You can shop from home on the Web from the Department of Natural Resources' annual Holiday Gift Guide. The 12-page catalog is loaded with items that would make perfect presents for the outdoors man, woman or child on your shopping list. A portion of the cost of the hunt is deductible for federal income tax purposes. The Jan. 6 calling contest will feature world-class goose callers including Randy Bartz, Al Dager, Jeff Foiles, Brandon Fletcher, Troy Dishner, Tim Grounds, Sean Mann, Kelly Powers and Shawn Stahl. All waterfowl hunters must register with HIP , the National Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program.
Registration is required annually to hunt migratory game birds in Illinois.
Hunters no longer have 24 hours to report their harvest of Canada geese. The lake at Sangchris Lake State Park is closed Nov. 30-Dec. 3 to all boating activity except for hunting programs. Bank fishing in the access areas is still allowed on those dates, however. Hours are a half hour before sunrise until sunset in the South Zone, and a half hour before sunrise until 3 p.m. in the Southern Illinois and Rend Lake quota zones.