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Natural History Survey

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  • Boom of record breaking bass over?

    Jun 15, 2012 8:00 am

    INHS Conservation Geneticist Dave Philipp studied bass for 20 years, finding that genetics plays a role in which fish are caught. Fish that are more aggressive, thus more likely to bite a hook, pass that trait on to their offspring. As those aggressive fish are caught and removed from the population, the remaining fish are genetically harder to catch. This is one of the theories suggested to explain the mystery of why the Pennsylvania Largemouth Bass State Record has stood for nearly 30 years.

  • Asian Carp barrier catches turtle

    Jun 14, 2012 8:00 am

    A barrier designed to prevent Asian Carp from reaching Lake Michigan had the unintended consequence of catching a snapping turtle. This was the first known instance of an animal trapped in the mesh and the turtle was released unharmed. When first installed, migrating turtles were completely blocked by the carp barrier. Subsequent gates installed along the length of the barrier allow turtles to migrate through. The location of the gates was based on the multi-year radio telemetry study conducted by INHS herpetologists on the endangered Blandings' Turtle and other turtles in the area.

  • Western corn rootworm beetles likely to emerge soon

    Jun 4, 2012 8:00 am

    INHS Insect Behaviorist Joe Spencer has observed corn rootwork larvae in their second instar, which indicates the adults can be expected to emerge in about 2 weeks. This is earlier than previous years, but not unexpected given the warm spring.

  • Smallmouth Bass released in DuPage River will help evaluate habitat restoration success

    May 31, 2012 8:00 am

    Approximately 100 smallmouth bass were released into the DuPage River yesterday. The fish, which spent the first 7 years of their lives in the Jake Wolf Fish Hatchery, have been fitted with a plastic tag with an ID number and phone number for anglers to call if they catch one of these fish. The size and location data collected from this will help track their movement and give insight into the success of habitat restoration projects within the DuPage basin. This project is a collaboration between the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Illinois Natural History Survey. For more information about the project, visit the I Fish Illinois Website.

  • New videos on InvertNet featuring INHS scientists at work

    May 31, 2012 8:00 am

    New videos about the InvertNet project, featuring Chris Dietrich, Chris Taylor, Andy Miller have been posted at the InvertNet Vimeo website. Learn about the collections and the field work that provides specimens to them at invertnet.org.

  • Dogs find turtles that researchers can't

    May 24, 2012 8:00 am

    This past week INHS Herpetologist Chris Phillips enlisted the help of a team of 8 dogs to locate box turtles as part of a long term population study. The dogs, Boykin Spaniels, and their handler, John Rucker have helped researchers across the country locate box turtles. The study in Illinois is a collaborative effort between the INHS and the U of I College of Veterinary Medicine to monitor the health and ecology of the box turtle populations in an effort to conserve this species. Their small size, high energy, keen sense of smell and ability to fight through thorns enabled the dogs to out-turtle the humans 42 to 4 this week. They will return in June.

  • Mild winter leads to butterfly innundation

    May 14, 2012 8:00 am

    Environmental Almanac writer Rob Kanter consulted retired INHS Entomologist Mike Jeffords to find out why central Illinois has been inundated with red admiral butterflies. According to Jeffords, the red admirals we see in spring are migrants that overwintered to the south and the few that survived the winter here. This year the mild winter allowed greater survival and the subsequent swarms of red admirals. Jeffords, along with Susan Post (another retired INHS Entomologist) have found that other butterflies are active and numerous earlier than usual this spring. They reported seeing 22 species of Illinois butterflies before April, which is twice their usual number.

  • InvertNet conference merges systematics and technology

    May 14, 2012 8:00 am

    INHS Bioinformatician Matt Yoder was interviewed about the InvertNet Spring 2012 Conference held in April at University of Illinois.  Yoder said that the conference merged systematists with computer programers and engineers. InvertNet is funded by the National Science Foundations Advancing Digitization of Biological Collections (ADBC) program to provide unprecedented access to specimen images and data from invertebrate collections.

  • Emerald Ash Borer adults emerging

    May 8, 2012 8:30 am

    According to Illinois CAPS Coordinator Kelly Estes, "Recent reports indicate that emerald ash borer adults have begun emerging in several areas of the state. Over the past two weeks we have been notified of adults in central Illinois in the Bloomington-Normal area as well as recent reports from NE Illinois in the Chicago area." For more information and resources on Emerald Ash Borer Beetles, visit the Illinois CAPS Blog and the Illinois Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey Website.

  • Scouting for Black Cutworm Moth Larvae

    May 8, 2012 8:00 am

    Illinois Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey Coordinator Kelly Estes advises that corn growers should begin inspecting for damage from Black Cutworm Moth larvae. Based on adult moth captures in March and April, larvae should be nearing the leaf-cutting stage. For more information, check out this Cutworm Fact Sheet.

  • Emiquon producing massive crappie

    Apr 17, 2012 8:00 am

    INHS Fisheries Technicians Kenny Lookingbill (sunglasses at right) and Collin Hinz (left), reported that recent fish surveys at Emiquon turned up massive crappies, the largest weighing in at 3.4 pounds, 17 inches long. Emiquon is an approximately 3,000 acre restored natural area along the Illinois River and based on these surveys may become the best crappie fishery. INHS Illinois River Biologial Field Station and the INHS Forbes Biological Field Station study the waterfowl and fish populations in that area as a means of evaluating the success of the restoration and management.

  • Waterfowl study helps evaluate Illinois River habitat

    Apr 13, 2012 10:00 am

    INHS Waterfowl Biologists have been monitoring restored wetlands along the Illinois River to determine if restoration efforts have been successful for waterfowl populations. Chris Young of the State Journal Register went along and documented the diving duck surveys.

  • Local pros' scientific 'show and tell' wows Yankee Ridge students

    Apr 13, 2012 8:00 am

    INHS Biologist Samantha Carpenter participated in Yankee Ridge Elementary School's Junior Scientist Day, teaching students about Illinois Mammals. This was the 10th annual Junior Scientist Day, with scientists from University of Illinois, Illinois State Archaeological Survey, INHS and other local groups sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm with the students.

  • Morels in Illinois: first steps on the path to a new obsession

    Apr 13, 2012 8:00 am

    Hunting for morels is a popular spring pastime for many. INHS Mycologist Andy Miller was consulted by Rob Kanter for an Environmental Almanac piece and revealed that there are at least 26 separate species of black morels and 16 species of yellow morel. Not mentioning specific locations, Andy gave tips to would-be hunters on where to look, such as moist areas near dead elm trees or living ash trees. Borrowing Rob Kanter's words of warning: Deadly poisonous mushrooms occur along with nonpoisonous ones throughout Illinois. Neither this article nor the accompanying photo is intended to enable beginners to distinguish between them.

  • Stoneflies, a bioindicator of river quality, mapped across Ohio

    Apr 12, 2012 8:00 am

    INHS scientists worked with peers at Western Kentucky University to conduct a statewide assessment of stoneflies in Ohio. Utilizing over 30,000 specimens from 18 museums they determined that there are between 102 and 120 species of stonefly in Ohio. These environmentally sensitive insects are an indicator of river health and this study will help Ohio prioritize high quality streams for protection.

  • Tri-Point students work and learn with INHS herpetologists

    Apr 10, 2012 12:00 pm

    A group of students from Tri-Point Jr. High visited the herpetology collection at INHS and conducted field work with Herpetologist Andy Kuhns. The students were able to help with surveys for amphibians and reptiles at Ballard Nature Center. In addition to finding several species of reptiles and amphibians, the students learned about their habitats, biology and conservation.

  • Largemouth Bass behavior inherited from parents, but also learned

    Apr 10, 2012 8:00 am

    INHS Fisheries Geneticist Dave Phillipp and his lab have studied Largemouth Bass for decades. His findings, including that vulnerability to being caught by anglers is inherited and that bass can learn from negative experiences, were featured in a news story picked up by media across the country.

  • Early Warm Weather brings early insects

    Mar 16, 2012 8:00 am

    INHS Behavioral Entomologist Joe Spencer told WBEZ that the early warm weather means bugs can mature faster, allowing them to emerge much sooner than they are normally expected to, but this does not necessarily mean there will be more of them.

  • Four-leaf clover: Rare variation of a common, edible weed (and may be good luck)

    Mar 9, 2012 8:00 am

    INHS Botanist Greg Spyreas was interviewed for an article about four-leaf clovers. He explained that it is a developmental anomaly and couldn't attest to its luckiness. Having found a four-leaf clover once may or may not explain that his "whole life has been good luck.”

  • New miniature grasshopper-like insect is first member of its family from Belize

    Feb 10, 2012 8:00 am

    A new species of Neotropical Orthopteran has been described by INHS Entomologists Sam Heads and Steve Taylor. Ripipteryx mopana belongs to a group of small and unusual insects related to grasshoppers that includes the North American pygmy mole crickets. This new species comes from the Toledo District of southern Belize, an area of tropical rainforest that is largely unexplored by entomologists. It was named in honor of the Mopan, a Mayan people that live primarily in the area of Belize where the species was discovered. The entomologists will return to the region this coming spring to study the local insect fauna in more detail.

  • Coming back strong: Illinois Bald Eagle populations on the rise

    Feb 7, 2012 8:00 am

    Bald Eagle populations in Illinois are on the rise. In 1980, Bald Eagles were found breeding only in extreme Southern Illinois, but in surveys during 2008, nesting pairs were found in 67 Illinois counties. Part of the increase is attributed to the ban of DDT in 1972, but according to INHS Ornithologist Mike Ward, that was just the beginning. Environmental regulations have led to cleaner waterways (enabling eagles to more easily catch fish) and eagles have become more comfortable around humans. Being able to be near people gives them a lot more places to breed in Illinois, Ward said.

  • Digitization of biological collections will make fragile specimens more accessible for study

    Jan 30, 2012 8:00 am

    The biological collections of the Illinois Natural History Survey are among the largest in the nation, with nearly 10 million specimens collected over the past 150 years. These collections document our natural heritage and can be studied to understand variations within and between species, changes over time, and countless other topics. Many of the specimens are fragile and must be stored and handled with extreme care. As part of a $10 million grant from the National Science Foundation, researchers at INHS are working with several other institutions to digitize collections, taking high resolution images from a variety of angles. Scientists from around the world will be able to see the images of the specimens and physically handle only the ones that they need for closer examination. For more information on the invertebrate side of the project, check out the InvertNet website.

  • Illinois scientists look for signs of disease that killed millions of bats

    Jan 20, 2012 8:00 am

    White Nose Syndrome, a fungal infection devastating to bat populations, has not yet been detected in Illinois bat populations. As a preventative measure, Illinois caves on public lands have been closed to the public since 2010. This winter an interdisciplinary team of INHS researchers will begin surveying caves in Illinois for evidence of White Nose Syndrome, taking tissue, air and soil samples. Their goal is to form a more complete understanding of the cave environment including the fungi, bacteria and other microorganisms present.

  • Snowy Owls invade Illinois

    Jan 17, 2012 8:00 am

    This winter, Snowy Owls have been sighted in Illinois almost daily. According to INHS Ornithologist Steve Bailey, "It's probably the biggest Snowy Owl invasion in years." He explains that this year's high lemming population led to an increase in young snowy owls. Bailey asks bird watchers to be responsible and keep their distance. Flushing an owl causes them to expend a great deal of energy and these birds have already migrated up to 1,000 miles. And as for those fabulous photographs of a snowy owl approaching the camera with talons outstretched? Those are often staged by photographers baiting the owls with captive raised mice. Bailey reminds bird watchers to "keep the bird's welfare in mind," and not lure the owls towards dangerous roadways with store bought mice that may harbor diseases.

  • New fungal infection found in endangered Eastern Massasauga population

    Dec 16, 2011 8:00 am

    The long-term monitoring project of the endangered Eastern Massasauga population at Carlyle Lake has revealed a new species of fungal infection, which causes severe facial swelling, disfiguration and ultimately death. INHS Affiliate Dr. Matt Allender (University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine) is spearheading research on the fungus along with INHS Herpetologists Michael Dreslik, Sarah Wylie, Chris Phillips and Dan Wylie. By studying this infection they hope to develop methods for treatment and prevention.

  • New species of mole cricket named for INHS Entomologist Sam Heads

    Dec 15, 2011 12:00 pm

    Oscar Cadena-Castaneda, a graduate student at the Universidad Distrital Francisco Jos de Caldas in Bogot, Colombia has named a new species of mole cricket (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae) in honor of INHS entomologist Dr. Sam Heads. The new species, Scapteriscus headsi was described in a paper published on 12 December in the journal Zootaxa.

  • Undergraduates gain valuable experience working with INHS researchers

    Dec 14, 2011 9:00 am

    Kendall Annetti, an undergraduate student at University of Illinois, has been working on a research project surveying game birds for blood parasites. Under the guidance of INHS Wildlife Epidemiologist Dr. Nohra Mateus-Pinilla, Kendall is completing the research portion of her James Scholar Program experience. The invaluable experiences gained by the many students mentored here at the Illinois Natural History Survey help prepare them for careers in science and beyond.

  • Waterfowl numbers better than last year

    Dec 14, 2011 8:00 am

    Aerial surveys this November showed 20 times more ducks on Lake Chautauqua than during the same period last year. The Green-winged Teal made up the majority of those waterfowl, with conditions on the lake this year being favorable. INHS Waterfowl Biologist Randy Smith said, "Green-winged teal like it when the water is so shallow that they can stand up, just an inch or two deep with lots of vegetation." This year's surveys have found that Lake Chautauqua has more than one third of all the ducks at the 16 sites sampled in the Lower Mississippi River Valley.

  • Crows are back, but West Nile Virus here to stay

    Dec 13, 2011 11:00 am

    During the years following the discovery of West Nile Virus in Illinois, Crow populations dropped from 300,000 to 110,000 birds. According to INHS Ornithologist Mike Ward, crows were highly susceptible to West Nile Virus, possibly because of their specialized immune systems and social lifestyle.  The cause of the rebound is not fully understood, but Ward stated that antibodies to fight off the virus have been discovered recently. Wet conditions during the summer may have also decresed breeding of the mosquito species that carries West Nile Virus.

  • Students helping fill in the gaps in INHS herpetology collection records

    Nov 4, 2011 1:00 pm

    Scott Saffer, teacher at Tri-Point Junior High School and former employee at INHS, seeks out opportunities for his students to be engaged in actual science. His students have participated in bird research, studied insects, and cruised the Illinois River looking for Asian carp. This year the students are working on filling in the gaps in our knowledge of reptile and amphibian species in Livingston and Ford County. With the help of INHS Herpetologist Andy Kuhns verifying identifications and occurrence records, the students are documenting the species found in these two under-surveyed areas.

  • Southern White Pelicans at Rend Lake in large numbers

    Nov 4, 2011 12:00 pm

    INHS Ornithologist T.J. Benson was featured in an article about the Southern White Pelicans currently being seen in large numbers at Rend Lake. Unlike the Brown Pelicans, which dive into the water for food, White Pelicans align themselves in a circle and scoop up the fish. Benson stated that in the spring the birds might migrate through more quickly needing to get to the breeding grounds, the fall migration can be more spread out, with birds lingering in places with good resources. Asked about the number of birds, he stated that "Anecdotally, you're definitely seeing more and more. It's kind of true that wetland birds in general are tending to do better over time. Some of that is habitat restoration and cleaning up waterways."

  • The threat of invasive species

    Oct 31, 2011 8:00 am

    INHS Affiliate and former director of the Illinois River Field Station was featured on CBS Sunday Morning in a story about invasive species. On the Asian Carp, Sass stated "We've seen explosive population growth, a population that has almost doubled every year. We're fairly confident we have the highest wild densities of Asian carp anywhere in the world." David Lodge of Notre Dame says studies estimate that invasive species cost the US Economy on the order of at least $120 billion annually. There are 30 federal agencies involved in the fight against invasive species, with about $1.5 billion spent annually. Education and prevention are key to warding off the invasive species.

  • Fowl flocking to Emiquon

    Oct 27, 2011 1:45 pm

    According to the latest aerial inventories there were 63,225 ducks at Emiquon on Oct. 17. At the same time last year there were 50,775 ducks. Emiquon is a 6,900 acre Nature Conservancy reclamation along the Illinois River, established in 2005.

  • Soybean Aphids setting up for potential comeback

    Oct 25, 2011 8:00 am

    INHS Entomologist David Voegtlin sampled soybean aphids this fall and found levels that could lead to higher densities of aphids on crops in 2012. In 2009, fall densities were extremely high and fungal infection wiped out large numbers of the aphids. This fall's lower humidity and lower density of aphids could lead to greater survival of overwintering aphids.

  • Gail Kampmeier receives Honorary Membership in ESA

    Sep 14, 2011 8:00 am

    INHS Entomologist Gail Kampmeier had the title of Honorary Member of the Entomological Society of America bestowed upon her this year. The purpose of Honorary Membership is to acknowledge those who have served the ESA through significant involvement in the affairs of the Society that has reached an extraordinary level. The number of Honorary Members cannot exceed 1% of the membership and thus, this is a great honor. Gail is joined in recognition this year by INHS Affiliate Kevin L. Steffey.

  • Surveys to assess potential for Thousand Canker Disease on Illinois walnut trees

    Aug 29, 2011 8:00 am

    Illinois Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey Coordinator Kelly Estes is sampling black walnuts across the state to monitor for the potential of Thousand Canker Disease. If you have black walnut stands on your property or know of stands, ICAPS asks that you submit that information for mapping purposes.

  • Mussel surveys help assess river health

    Aug 26, 2011 8:00 am

    INHS Malacologists Sarah Bales, Josh Sherwood and Amy Stultz were featured in an article in the Rockford Register Star. The team is one of three teams conducting statewide mussel surveys, documenting the location, size, age, sex and species of mussels they find. Mussels are an important part of the ecosystem, filtering pollutants, providing shelter to small organisms, as well as food for larger organisms such as raccoons and muskrats. By understanding the mussel populations in a location, biologists are better able to determine the health of that river.

  • Negative image aside, Asian carp are a boon

    Aug 18, 2011 8:00 am

    Although there is widespread concern about the spread of Asian Carp, for some people, they represent a new industry and economic boon. Asian Carp harvest has increased thirtyfold in the past ten years. In 2010, a fisheries company in Thomson IL sold 20 million pounds of Asian carp to consumers globally. According to Greg Sass, director of the INHS Illinois River Biological Station, that while Asian Carp represent 80% of fish in parts of the Illinois River, scientific research has not yet established a direct connection between the presence of Asian Carp and the decline of native species.

  • Heavy rains wash away mosquito larvae, but mosquitoes repopulate standing waters

    Aug 16, 2011 8:00 am

    Entomologist Rich Lampman was interviewed by Chicago's CBS affiliate WBBM about mosquitoes.  According to Lampman heavy rains in northern Illinois in July may have flushed out larvae in standing water. Unfortunately, any puddles left over will be colonized by new mosquitoes. Dumping standing water every couple of days can help keep mosquito numbers down.

  • West Nile found in Champaign county mosquitoes

    Aug 15, 2011 8:00 am

    INHS Medical Entomology Program confirmed the presence of West Nile Virus in a mosquito sample from the Champaign Department of Public Health. Champaign is the 12th county to have positive mosquito samples this year. No human cases have been reported yet this year, but the CDPH recommends dumping standing water and taking general precautions.

  • Freshwater mussels: overlooked and under appreciated

    Aug 10, 2011 8:00 am

    Environmental Almanac writer Rob Kanter wrote "Freshwater mussels: overlooked, under appreciated residents of Illinois streams" earlier this month, referencing the INHS publication Field Guide to Freshwater Mussels of the Midwest. Malacologist Kevin Cummings was consulted for the post and reported that North America has the greatest diversity of freshwater mussels, with nearly three hundred species and subspecies. Illinois is/was home to eighty of these species, but only about half of them are currently found with regularity.

  • Japanese beetles spreading westward

    Aug 1, 2011 8:00 am

    INHS Entomologist and Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey coordinator Kelly Estes was interviewed about the spread of Japanese Beetles westward. Their ability to spread in a given year is dependent on fluctuating populations, which can be affected by rainfall. The best way to get rid of them is collecting them in a bucket of hot soapy water.

  • Western corn rootworm webinar

    Jul 28, 2011 2:00 am

    INHS Behavioral Entomologist Joe Spencer recently presented a webinar on Western Corn Rootworm, a longtime pest of corn crops in the United States. INHS scientists have been studying WCR, and ways to control them, for over 100 years. This webinar presents a review of WCR biology, the history of corn rootworm as a pest species and the WCR's adaptation to crop rotation that began in Illinois. The use of Bt-transgenic corn for rootworm management is introduced along with assumptions about WCR behavior in refuge and Bt corn. Data on WCR behavior and mating in several different configurations of refuge and Bt- corn are presented to illustrate how the placement of refuge affects the biology and ecology of mating WCR beetles.

  • Corn rootworm on the rebound?

    Jul 18, 2011 9:00 am

    After a couple of years with low levels of damage from Western Corn Rootworms, INHS Insect Behaviorist Joe Spencer and his colleagues have found significant damage to roots and a higher level of adult emergence compared to last year. For more information, visit Farms.com.

  • Japanese beetles thrive in human landscapes

    Jul 18, 2011 8:00 am

    According to INHS entomologist Chris Dietrich, Japanese beetles are generalists and will eat approximately 300 different types of plants, which is not unusual for an introduced species. Human lawns make perfect habitat for the grubs which feed on the roots of grass, but killing the grubs will do little, as adults will fly in from other yards.

  • Swarms of mayflies are short-lived

    Jul 6, 2011 4:00 pm

    INHS Entomologist Chris Dietrich was interviewed about the infestation of mayflies long the Illinois River this week. After spending most of their life in the water, they emerge en masse, overwhelming predators, mate and then die, typically within 24 hours. According to Dietrich, mayflies are an environmental indicator for our rivers, so large numbers of them is a good thing.

  • Deer ticks more adaptable than previously known

    Jun 28, 2011 2:00 pm

    Deer ticks, the host species for Lyme disease, feed on a variety of animals, with white footed mice (a forest species) as the main reservoir for the disease causing bacteria. INHS Wildlife Epidemiologist Nohra Mateus-Pinilla, graduate student Jennifer Rydzewski and Richard Warner (NRES) found that the highest prevalence of infection at Allerton Park was from the prairie, with prairie voles as the reservoir. "What's exciting about the new findings is that we are dealing with potentially new mechanisms of disease transmission that we just have not explored and perhaps we do not understand," Mateus-Pinilla said. "We need to think outside of what we already know about Lyme disease transmission."

  • Safety in numbers for 13- and 17-year cicadas

    Jun 24, 2011 8:00 am

    That loud buzzing heard across the southern half of Illinois this month?  It's the mating calls of periodical cicadas emerged after spending 13 years underground. Most cicada species emerge after 2 to 5 years, but some species have longer cycles and emerge en masse. According to INHS Entomologist Chris Dietrich we are should consider ourselves fortunate to have those loud inundations of periodical cicadas. "Illinois has five different (periodic) broods, two 13-year and three 17-year," he said. "We're kind of lucky. We get to see them more often than people further west. Cicadas are found mostly in the tropics, but there are 25 to 30 species in Illinois and close to 100 in the U.S."

  • Vector mosquitoes detected earlier than expected

    Jun 21, 2011 8:00 am

    INHS Medical Entomologist Richard Lampman was featured on a News Channel 15 story about mosquitoes.  Because of all of the rain, the "nuisance" mosquito population is expected to be above average. The recent hot dry weather has resulted in "vector" or disease-carrying mosquito eggs being found earlier than expected this year.

  • INHS waterfowl data used to set hunting seasons

    Jun 20, 2011 8:00 am

    Aerial surveys conducted by INHS Waterfowl Ecologist Aaron Yetter are being used to help determine the waterfowl hunting seasons for the next 5 years. "Aerial waterfowl surveys conducted by Aaron Yetter of the Illinois Natural History Survey show limited numbers of ducks in the Upper and Lower Mississippi Area near the proposed start date of the North Zone season. The Upper Mississippi area, which includes Keokuk, Iowa, Nauvoo and the Keithsburg Refuge, showed 1,160 ducks on Oct. 11 and 2,335 ducks on Oct. 18, according to the 2010 survey. On Nov. 2, just days after the Central Zone opener, surveys showed 22,470 ducks in the area. The same movements are reflected in the Lower Mississippi region, which includes Swan Lake, Cannon Refuge and Shanks Refuge. On Oct. 11, there were 10,280 ducks counted. On Oct. 18, there were 35,555 ducks. On Nov. 2 there were 81,765 birds. On Nov. 16, there were 171,970. One reason hunters would favor an earlier start to the season would be to avoid the late-season freeze that often negates the final week or two of hunting."