IDNR is hosting a field day on Sat, March 21 at 7:30 a.m. in Sangamon County at the IDNR building. If you're under 18 & completed the online hunter safety course, a field day is required to get your hunter safety certification. More info: 217‑785‑4217 or [email protected].

A squirrel enjoying a snack.

Illinois is gearing up for the nation’s 250th birthday with the first-ever Passport to Illinois. A free travel journal highlighting 56 historic sites, museums & monuments that shaped our nation. Download the digital passport, and start your journey: www.il250.org/passport

Join us for the James Orlandini Foundation Wingshooting Clinic, Saturday, April 4! This hands-on clinic is designed for beginner & novice youth shotgun shooters and their parents or guardians. No prior experience is required. Learn more and register here: givebutter.com/springfield-...

Celebrate the birthday of President Abraham Lincoln from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14 at Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site in Lerna. Author Stacy Lynn will discuss and sign her book, “Loving Lincoln: A Personal History of the Women Who Shaped Lincoln’s Life and Legacy.”

IDNR is hiring a design and construction section manager for the Office of Water Resources in Sangamon County. Deadline to apply is Feb. 13. To read the job description and apply, visit illinois.jobs2web.com/job/Springfi...

IDNR is seeking a vendor for a 3-year golf course management contract. A mandatory attendance pre-bid meeting for the Eagle Creek Golf Course on Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 10 a.m. to be held at the Eagle Creek State Park Office located at 2341 Eagle Creek Rd, Findlay, IL.

Are you interested in winter tree identification? Join IDNR staff on Saturday, Feb. 7 at 10 a.m. at the Argyle Lake visitor center in McDonough County for a discussion about trees in winter and how to identify them. Then set off on a hike to test out your identification skills.

Don’t miss Lincoln’s birthday celebration at the Vandalia Statehouse State Historic Site in Fayette County on Saturday, Feb. 7. The event will take place between 2 and 4 p.m. in the House of Representatives chamber where Abraham Lincoln served.

It’s Groundhog Day! Did you know that groundhogs are also called woodchucks? These celebrated creatures can be found statewide in Illinois in brushy or weedy areas, forest edges, fence rows, railroad embankments and earthen dams. dnr.illinois.gov/education/wi...

Apply now! The Illinois Conservation Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2026 Conservation Achievement Scholarship. The deadline to apply is March 1. For more information, visit ilconservation.org/What-We-Do/S....

Applications for the Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant are due Jan. 31! Grants are only available to teachers of grades prekindergarten through 12 in Illinois schools and home-schooling teachers in Illinois. Learn more: dnr.illinois.gov/education/gr...

Are you a teacher wanting to get your students to participate in a stewardship project for Earth Day? Several IDNR sites have projects in April and May for schools. Help plant native plants or remove invasive species. Applications are open at: dnr.illinois.gov/education/ed....

Join us at Lincoln Trail State Park in Clark County on Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. for a fun stargazing program. The University of Illinois Astronomy Department will present a program on constellations while allowing participants to use telescopes for night viewing of the stars.

The Vandalia Statehouse State Historic Site in Fayette County will celebrate President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday and America’s 250th anniversary with a free public event from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7 in the House of Representatives chamber where Lincoln once served.

The Dana-Thomas House has exciting programing though February. Learn more and register for the events here: www.eventbrite.com/o/illinois-d...

Governor JB Pritzker and IDNR announced $36 million in OSLAD grant funding was awarded to 67 local park projects throughout Illinois to help communities acquire land and develop recreational opportunities. Learn more here: www.illinois.gov/content/dam/...

IDNR invites families, wildlife watchers and nature lovers to experience eagle-watching events across the state this winter. Learn more about the various eagle watch opportunities here: www.illinois.gov/content/dam/...

In January, the Dana-Thomas House will host popular game nights, date nights and evening tour programs on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. The Old State Capitol will be open late on Saturday evenings for Civil War Saturday presentations. Learn more: www.illinois.gov/content/dam/...

Celebrate the reopening of the Henry N. Barkhausen Cache River Wetland Center at Cache River State Natural Area in southern Illinois from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10!

Join us on Sunday, Jan. 11 at Volo Bog State Natural Area in Lake County for WinterFest. Enjoy live music, bog tours, photography and a snow sculpture contest. Learn more on the Volo Bog website here: friendsofvolobog.org

Don’t miss IDNR’s January newsletter! This issue covers deer harvest totals, eagle watching opportunities, snowmobile safety, and more. Read the newsletter here: dnr.illinois.gov/director/ins...

The Giant City State Park Gnome Roam is on. Seven trails, seven whimsical winter gnomes waiting to be found. Snap pics, track your finds, and collect a patch when you’ve spotted them all. Gnomes can be found through the end of February!

Celebrate the winter solstice on Sunday, Dec. 21 at Cahokia Mounds World Heritage Site. It marks the shortest day and longest night of the year in the northern hemisphere, as the sun reaches its southernmost point in the sky. To learn more, visit cahokiamounds.org/events/2025-...

Snowy photos from Johnson-Sauk Trail State Recreation Area in Henry County.

Exciting news! The Illinois State Museum has been reaccredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the highest national recognition afforded to the nation’s museums. Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, governments, funders, outside agencies and the public

Interested in turkey hunting in the spring? The second lottery for the spring turkey season opens Friday, Dec. 12. Learn more here: dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/turk...

The Lewis & Clark State Historic Site will host the Arrival at Camp River Dubois event Dec. 13–14, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with free reenactments and demonstrations marking the 222nd anniversary of the Expedition’s Illinois winter encampment.

Don’t miss IDNR’s December newsletter! This issue covers Starved Rock’s $18 million trail renovation project, public comment on mine reclamation, Rend Lake Resort renovation, and more. Read the newsletter here: dnr.illinois.gov/director/ins...

A snowy prescribed burn in the marsh at Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park located in Lake County.

Illinois’ seven-day firearm deer season wraps up Dec. 4-7. Remember, youth hunters with an unfilled, valid youth deer permit can use it during this time. This is the first year that unfilled youth permits are valid for both segments of firearm season. Good luck and safe hunting!

Did you know that when it snows, a special zone is created called the subnivean zone? This insulated space between the bottom of the snow layer, and the top of the frozen ground provides a safe space for small mammals! Learn all about it here: dnr.illinois.gov/education/at...

Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 51,409 deer during the first weekend of the Illinois firearm deer season between Nov. 21-23. Illinois’ seven-day firearm deer season will conclude Dec. 4-7. www.illinois.gov/content/dam/...

Happy opening day of firearm deer season! We hope hunters have a safe and successful first weekend. The 2025 Illinois firearm deer season dates are Nov. 21-23 and Dec. 4-7.

Big news for Starved Rock State Park! Starved Rock will stay open during a $18M trail upgrade (part of $37.2M in improvements) through 2026—making trails safer, reopening closed paths & protecting sensitive habitats. More info here: dnr.illinois.gov/news.html

The new 2025 Illinois list of endangered and threatened plants & animals is now available. Every 5 years, the State of Illinois identifies species that need protection under the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Act. Find the new list here: dnr.illinois.gov/espb/etlista...

Learn about Thanksgiving as a national holiday & visit with Lincoln family reenactors as they prepare a mid-19th century holiday feast at the Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site – the former home of the 16th president’s parents - from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28.

Don’t miss your chance to step back in time! In the Middle is now open at the ISM-Lockport Gallery, offering a look at childhood in 1940s Bloomington, Illinois through the eyes of Sybil Stern Mervis and her peers. Learn more here: www.illinoisstatemuseum.org/welcome-ism-...

Greetings from Matthiessen State Park in LaSalle County, where the autumn golds, yellows and oranges have us feeling gobsmacked. Where are you seeing beautiful fall foliage? 😍🍁🍂

IDNR is hosting 2 additional public meetings to gather input on duck season split timing (2026–2030): Nov 12, 6–8PM – SIU Carbondale, Lawson Hall Rm 151 Nov 13, 6–8PM – Carlyle HS Cafeteria South & current south-central zone hunters encouraged to attend. No registration needed.

Did you know that Fort Massac State Park was the FIRST Illinois state park? In 1903, through the efforts of the Daughters of the American Revolution, 24 acres surrounding the site were purchased by the state. On Nov. 5, 1908, Fort Massac was officially dedicated as a state park!

The Sangamon River Poets: Masters, Lindsay, and Sandburg will be on Nov. 8 (7pm) & Nov. 9 (3pm) at Lincoln’s New Salem in Petersburg! The play features dramatic interpretations of poetry and prose by Vachel Lindsay, Edgar Lee Masters, and Carl Sandburg. illinoistimestix.com

Turkey hunters in Illinois harvested 255 wild turkeys during the 2025 fall firearm season Oct. 18-26, compared to 294 harvested last year. To learn more, visit dnr.illinois.gov/news.html

Looking for something new to explore? Volo Bog State Natural Area offers various programs and events throughout the year that you won’t want to miss. Weekend bog tours, bird walks and weekday walks with a naturalist are regular offerings at the bog.

Looking for your next outdoor adventure? Volo Bog State Natural Area has you covered! The bog has fantastic trails for hiking and cross-country skiing in winter.

Each year, more than 90,000 visitors explore the wonders of Volo Bog State Natural Area, from curious elementary students to lifelong nature lovers. Educational programs for learners of all ages make it the perfect destination to explore, learn, and connect with nature. #volobog

Volo Bog was purchased by The Nature Conservancy in 1958. It, along with nearby Wauconda Bog, was the very first purchase by the newly forming Illinois Chapter of TNC. In 1970, Volo Bog was designated an Illinois Nature Preserve – the 25th one to be listed in the state (today there are 360).

IDNR is highlighting Illinois’ beautiful and unique state parks in a monthly social media feature, “Spotlight on Illinois State Parks.” This week we’re featuring Volo Bog State Natural Area in Lake County. #ILStateParks #VoloBog #illinoisdnr

IDNR has selected waterfowl season dates & zone lines for the 2026-2030 seasons based on scientific information & input from waterfowl hunters. New zone lines & season dates will not take effect until the 2026 season. See the zone lines and dates here: huntillinois.org/waterfowl/

New record! Illinois youth hunters harvested 4,714 deer Oct. 11–13. Top counties: Randolph (259), Pike (164), Adams & Jefferson (155), Marion (135). Unfilled youth permits valid for Nov. 21–23 & Dec. 4–7 firearm seasons. Learn more: huntillinois.org