While researching a story for a future edition of The Southern’s “Life and Style” magazine this question occurred to me, “What would Southern Illinois be like if the Shawnee National Forest didn’t exist?”.
A generation or so ago it was fairly simple for non-landowners in Illinois to find a place to hunt.
Taken one day at a time, the march toward winter is barely noticeable.
There are times when an outdoor adventure is as near as your backyard.
Content by Beck's Hybrids. Many people soil test and make decisions based on the results, which are important for improving farming operations.
When Illinois deer hunters take to the woods this weekend they can be confident of success, or at least of seeing plenty of deer.
Streams of unconsciousness from the world of the outdoors:
About 20 volunteers arrived at the Old Route 13 boat ramp on Crab Orchard Lake in Carterville around 8 a.m. Saturday.
CARTERVILLE – Luke Nelson, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ district fisheries biologist that oversees Crab Orchard Lake, sees the current drawdown of the lake as a win-win proposition, both him and the fish.
It started out as a simple, albeit, overdue chore.
CARTERVILLE — Even life-long Southern Illinois residents have a tough time recognizing Crab Orchard Lake these days.
"Examine each question in terms of what is ethically and aesthetically right, as well as what is economically expedient."
It’s been an interesting six months since Glenn Poshard and I hosted the kickoff meeting for Clean SoIL, an anti-litter movement, at Marion’s Veterans’ Airport.
The Southern Illinois Celebration of National Hunting and Fishing Days has stood the test of time.
Some things can alter the trajectory of your day … an unexpected call from an old friend, your dog sidling next to your bed as you wake up, or seeing something special in the outdoors.
CARTERVILLE — While farmers aim to make hay while the sun shines, Neal Vincent wants to see Crab Orchard Lake cleaned up while the lake level has been dropped.
When I was a kid, Maytag appliances had an incredibly successful advertising campaign featuring “The Loneliest Man in Town.”
HARRISBURG — If there were a Venn Diagram of 13-year-olds in Southern Illinois that were certified master divers and anti-litter advocates, it’s a virtual certainty Tanner Sheldon of Harrisburg would be alone in the intersection.
REND LAKE — The red, green, yellow and blue colors emanating from Rick Eskew’s electronic equipment cast an eerie light as he pulled away from the Ina boat ramp in the near darkness last Saturday morning.
Perhaps the most gratifying aspect of this job is the number of people who text or email photographs, asking me to identify bird, butterflies or other critters.
For the past 17 months or so I have been unable to go to my favorite place in the world and do my favorite things, namely fish and hunt, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Crab Orchard Lake will sport a different look for several months while repairs are made to the spillway.
Chainsaw artists are a unique breed, using dangerous power tools to create art from discarded trees or logs, yet their passion for their craft rivals painters and sculptors.
The amount of gear it takes to “rough it” these days is mind-boggling.
For as long as I can remember it’s been chic to bash the place you live.