that foundation laying out a long-term vision of wildlife management that we are still playing out to this day.

Black-and-white image of Aldo Leopold, who is using a cane and wearing binoculars and a fedora, and his dog, Flick, in a field with trees next to them. — Aldo Leopold created the wildlife management and research professions we know today.

Just a couple years after the loss of Martha, and with her an entire species, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act was passed in 1918. Then came the duck stamp act in 1934 and the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration (Pittman-Robertson) Act of 1937. With public support for a transition from “market” hunting to what they called “sport” hunting, along with a solid funding source for conservation efforts provided by the later two Acts mentioned above, the modern era of conservation was initiated.

A stamp depicting three geese in flight, which says, "Migratory bird hunting and conservation stamp. $25. Void after June 30, 2018. Canada Geese. U.S. Department of the Interior." — The Federal Waterfowl stamp program provides considerable funding for habitat work. The Federal Waterfowl stamp program provides considerable funding for habitat work.

With the duck stamp and other license fees that hunters were paying along with the excise tax on firearms and ammunition that the Pittman-Robertson Act created, conservation could be funded by folks who were enjoying it, the hunters. This was important because when other things popped up like gold rushes, Louisiana Purchases or Civil Wars from the past century, the funding mechanism wasn’t cutoff. Being directed by science, not politics and almost entirely self-funded, many species have successfully rebounded. Rebounded at a time when habitat threats are greater than ever, I might add. It’s truly remarkable really.

My grandpa used to tell me stories from when he was young, and he could first deer hunt in his area. “First thing you had to do was find a track”, he would say. Deer were scarce back then so not all properties had them. Today when we think about hunting deer, we think about habitat, land features and food sources. This is because back when my grandpa was hunting long hours not seeing nothing, his dollars were used to help recover species, recover habitat, and learn about the natural world. Today the tracks are there, the tracks are everywhere.

The three pillars of modern-day wildlife management and conservation are: 1) user groups – hunters, trappers and anglers who fund the system, 2) Science based wildlife mangers and researchers who study wildlife and set regulations to achieve management goals while ensuring the preservation of biodiversity and 3) Conservation Police Officers to enforce the regulations. Working together, the three groups have achieved what they could not alone. The remarkable restoration of a number of species both game and non-game animals for the benefit of hunters and non-hunters alike.

Leopold laid out a fourth pillar, a fusion with human dimensions pillar. Wildlife managers started working with social scientists to learn more about hunters, non-hunters and their motivations several decades ago, but the approach is still in its infancy. Facing budgetary uncertainties, political pressure, and a declining hunting population, state and federal wildlife agencies are having a tough time treading water, much less exploring new territories.

A bird on a branch depicted in black and white, with a shadow in the background. Text is in a black box in the upper-right corner of the image, with blurry, indistinguishable text, outside of the word "Extinct." — Last of her species, this is Martha.

We have a century or so of operating under this modern era of conservation. During this time, regulated hunting and trapping have never led to a species becoming endangered or extinct. Species, even those that are hunted continue to expand in many cases. At a time with so many uncertainties, the model of wildlife conservation in the US and Canada is certainly at the top of the heap. Similar conservation approaches have been used with great success in Africa and across the globe since. Will the successes of the past century or so continue or will the success bring about the sort of complacency that allows the pathway to progress to be disturbed?

For some reason, the feel-good stories don’t seem to sell as many tickets as the doom and gloom ones. Just turn on your favorite nature channel. The loss of the coral reefs, the loss of the rainforest, the ever-growing amount of plastic trash. Let’s not forget that although these threats are real, there are many modern-day conservation success stories that we need to talk about as well. Maybe we can even learn from them? Knowing that positive long-lasting changes can be made, frees us from being paralyzed by an overwhelming sense of futility that an unchanging story is playing out in which our actions have no influence.

What would folks like Leopold and Roosevelt say if they were here today? Looking at the conservation successes since their tenure, I think they would be quite pleased and eager to face whatever challenges come next. As for what you can do. Well, thanks to some forward-thinking fellas long ago, you just need to go hunting!

President Theodore Roosevelt wearing a slouch hat, coat, and gloves, in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Tick tock, tick season is coming. What you need to know.

By Jason Buckley and Dan Stephens

Anyone who spends time outdoors has likely encountered ticks and has read about tick-borne illnesses. You likely wonder how prevalent ticks are across the state, what the risk is to humans of tick-borne illnesses, and what steps we can take to mitigate and prevent interactions with ticks. Today, we hope to provide some answers to these questions. Recently, we sat down and talked with Dr. Holly Tuten, a vector ecologist working at the University of Illinois Illinois Natural History Survey Medical Entomology Lab, to discuss ticks, tick-borne illnesses, and prevention strategies.

Statewide Tick Surveillance

Dr. Tuten is currently leading statewide tick surveillance at the INHS Medical Entomology Lab in partnership with the Illinois Department of Public Health. Their program, currently running through 2026, has several surveillance targets: the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis), the blacklegged tick, aka “Deer tick” (Ixodes scapularis), the Gulf Coast tick (Amblyomma maculatum), and the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum). The lab collects ticks to better understand their geographic range and tests them for disease-causing agents, such as bacteria or viruses. Results are shared by the Illinois Department of Public Health in publicly available tick maps (hosted on the IDPH website). As surveillance data is compiled, they discuss risk awareness for hikers and hunters. For now, the primary objective is finding and testing as many ticks as possible to better understand species prevalence across Illinois.

Species Distribution

Understanding a species’ distribution is critically important since the pathogens that they may carry are species-specific. Essentially, species distribution data can be used to anticipate risks to human health.

Blacklegged Tick – This species is currently invading Illinois from north to south. The INHS Medical Entomology Lab surveillance and the work of colleagues, such as Dr. Brian Allan, have shown the highest tick density in northern Illinois, but it can be found across the state.

Lone Star Tick – On the flipside, the INHS-MEL surveillance indicates that the lone star tick is most dense in southern Illinois and expanding its range north. The leading edge of expansion appears to be in central Illinois, but it is reported throughout the state.

American Dog Tick – The American dog tick is prevalent in Illinois and can be found across the state.

Gulf Coast Tick — Current results from the INHS Medical Entomology Lab surveillance program indicate that the Gulf Coast tick is established in several southern IL counties, but it remains to be seen if they will move further north.

Disease Prevalence in Illinois Ticks

As we mentioned earlier, the INHS-MEL surveillance highlights the general prevalence of pathogens across the state. To date, the blacklegged tick has been sampled across northern and central parts of the state, and 39% of ticks tested positive for the agent of Lyme disease, but the likelihood of the disease agent varies by location, with more positive ticks in northern Illinois. According to the testing data collected thus far, the lone star tick carries agents of Ehrlichiosis at a rate of 2% to 3% and the American dog tick carries the agent of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) at a rate of 1% to 2%. The Gulf Coast tick transmits Rickettsia parkeri, which is a spotted fever agent related to RMSF. INHS-MEL testing revealed a Rickettsia parkeri prevalence as high as 50% in some areas, with an average of 17%. Tuten stated: “To see something as high as 50% prevalence, it is different, it is shocking.”

These results indicate that it is possible, if not likely in some instances, to come across an infected tick while out in the Illinois woods hunting, scouting, hiking, or just spending time outdoors. This research highlights the importance of preventative steps that individuals should take while spending time in areas where ticks may be present.

Figure 1: Tick species and the pathogens they have tested positive for in Illinois. Click photo to enlarge.

Tick Prevention Tips: “Don’t be scared; be prepared”

Dr. Tuten explained that a generalization of how ticks find their meal is through the detection of movement, body heat, and CO₂ sensing. Knowing how ticks hunt and their propensity to typically transfer from vegetation to ankles and thighs and then climb up, it is possible to prevent tick bites when in the field. Holly says, “Don’t be scared; be prepared.”

Tips for prevention in the field

Make an ascending clothing barrier.
- Ticks typically transfer at thigh level and below, will stereotypically crawl up, so have an ascending barrier with your clothes. Having your pants tucked into your socks and your shirt tucked into your pants will prevent them from crawling up and under your pant cuff or shirt.
Use EPA-approved permethrin insecticide.
- You can buy clothing that is pretreated or treat your own clothing. Read and carefully follow the label instructions before use. Note that the container states that it is highly toxic to cats when wet.
- Once clothes are treated, the spray will be effective for several washes and is odorless, making it great for hunters who worry about fragrances.
- Permethrin creates a symptom called “hot foot” in ticks. When they climb onto the fabric, the tick cannot stand to be on the clothing anymore and will fall off.
Use EPA-approved repellent.
- EPA-approved repellents, like DEET, will repel ticks from climbing onto your clothing.
- Read the label instructions before use and carefully follow.
Walk in the middle of the trails.
- Stay in the middle of the trail or in open woods to prevent brushing up against vegetation.
Occasionally, perform visual tick checks of boots, bags, and clothing while in the field.

Once you return home

Undress next to the washer and dryer to prevent ticks from falling off around your house.
- High heat kills ticks, not water, so at least dry your clothes, with longer dry times for damp clothing.
Take a shower to wash off any unattached ticks. According to the CDC: “Showering within two hours of coming indoors has been shown to reduce your risk of getting Lyme disease and may be effective in reducing the risk of other tickborne diseases.”
Perform a tick check: look and feel for any ticks.

Another significant issue that hunters need to be cognizant of is that ticks may still be attached to a harvested carcass and may leave the carcass during transportation or when at home before processing. This could cause ticks to remain in your car, hunting pack, etc. IL Learn to Hunt can recommend a few steps that hunters can take to ensure that they are not susceptible to ticks from a harvested carcass.

For small game (e.g., squirrels, rabbits), you can place the harvested game inside a Ziploc bag before placing in your game vest or hunting pack.
For larger game like deer, be very cautious about transporting deer in the cab of a vehicle or in a trunk. Again, read and follow the instructions, but it can be safe to treat the fabric parts of your car with permethrin or to use a permethrin-treated blanket to lay the carcass on during transport.

If you hang a deer carcass in your garage before processing, over time, you will notice ticks falling off the carcass. Many recommend placing a permethrin-treated sheet under the hanging carcass. Ticks that fall off the carcass will fall onto the sheet and die, reducing the likelihood of them living in your garage.

Emerging Issues

“If you thought ticks were awful, they have just gotten more awful.”

— Holly Tuten, Ph.D., vector ecologist

A New Clone Invader

The expression “be careful what you wish for” does not stop at magical genies; it also applies to interviews with vector ecologists. We found that out the hard way when we asked Dr. Tuten if she had any “additional facts” about ticks to share. Tuten went on to explain that a new invasive species of tick, the Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis), currently found as close to us as Ohio and Kentucky, has a surprising ability. This tick can reproduce through parthenogenesis. This means that the female tick no longer needs a male tick to reproduce because it can clone itself. “If you thought ticks were awful, they have just gotten more awful,” Tuten said. The good news is that while the Asian longhorned tick has been associated with some human diseases in its home range, it has not yet been captured in the United States. The ability to clone itself gives this tick a high potential to establish itself in new areas, and it still may become associated with diseases as its population becomes more established.

Alpha gal: Mammal Meat Allergy

Dr. Tuten went on to describe another fact that could be VERY impactful to hunters. Tuten described the Alpha-gal allergy. This allergy can be caused by the bite of a Lone Star tick and makes the affected person allergic to mammal meat and mammal byproducts. This can be hard to clinically recognize in some cases, since the tick does not transmit anything (e.g., a pathogen); it is more likely a reaction to something within the gut of the tick. There is a delay after the initial tick bite, and you may not feel adverse effects until consuming meat several weeks later.

Unlike a peanut allergy, which can cause issues immediately, you may have a delayed anaphylactic reaction several hours later as your body digests the meat. In some people, it never proceeds to anaphylaxis but presents with gastrointestinal distress. With these delays, it may not be clear to clinical diagnosticians what is causing the illness, but there is a human test for the allergy. The only real option for people with this condition is to stop eating mammalian meat; however, some people have gone into remission. Illinois is one of seven states in the US with the 2nd highest occurrence of this allergy. Nearby states, like Missouri and Arkansas, have some of the highest rates in the country (see Fig. 2 below — Binder et al. 2021). Lone Star ticks were often thought to be just a nuisance because they do not carry the Lyme agent, but now that we know about this allergy, more people should be aware of their existence.

So, as Dr. Tuten said, “Don’t be scared; be prepared!” and take the necessary precautions to ensure you have a safe and successful time afield.

Figure 2. Geographic distribution of alpha-gal IgE-positive persons per 100,000 population by state—United States, 2010 to 2018 (N = 15,091). Data are based on the state of origin of the first specimen testing positive for 15,091 persons. The number of persons tested and the number of positive per 100,000 were calculated using the average US Census population by state during the study period. Legend categories were created using the percentile distribution of data. Alpha-gal, galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose; IgE, immunoglobulin E; N/A, not applicable; No., number. Click photo to enlarge.

If you are interested in learning more about ticks, you can watch the entire discussion with Dr. Holly Tuten here:

More Resources

Watch another webinar Dr. Holly Tuten gave to the Champaign Co. Forest Preserve District, where she discusses the IDPH maps and tick bite prevention.
Lean more about the INHS Medical Entomology Lab.
For current Illinois tick-borne disease case numbers, please reference the IDPH website. The CDC also tracks state and national Lyme disease data.
Knowing how to remove a tick properly is VERY important. Do not try to burn, smother, twist, or crush the tick! This could cause the tick to regurgitate into you.
The Illinois Lyme Association provides a lot of additional information and support.
Have a photo of a tick you want identified? Upload a photo to Tick Encounter.

Citation

Binder, A. M., Commins, S. P., Altrich, M. L., Wachs, T., Biggerstaff, B. J., Beard, C. B., Petersen, M. D., Kersh, G. J., Armstrong, P. A. (2021). Diagnostic testing for galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose, United States, 2010 to 2018. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. doi:10.1016/j.anai.2020.12.019

Remote Scouting Series: Reading and Understanding Topographic Maps

As much of Illinois is experiencing substantial snowfall and below-average temperatures, many of us are hunkered down inside waiting for the eventual onset of spring. As a hunter, I like to take this time to clean and organize my gear, practice my turkey calling skills, and spend time developing a plan for my scouting efforts for the upcoming turkey season. With recent technological advancements, hunters now have modern tools that can aid in the hunt-planning and scouting process.

Remote scouting is a technique that utilizes modern technology to better understand and predict how wildlife moves across the landscape. Remote scouting does not replace field scouting efforts but is best used in conjunction with field scouting and can create a feedback loop influencing your field scouting efforts. Over the next few weeks, we will dive into remote scouting strategies, map-reading, and developing a scouting plan. This week, we will highlight the importance and the basics of reading topographic maps.

Reading Topographic Maps

Having the ability to read and understand topographic maps is an essential skill for any hunter. When looking at a topographic map, the first thing you will notice are contour lines snaking around the map. Contour lines are a closed loop, never intersect, and all points along the same contour line are at the same elevation above sea level.

Essentially, by following a contour line on the ground, you would not travel uphill nor downhill but remain at the same elevation. When looking at topographic maps, you will notice both thick and thin contour lines. The thicker contour lines, index lines, are labeled with a number revealing the true elevation above sea level. The thinner contour lines, interval lines, are unmarked lines between the index lines.

For example, an index line marked “650” means everything along that contour line is at 650 feet above sea level. On a map with a 10-foot contour interval, the interval line to the inside of the index line would be at 640 feet above sea level. The interval line outside of the index line would be at 660 feet above sea level. If you are having trouble deciding whether the interval lines are on the outside or the inside of an index line, remember, contour lines are closed loops, so you may need to zoom out to view the entire closed loop. Additionally, you may be able to find other index lines that are labeled with the elevation.

Another crucial component of contour lines relies on the spacing between lines. The closer the contour lines are together, the steeper the slope, and the farther apart the lines are, the more gentle the slope.

In summary, there are 4 key points to remember regarding contour lines:

Every point along a contour line has the same elevation above sea level
Contour lines close to form a circle
Contour lines close together indicate a steeper slope; contour lines spread farther apart indicate gentler slopes
One side of a contour line is uphill, and one is downhill

Slope Aspect

As many of us know, the aspect of a slope, the direction that a slope faces, can impact plant communities, temperature, and even an animal’s propensity to use an area. South-facing slopes receive more solar radiation for longer periods of the day than northerly oriented slopes. This causes these slopes to be warmer and can be extremely productive at holding wildlife during colder temperatures. With a good fundamental understanding of contour lines, you should be able to locate these slopes with ease. As you can see in the example below, we have a slope of 50 feet that primarily faces South.

Another thing to consider when analyzing slope aspects is the primary wind direction and how that impacts how wildlife may utilize a slope. A common spring occurrence that many turkey hunters face is windy conditions, especially in a relatively flat state like Illinois. There are always exceptions to the rule; however, it is fairly common to locate birds on the leeward (downwind) sides of slopes as they use the slope as protection from prevailing winds.

Now that we have a fundamental understanding of contour lines and that topographical changes can impact wildlife movement, stay tuned for next week’s post as we dive in-depth into some commonly encountered terrain features and how they will be represented on a topographic map. We will also discuss how these terrain features impact wildlife movement and can influence your hunt.

Shed Hunting Overview and Strategies

There is just something special about antlers. Perhaps, it’s the rapid growth and deciduous nature of antlers that make them so appealing. Every single antler is different; its shape, size, and character all show the unique story of each buck. Being in the heart of winter, many of us are eagerly waiting for warmer weather, longer days, and springtime activities. However, there is a late-winter activity that can help with the urge to spend time outdoors, shed hunting.

I love hiking around in search of antlers whether big or small. It is like a separate chess match you can have with a buck, post-season. You walk and visualize where you think the antler is going to be but most of the time you must keep moving and keep searching. When you finally do find that first one of the season, it is a totally different experience compared to any other kind of hunting. It’s like succeeding in the ultimate game of hide and seek.

Antlers, found in members of the deer family, are an extension of the animal’s skull and shed and regrow annually. In contrast, horns are a two-part structure with an exterior sheath grown by specialized follicles, similar to human fingernails. Horns do not shed annually (exception pronghorn antelope) and continue to grow throughout an animal’s life.

Deer begin to shed their antlers in late winter through early spring. New antlers, covered in velvet, start growing immediately. Velvet is highly vascularized skin and supplies the growing bone with oxygen and nutrients. By late summer, bucks began to shed their velvet resulting in a hardened antler. During late winter, calcium starts forming around the pedicle (the area where the antlers grow from) which, in return, make the old antlers fall off. This can occur anywhere from late December throughout the month of March in Illinois.

Finding Antlers

Step 1: Locate your target areas.

Shed hunting is adherently different than your regular hunting outings. When hunting, we try and anticipate where the deer will be, but shed hunting, we try to figure out where deer have been. Having a fundamental understanding of deer behavior this time of year will allow you to target high-priority areas. If you haven’t already, read our blog post titled: Post-season Deer Scouting Techniques, here. This article discusses bedding locations used by bucks during the late-season and throughout winter. Buck bedding areas are a prominent location to look for sheds.

Step 2: Find places where you know bucks travel.

Here are some places you will want to look that tend to be high traffic areas throughout the year:

Bedding areas
Food sources
Travel routes
Creek crossings
Fence gaps
Field corners
Waterways
Cedar thickets
CRP patches
Edge habitat
South facing slopes

Step 3: Put your walking boots on.

If you are new to shed hunting, and especially new to the property you are going to be shed hunting, then you will most likely be covering substantial ground. The more you walk, the more ground you will cover. In return, this will lead to more sheds in your pile.

Shed Hunting Tips

Tip 1: Bring your binoculars.

The main reason I use binoculars is because there are A LOT of things in the woods that look like sheds, that unfortunately end up being sticks or weeds. Binoculars will help determine this from a distance, as it is easy to get side-tracked walking for sheds, but you want to keep your course on areas that you think will produce antlers instead of going on a chase for antlers that don’t exist.

Tip 2: Focus on overcast days or position yourself with the sun at your back.

This really helps the antlers color pop out. This also helps to not get blinded by the sun, so sunglasses would help as well. Walking on cloudy days also helps you notice the bright white antler without shadows causing obstructions. Some people have trouble noticing sheds even at their feet. I always say, “It just takes one to get you started”. I feel as if it helps your brain visualize what you are looking for. Shed antlers stick out better in weeds and taller/thicker habitat once you have found the first one. When you are walking, you want to keep looking ahead of you scanning left to right, but you also want to pay attention right at your feet.

Tip 3: Use a GPS tracker or mobile app to track your progress.

This will help you eliminate areas you already walked and will let you visualize areas you still need to check out. Don’t be afraid to re-walk an area in the future as there may be a shed laying there that you missed or an antler dropping after your first walk through.

Tip 4: Use shed hunting as a time to scout good hunting areas.

Sometimes, you can find a single shed and it will lead you on a wild goose chase to find the other side to complete the set. This can lead you into areas you have never scouted before. Make sure to mark trails, stand locations, and good hunting spots on the maps as you go. Shed hunting is fun to do for everyone and takes only a few steps to get the hang of it. Happy hunting!

To conclude, having fun is your number one goal. Bring your family, friends, and try to find some shed antlers. Keep on walking, have your binoculars on you, and keep your eyes open and you will come across a few!

If you’re interested in learning more about shed hunting, the Illinois Learn to Hunt program has an upcoming FREE webinar: Shed Hunting Overview and Strategies. During this webinar, we will do a deep dive into high probability areas, buck bedding areas, and much more. This webinar is scheduled for February 23, 2021 at 7:00 pm. Advanced registration is required. To register, visit: www.learntohuntil.com.

Tracking – Ancient Art For the Modern-day Hunter

One of the many things to love about hunting is how it encourages you to push your own personal boundaries. Not just by getting you out into the wild places where memories come from, but also by encouraging personal growth. Growth in skills that were prerequisites for survival to our ancestors but have become exceedingly rare today. Wildlife tracking is one of these skills, and it can be of great use to the modern-day hunter.

“Tracking,” as naturalists and hunters use the term, refers to the interpretation of animal sign. Most mammals that have a hunting or trapping season are (primarily) nocturnal. Viewing opportunities are limited, with the notable exception of those delicious little arboreal rodents, the squirrels. To learn more about your quarry or the natural world in general, one needs to be able to read “sign”. Tracks, scat, dens, and other marks left by wildlife are all considered “sign”. Recorded in three-dimensional shorthand, the sign reads like a book, to tell the story of critters unseen.

Conditions are variable both seasonally and across the state. In the north, there may be a fresh blanket of powder snow that leaves little to the imagination. Down south, the bare frozen ground may seem undisturbed after a stampede. Fresh snow, soft mud, and powdered silt make some of the best substrates for tracking. A new snow or drenching rain will wipe the slate clean in all but the most protected areas.

If you are fortunate enough to have good tracking snow, you can use it to guide your small game hunt. If the snow is less than a couple of days old, any squirrel or rabbit tracks indicate game in the area. With small home ranges, squirrels and rabbits can leave a lot of tracks over a week or more. This gives the hunter a quick index to small game activity in an area. By focusing on the areas with the most tracks, one can increase their hunting efficiency.

Several sets of three tracks in the snow with the boot of the person taking the photo and brush in the background.

The typical bounding gait of rabbits results in a pattern shown here with the rear two marks falling nearly in a straight line, giving the track a “T” shape. Details like toe and claw marks are usually only visible when less than a day old.

Two tracks in the snow, which has two sticks poking out of it.

Squirrel tracks will typically form more of an offset trapezoid pattern like that above. The longer toes of squirrels will typically show even in older tracks.

When you come upon a track you are not sure about, draw it in your tracking journal or take a picture. Always include a measurement or an object of known size for reference. Be sure to study individual tracks as well as the pattern. If you follow them long enough, you can collect more and more clues to narrow down your identification.

Tracks can be seen in the snow, along with several twigs and sticks. A camouflaged boot and the leg of the person wearing it can be seen in the lower-right corner of the photo.

Hmm, these are not from a rabbit or squirrel. These tracks are in pairs in the snow with some drag marks, indicating this critter isn’t as tall as the snow is deep. There is about a foot between each pair. This is the typical jumping gait of a short-tailed weasel in snow that is deeper than it is. As I followed the tracks further, they went in and out of every brush pile, sometimes tunneling under the snow for brief periods. This weasel and I were both looking for rabbits on this edge.

Two sets of tracks in the snow near snow-covered brush and a twig.

These tracks run along a semi-frozen creek. They go into and out of the water with about 2 feet between sets of tracks. This is the typical loping pattern of an American mink. There is hardly a hole, crevice, or shady spot along this small stream that this mink didn’t investigate.

Several tracks in snow made on top of tire tracks from a vehicle. Part of a boot can be seen in the lower left corner of the photo.

Hmm, these tracks show only 4 toes, suggesting it’s likely a canid or felid. The claw marks show up consistently, letting us know these are probably canid. The size, coupled with the egg shape and direct travel, lets us know this is a coyote.

Here we have coyote tracks on the right side of the photo and domestic dog tracks on the left. Note how the egg shape of the coyote track stands out against the wider, more oval track of the dog. Dog tracks can show up anywhere and vary greatly.

Trail of tracks through snow in an area with trees.

Even though deer season is in the rearview mirror, winter makes for quick scouting. It’s pretty easy to tell where the heavy trails are. In a quick walk through the area, you can note some of the most used trails and bedding areas on a piece of property in a fraction of the time it would take to scout in August or September.

Whether it’s to help you on current or future hunts, to increase your understanding of the natural world, or just an excuse to get outside, tracking can be a lot of fun. With a little soft snow and some time to wander, the mysterious world that comes to life at nighttime can start to take shape. When your vision extends beyond what you can see, you’re on the way to becoming the best hunter you can be. See you in the woods!

If you find yourself stumped on trying to identify a track, Living with Wildlife has developed Illustrated Tracks to help you along the way: https://www.wildlifeillinois.org/gallery/animal-sign/illustrated-tracks/

Looking for something to do mid-winter? Try squirrel hunting!

Looking for a mid-winter outdoor activity? Try squirrel hunting!

It has been said, “the secret to happiness is to have someone to love, something to do, and something to look forward to.” As we reach the middle of winter, it is safe to say, we can all look forward to warmer weather, evening scouting, and gobbling Toms coming in the spring. Finding someone to love, that can be a topic for another blog. However, if you are looking for something to do post-deer season, we have you covered.

Even though squirrel is considered by many to be delicious, enjoyable to hunt, and surprisingly challenging; squirrel hunting has become an under-utilized resource by many hunters. Hunters may view squirrel hunting as an activity for youth hunters or beginners and may rather focus their time on larger game; however, squirrel hunting is a great opportunity to get outdoors and obtain a unique and tasty source of wild game. If you are at all interested in trying squirrel hunting, late January to mid-February is a great time to get in some small game action.

Squirrel Behavior

Squirrel has one of the longest hunting seasons in Illinois, running from August 1^st to February 15^th, although some Illinois DNR public sites have further restrictions on squirrel hunting. Refer to the site’s Hunter Fact Sheet for more information. As the season progresses, squirrel behavior changes and hunters must adapt to ensure success. In early season, you will see squirrels spending most of the time in trees, although leaves present on the tree may make them difficult to locate. Early morning and late evening hunts can be effective as hunters are likely to catch squirrels leaving the trees in search of food.

As the season progresses, mast-bearing trees (oak and hickory) begin to drop nuts covering the forest floor. Squirrels will begin collecting and caching nuts for the impending winter. Instinctively, squirrels know that food will become scare throughout winter, so caching is an important step to ensure they have plenty of food. Squirrels are often referred to as scatter hoarders. Squirrels do not store all their cached food in one single location, instead, they scatter it in locations that are easily accessible and hidden from other squirrels in the area. Commonly, squirrels will bury nuts about an inch under the soil close to the tree that holds their nest or den. Squirrels are also known to crack open a nut before caching to prevent the seed from germinating.

The later portion of the squirrel season (Jan & Feb) can be an exceptionally productive time for squirrel hunting. With most of the leaves off the trees leading to increased visibility and peak-breeding season (January) looming, expect to see lots of squirrel activity throughout the day. Early morning and evening hunts are extremely productive this time of year. Cold and windy weather may impact movement, so paying special attention to weather conditions is imperative. This activity provides a great opportunity for hunters experiencing cabin fever right now!

Squirrel Habitat and Food Resources

When scouting for squirrel habitat, look for a forest that has a good density of mast(nut)-bearing trees (oak and hickory trees). These trees provide shelter and food. If you find a stand of oak, hickory, or beech trees you have an opportunity to find a dense population of squirrels. Pay special attention to the forest floor for evidence of caching and feeding. A telltale sign of active squirrel feeding is looking for acorns or hickory nuts with toothmarks, or nut shells on the ground.

Squirrels are cavity nesters; however, in areas where suitable cavities are not available, squirrels will construct nests out of leaves, sticks, and other vegetation. These nests are referred to as dreys. Identifying the presence of dreys is a great indicator that squirrels are present and using the area. As many of the leaves will be off trees, it should be fairly easy to identify dreys.

Utilize This Time to Scout for Other Species

As you walk through the woods looking for tail flicks and listening for some alarming barks, keep your eyes open for deer and turkey sign. Not only do these animals’ diets overlap, so does their habitat. Use this time as an excuse to go check out new areas you neglected during deer season. Use squirrel hunting as an excuse to do some reconnaissance where you may have heard some turkeys calling last spring. If squirrel hunting isn’t for you, use it as motivation to help get you back out in the woods to better your chances at harvesting your preferred game.

Some Ideas for the Kitchen

Post-season Deer Scouting Strategies

As the Illinois 2020-2021 deer season comes to an end, it’s never too early to begin preparations and planning for next fall. While the most valuable information a hunter can rely on is their observations collected during the season, post-season scouting can provide useful information for the next season. It’s important to highlight that observations made during post-season scouting efforts may not directly translate to activity during early season and rut, but it can provide you an excellent starting point for your pre-season scouting efforts during the summer. Additionally, post-season scouting can be a great time to look for shed antlers or even small game hunt simultaneously.

Post-Season Deer Scouting: Changes in Deer Behavior

When trying to understand movement patterns during the post-season, it’s important to have a fundamental understanding of the physiological and behavioral changes occurring during this time. Deer will have reduced metabolism, thicker coats, and increased energy consumption to stay warm. In general, this means that deer will be focused heavily on building fat reserves for the impending winter. Deer have been pressured, particularly on public hunting sites, and may have shifted their movements to more secluded areas with heavy cover. Finding these areas could prove fruitful.

Post-season Deer Scouting: Finding Beds

Arguably, the most important information any deer hunter can discover while scouting is where deer are actively bedding. During the season, I often spend time looking at satellite imagery and topographic maps to identify potential bedding areas. Mid-season, I avoid further investigating these potential bedding areas to reduce the chances of jumping deer and disturbing prominent bedding areas. While it’s not impossible to observe a bedding area without alerting deer during the season, post-season can be a terrific time to confirm bedding in potential sites. This next section will detail several prominent bedding situations and how to identify them utilizing satellite and topographic imagery.

Bedding Strategy: South-facing Slope Bedding

Bedding on south-facing slopes is a common occurrence, particularly during colder weather. South-facing slopes receive more solar radiation for longer periods of the day; thus, they are generally warmer. These areas are extremely productive during cold temperatures.

Bedding Strategy: Leeward Bedding

Bedding on the downwind side of a slope is a fairly common bedding strategy throughout the year. These areas provide deer a unique advantage to scent-check both sides of the slope, resulting in a very secure bedding location. The wind pulls scent from the prominent wind direction to the deer, while thermals, which are rising columns of warm air, pulls scent up the slope from the down-wind side. These winds meet, typically 1/3 of the way up the slope, in an area that many hunters refer to as a “wind tunnel”. This wind tunnel allows deer to have security from any imminent dangers on either side of the slope as they can continually scent check both directions.

Bedding Strategy: Ridge Point Bedding

While much of Illinois is relatively flat, even subtle changes in topographic features can impact where deer bed. One of the more prominent bedding strategies, that is frequently used throughout the year, is the concept of bedding on ridge points. These areas provide ample security and exit routes for deer. Deer will usually utilize these ridge points under very specific wind directions, with a prominent wind coming down the ridge. When using these areas, deer will be facing into the lowland with the prominent wind direction coming from behind them. This allows deer to watch out for danger in front of them, while scent-checking to ensure there is nothing approaching from the rear. Additionally, as we discussed in earlier examples, thermals also carry scent up the ridge from the lowland in front.

Bedding Strategy: Oxbow Bedding

An oxbow is a bend in a river or creek that forms a “bowl-shaped” loop. Typically, there will be a small area of land connecting the oxbow to the mainland. These areas are very secure since there’s only one prominent direction predators can use to reach bedded deer. There are several factors that may reduce a deer’s likeliness to bed in an oxbow. Specifically, the amount of human traffic on the body of water (e.g., kayaking, fishing, canoeing) may reduce the likelihood of an oxbow being used as bedding. Since these areas only have one access point for potential dangers, often times the prominent wind direction must be from the mainland. When a deer beds in these areas, they will be facing the river/creek to lookout for danger. When a deer leaves an oxbow from bedding, commonly, they will walk directly into the wind to continue to scent-check as they transition out of the bedding area.

While identifying bedding areas take diligent notes including GPS coordinates, photographs, and other information that you may find useful as you prepare to hunt these areas next season. The next step after confirming bedding activity is to look for entry and exit routes to and from the bedding area by identifying prominent trails that deer use. When finding trails, it may advantageous to simply follow the trail and see where it goes. Often times, you’ll find confluences where two or more trails come together. These are the areas to highlight and remember for the upcoming season.