The final response rate for Illinois waterfowl hunters to the 2000-2001 Illinois Waterfowl Hunter Survey was 1,857 (70.9%). Hunters reported spending 1,119,048 days afield, a decrease of 24% from the record high 1,472,301 days for the 1999-2000 license year. Waterfowl harvest decreased 10% from 783,195 birds during 1999-2000 to 708,092 during 2000-2001. Duck harvest estimates were as follows: 271,903 mallards, 58,604 wood ducks, and 166,834 other ducks. A total of 38,597 teal were harvested during the early September teal season. Goose hunters harvested 128,387 Canada geese during the regular Canada goose season.
A total of 2,703 (59%) potential Illinois waterfowl hunters returned questionnaires for the 2003-04 Illinois Waterfowl Hunter Survey. The respondents included 2,343 individuals who purchased a 2003-04 Illinois Migratory Waterfowl Stamp, of which 2,108 (90%) hunted waterfowl in Illinois in 2003-04. The hunters reported spending 1,251,974 days afield, an increase of 19% from the 1,054,047 days expended during the 2002-03 license year. The waterfowl harvest increased 29% from 504,616 birds during 2002-03 to 650,906 during 2003-04. Duck harvest estimates were as follows: 285,011 mallards, 48,023 wood ducks, and 153,165 other ducks. A total of 20,453 teal were harvested during the early (September) teal season. Goose hunters harvested 83,207 Canada geese during the regular Canada goose season. Attitudes of hunters toward duck season dates, teal season dates, and waterfowl management practices were profiled, as were waterfowl hunting experience and background information for waterfowl hunters.
A random sample of 5,182 waterfowl hunters in Illinois was selected from migratory bird hunters registered for the 1998 federal Harvest Information Program (HIP). Hunters were mailed a self-administered, return mail questionnaire seeking information about hunting activities, harvest, and attitudes toward seasons for both duck and goose hunting. A total of 3,752 (72.4%) hunters responded, of which 2,264 purchased a 1998 Illinois Migratory Waterfowl stamp; 88.7% of these stamp purchasers hunted waterfowl in Illinois in 1998-99. During the 1998-99 season, 50,288 hunters took part in duck and/or goose hunting, spent 795,561 days afield, and harvested 471,072 birds. Duck hunters comprised 83% of the waterfowl hunting population, with 48% hunting ducks exclusively. Goose hunters made up 52% of the population, and 17% hunted geese only. A total of 10,307 hunters harvested 21,270 teal and spent 33,049 days afield. Duck hunters (n=41,755) spent 517,372 days afield and harvested an estimated 386,862 ducks. During the early September Canada goose season an estimated 11,981 hunters hunted 37,322 days and harvested 7,852 geese. During the regular Canada goose season 26,343 hunters spent 202,676 days afield and harvested 43,222 Canada geese. Adult hunters (n=3,343) took 5,142 youths afield during Youth Waterfowl Hunting Day. Hunters in all zones favored the early September Canada goose season. Hunters in the North and Central Zones favored extending statewide the telephone system for monitoring Canada goose harvest, whereas hunters in the South Zone favored leaving the system as it was at the time of the survey. North Zone hunters preferred 11 days for the first segment of the regular goose season, with a 14-day closed interval prior to the second season and a 21 day second season with no days for the second closed period. No opinion was the most frequent response for the second closed period. Central Zone hunters reported No opinion as their most frequent response to the same items. Hunters in the South Zone favored retaining the current (at the time of the survey) opening dates, and most hunters in the North and Central Zones had no opinion. Hunters 2 in all zones favored shorter seasons with higher bag limits over longer seasons with lower bag limits. Hunters preferred September 11 as the opening date for September teal season and Thursday opener/Sunday closure for duck season. Hunters favored dates for 1998 duck season to be used again for the 1999 season.
People v. Calderon IN THE APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS SECOND DISTRICT THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. GULMARO H. CALDERON, Defendant-Appellant. Appeal from the Circuit Court of Kane County. No. 04--CF--1868 Honorable Timothy Q. Sheldon, Judge, Presiding.
A stratified random sample of 892 persons who purchased a 2000 resident Illinois trapping license was surveyed after the furbearer trapping season. The U.S. Postal Service was successful in reaching 857 of the licensees, 621 (72%) of whom returned usable questionnaires. Trapping license sales declined 9% from 1999 (2,345 licenses) to 2000 (2,126 licenses). Trappers had traps set for an average of 23.4 days during the 2000-2001 season, and they harvested an estimated 96,480 furbearers (down 18% from the 118,326 harvested in 1999-2000). Data are provided for temporal distribution of trapping activities, types of traps used, participation in trapper education programs, and fur hunting by trappers. The opinions of trappers as to changes in furbearer populations and trapping effort are also presented, as is a profile of personal characteristics of trappers.
American Family Mutual Insurance Company v. Niebuhr THIRD DIVISION December 6, 2006 No. 1-05-3964 AMERICAN FAMILY MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. MICHAEL A. NIEBUHR, Defendant-Appellant (Stacy Neibuhr, Individually and as Mother and Next Friend of Amanda M. Niebuhr, James A. Huskey and Marilyn Huskey, Defendants.) Appeal from the Circuit Court of Cook County. No. 04 CH 08625 Honorable Richard A. Siebel, Judge Presiding.
A stratified random sample of 697 persons who purchased a 2003 resident Illinois trapping license was surveyed after the furbearer trapping season. Self-administered questionnaires were mailed to 665 of the licensees, 517 (78%) of whom returned usable questionnaires. Trapping license sales decreased 7% from 2002 (3,073 licenses) to 2003 (2,871 licenses). Trappers had traps set for an average of 28.2 days during the 2003-04 season, and they harvested an estimated 138,843 furbearers (down 28% from the 193,072 harvested in 2002-03). Data are provided for the attitudes of trappers toward a variety of wildlife management programs, their frequency for purchasing a trapping permit, and fur hunting by trappers. Some personal characteristics of trappers are also provided.
A total of 3,150 (68%) Illinois waterfowl hunters responded to the 2002-2003 Illinois Waterfowl Hunter Survey. Hunters reported spending 1,054,047 days afield, a decrease of 21% from the 1,337,297 days expended during the 2001-2002 license year. The waterfowl harvest decreased 27% from 695,790 during 2001-2002 to 504,616 during 2002-2003. Duck harvest estimates for the regular duck season were as follows: 197,392 mallards, 46,238 wood ducks, and 106,213 other ducks. A total of 12,542 teal were harvested during the early (September) teal season. Goose hunters harvested 89,297 Canada geese during the regular Canada goose season. Attitudes of hunters toward duck and goose season dates, Canada goose bag limits, and waterfowl hunting in general were profiled, as were waterfowl hunting experience and background information for waterfowl hunters.