Illinois Farmland and Prairie

There's some huge habitat hubs out there. Huge. I was driving around one a few counties south and west of here that went on and on and on:eek:.

If we could get a few hundred:D of these babies out there we may see some major park-your-car-and-hunt public hunting opportunities. Also, higher harvest rates of wild pheasants each year due to increased access.

I'll keep all that in my prayers each night:thumbsup:
 
Switch... pollinator... waterways for fire breaks

New research coming out that trees hedge actually hurt population sometimes as it's a hawk roost.

Also the link you posted has been around for a handful of years. It's old news at least that's what my Pf biologist said.
 
Switch... pollinator... waterways for fire breaks

New research coming out that trees hedge actually hurt population sometimes as it's a hawk roost.

Also the link you posted has been around for a handful of years. It's old news at least that's what my Pf biologist said.

I figured it's been around for some time. I think I've posted the link or something similar to it few years back.

Trees; Certain trees are fine/good for pheasants. Others are not. Plus consider tall trees planted around nesting habitat can decrease nesting space. Radio collared hens seemed to nest a certain distance from tall trees. In other areas, without the tall trees next or within the nesting habitat, the hens utilized more of the nesting cover for nesting. So basically, selterbelts are good but tall hardwood trees can have a negative impact on nesting pheasants.

A good selterbelt can be very beneficial to adult pheasants and broods. The ground is typically open at the base area, but dense above. This gives birds security from aerial predators above. Open spaces at the belts-base allows young and adult birds to safely dust themselves, scratch around for food/insects, and sun themselves.
 
Just got this information yesterday. If anyone has some free time in January and wants to go to Springfield for a full day of seminars and discussions see the information below.

Illinois Pheasants and Quail Forever invites you to join us for our Annual Illinois State Meeting. This year?s event is scheduled for January 20-22nd 2017 and located at the Wyndham Springfield City Centre in Springfield Illinois. Friday?s event will kick off with our hospitality room for games, raffles, and comradery with other chapters and our Illinois staff. We will have a full agenda of informational breakout sessions on Saturday, including a ceremony of chapter awards and an exciting auction along with gun raffles at the end of the night!

You won?t want to miss this new and exciting agenda for 2017, so be sure to register now! Call now 217-789-1530 with PROMO CODE 01207027PH to book the PF/QF rate of $101.00 at the Wyndham Springfield City Centre, 700 E. Adams Street, Springfield, IL 62701. We?ve blocked a limited number of rooms for Friday and Saturday night, but the block and rates are only held until December 31, 2016. BOOK YOUR ROOM(s) TODAY! The parking garage clearance is 6 feet 5?? inches if you have a vehicle taller than that street parking is free and available after 5:00pm on Friday. However, parking maybe limited due to other events going on in Springfield.

To register contact Kristi Ford at kford@pheasantsforever.org . We also have provided online registration at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfTOJolerUsrORPvyx0GxtUh9GssOqd4HpyO1aKnhpNFEE6gw/viewform

The 2017 Illinois State Meeting is only a short month away and we look forward to seeing all of the great chapters of Illinois represented. Provided below is a list of the new and exciting breakout sessions scheduled for this year!


Land Acquisitions- Opportunities, And Target Areas
Stan McTaggert, IDNR Upland Wildlife Program Manager
Erin Holmes, Illinois Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever State Coordinator
Aaron Kuehl, Pheasants and Quail Forever Director of Seed Operations

Shooting Skills for New Shooters, Indications and Corrections of Issues
Rod Campbell, IDNR Hunter Level & NSCA Level ll Certified Hunter Clinic Instructor

IDOT and Ameren Partnership- Opportunities for Chapters
Stephanie Dobbs, Illinois Department of Transportation Roadside Manager Region 3 District 5 operations
Michelle Henderson, Ameren Transmission Vegetation Supervisor

Pheasant Research Conclusions and Practical Applications
Tim Lyons, Graduate Research Assistant University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Natural History Survey
Phil Borsdorf, IDNR Natural Resources Coordinator

Tools of the Trade for Boosting Banquet Attendance
Anthony Hauck, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Director of Public Relations

Connecting Your Outreach Efforts to Conservation
Drew Larsen, Pheasants and Quail Forever National Habitat Education Specialist

Illinois Recreational Access Program, Habitat Strike Teams
Bob Caveny, IDNR Conservation Stewardship Program Manager
IRAP/Strike Team Staff

Wetlands- Landscape Function and Importance
Heath Hagy, Director, Forbes Biological Station Assistant Research Program Leader in Waterfowl and Wetland Ecology
Randy Smith, IDNR Wetland Wildlife Program Manager - State Waterfowl Biologist

The Current Climate of Conservation- Farm Bill Updates, Government Affairs Issues
Dave Nomsen: Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Vice President of Governmental Affairs

Mentor Hunting: R3 and IRAP Mentoring
Katie Kauzlarich, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Illinois Outreach Coordinator
Bob Caveny, IDNR Conservation Stewardship Program Manager

Partners Program Projects and Chapter Involvement
Andrew Diallesandro, Private Lands Biologist U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Kentucky Quail Management Program
Cody Rhoden, Small Game Biologist Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resource

Dog Training Techniques
Dan Ihrke , Head Trainor of Gun Dog Success

Have a Happy Holidays!

Team Illinois
 
Thanks for the post 100%. I went to one when it was in Peoria, IL. I highly recommend it. It's a great even with a lot of information plus a great group of people.:thumbsup: With that said, it may be for chapter committee members and state employees only:confused: Will someone please correct me if I'm wrong on that.:)

The IDOT seminar seems interesting to me. If anyone on the forum is planning on attending, can you sit in on this and bring back some info on what the state has in-store for our ditches?
 
Yes I do believe it is aimed more at committee members (which I am for my chapter), but our chapter also allows chapter members (not just committee members) to attend. I'd rather see 1000 people there that can make a difference than 200 that are just a chosen few. I would definitely talk to your local chapter about attending, I attended last year and it's definitely worth the time. The lineup for seminars seems to have gotten a lot better this year, not sure I'm going to make it to all the ones I want. I know a little on the IDOT side as out chapter has partnered with them to do pollinator plots and no mowing on state ditches. But the Ameren side of it seems interesting too. And I definitely want to hear about land acquisition.
 
Thanks for your involvement within your chapter. Which chapter are you in (if you don't mind me asking)?

Our chapter sends a few each year. Those that attend love it. I haven't attended since 2011 or 20012. Family life has made things difficult to leave home for a weekend. I'm hoping once my little-ones are a bit older I can get involved with my chapter again. I miss being involved with Pheasants Forever. I love the organization and the people.
 
I volunteer and work with the Illinois River Valley PF chapter. We cover both Peoria and Tazewell counties. That was partly why I was upset to see it leave Peoria, though I grew up not far from Springfield so it gives me a reason to see my parents.

I know what you mean with the little ones. Luckily my wife is pretty accepting of all the time I spend volunteering with PF.
 
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