OutdoorIllinois VOLUME VIII, NUMBER 10 OUTDOOR ILLINOIS is published monthly by the Department of Natural Resources, Office of Public Services, 524 S. Second St., Springfield, Ill. 62701-1787, phone (217) 782-7454, e-mail editor®dnnnail.state.il.us (Publication number: ISSN 1072-7175) Periodical Postage Paid at Springfield, Ill. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to OUTDOOR ILLINOIS, Department of Natural Resources, Dept. NL, 524 S. Second St., Springfield, Ill. 62701-1787. George H. Ryan Governor Brent Manning Director James D. Garner Deputy Director Richard Mottershaw Deputy Director STAFF: James L. Fulgenzi, office director; Gary Thomas, editor; Liz Pensoneau, managing editor; John Allen, staff writer; Adele Hodde, chief photographer; Chas. J, Dees, staff photographer; Charles J. Copley, layout & design; Cheryl Gwinn, production coordinator; Vera Lynn Smith, circulation. Illinois Department of Natural Resources Internet Address: http://dnr.state.il.us Staff-written material appearing in this publication may be reprinted without permission, provided that OUTDOOR ILLINOIS, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, is acknowledged as the source. OUTDOOR ILLINOIS assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts or illustrations. Equal opportunity to participate in programs of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and those funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies is available to all individuals regardless of race, sex, national origin, disability, age, religion or other non-merit factors. If you believe you have been discriminated against, contact the funding source's civil rights office and/or the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, IDNR, 524 S. Second, Springfield, Ill. 62701-1787; 217/785-0067; TTY 217/782-9175. All public meetings conducted by the Department of Natural Resources will be accessible to handicapped individuals in compliance with Executive Order No. 5 and pertinent state and federal laws, upon notification of the anticipated attendance. Handicapped persons planning to attend and needing special accommodations should inform the Department of Natural Resources at least five days prior to the meeting by telephoning or writing the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, Department of Natural Resources. 524 S. Second St.. Springfield, Ill. 62701-1787, phone (217) 785-0067. Department ol Natural Resources information is available to the hearing impaired by calling DNR's Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (217) 782-9175. Printed by the Authority of the State of Illinois PRT3216173-27,849-12/01 Illinois Department of Natural Resources Printed on recycled and recyclable paper with soy-based ink. Illinois Department of Natural Resources

What'sInside 2 Teaching Teachers DNR brings hands-on techniques to help educators discover the environment. 5 Air Show You don't have to leave the city for a birding adventure. 8 Wildlife Watching We'll tell you where to go and what you'll see in northern Illinois.. 13 Partners Brian Beasley and Don Sweeney hunt deer together, and there's a good reason for that. 18 Rod and Wheel This unique competition combines bass fishing with boat handling. 20 NewsFront The fall color forecast, a deer hunt for disabled hunters at Rock Cut, the fall trout season, the Celebrity Quail Hunt, a new archery range, a tour of Illinois Beach State Park, a deer season at the Starved Rock/Matthiessen complex and state fair winners are among the stories you'll find in this month's NewsFront. On the cover... David Hammond, Goreville, took this month's cover photo of a stream flowing through Ferne Clyffe State Park in autumn.

October 2000

OutdoorIlinois

UpFront

This year marks a special anniversary for those of us who love to fish. The Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Program, better known as the Dingell-Johnson Act, turns 50.

This Act imposed a 10-percent excise tax on fishing rods, reels, creels, artificial baits, lures and flies. In 1984 with the Wallup-Breaux Amendment, Congress extended the tax to include tackle boxes and other types of recreational fishing equipment, plus put a 3-percent tax on electric trolling motors and sonar fish finders, and import duties on fishing tackle and pleasure boats.

To put things in perspective, when you purchased that $44 reel, you really paid $40 for it. The other $4 went into the D-J Fund. Add that to the purchase of all the other reels, trolling motors and fishing equipment, and it results in more than $200 million each year being made available to fish and wildlife agencies throughout the United States. In the 50 years these products have been taxed, sportsmen have contributed nearly $4 billion into the fund. That translates into a lot of boating ramps, research and fisheries management funds.

When you think about it's really a pretty simple idea: those who pay the tax are the ones who receive the benefits.

Dollars are distributed to states using a formula abased on the number of licensed anglers and land and water areas in each state. The money can be used to construct boating access areas, purchase acreage for lake construction, fund research and education, or to find ways to better manage fish populations. Best of all, the agencies are allowed to spend the dollars based on their individual needs and priorities. That might be management, research and aquatic education in one state, while a neighboring state is using its funds for angler education, lake restoration and for new boating and fishing access areas.

Where are your Illinois dollars being used? A lot of those dollars purchased land and built lakes in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Today, they're more likely being used for research on muskie, walleye, striped bass, bluegill, small-mouth and other species; for building parking areas and boat ramps; and for fish production and stocking from our fish hatcheries. In addition, those dollars are used to fund creel surveys and hire biologists to manage the fisheries.

The Dingell-Johnson Act is a prime example of a very successful user-pays/user-benefits program. If you buy a boat, part of the dollars go into the D-J Fund to ensure there will be boating facilities for you to use. If you buy lures to go fishing, part of the money will be used to make sure there's a healthy fishery so you can catch fish. So in a sense, these funds also are self-sustaining. After all, the better the fishing, the more anglers there will be to fish. The more anglers there are, the more revenue goes into the fund. And the more revenue in the fund, the better we can manage the Illinois' fishery.

The Dingell-Johnson Program has been a win-win proposition for the past 50 years. Without question, it has improved nearly every facet of the American fishing experience.

OutdoorIlinois

October 2000