Although some waterfowl hunting Is prevalent In most of the 102 counties in Illinois, 

 It Is of negligible Importcince In 40 counties and Is an Important sport In only 3S counties. 

 These 33 counties are located In four general regions In the state: (1) the glacial lakes 

 region In northeastern Illinois, known popularly as the Chaln-0' -Lakes region; (2) the Horse 

 Shoe Lake area In Alexander County; (3) the Mississippi River valley, principally from East 

 Dubuque to Alton; and (4) the Illinois River valley from Channahon to Grafton, but mainly from 

 Ottawa to Meredosla. 



GLACIAL LAKES REGION 



The glacial lakes, or Chaln-0' -Lakes, region Is within an hoiir or two transportation 

 time of about 4,000,000 Illinois people. Consequently, It receives a heavy recreational pres- 

 sure that affects the waterfowl population at all seasons. Most of the marsh and water 

 territory on the Chaln-0' -Lakes ~ Marie, Grass, Nlpperslnk, Fox and Plstakee ~ Is under 

 public control, and public hunting Is therefore permitted. However, there are a number of 

 private lakes and marshes In the region where clubs control the hunting. Some clubs lease 

 blinds to Individual hunters or groups of hunters, others operate on an exclusive membership 

 basis, while a few operate on a dally fee basis. In 1940 the State Department of Conservation 

 listed only two dally fee places In this region. 



The majority of free-lance hunters rent boats from the numerous boat yards studding 

 the shores of these lakes. Most of the waterfowl hunting Is confined to 1,800-acre Grass 

 Lake, where hunters depend almost entirely upon coot or mud hen shooting for their sport. 



A check of the coot population and kill In the region was made by Dr. Jessop B. Low 

 and the writer during the first 2 days of the 1942 season. According to all reports, most of 

 the hunting there occurs during the first few days of each season, and hunting records at duck 

 clubs In the region support this contention. Only small numbers of hunters turn out with the 

 arrival of later coot flights, and only a very few hunters consistently hunt ducks until the 

 freeze-up, which generally occurs the latter part of November. 



On the opening day of the 1942 waterfowl hunting season, we checked the bag of 521 

 free-lance hunters at Grass Lake. These hunters bagged 6,461 coots — an average of 12.4 per 

 hunter — and 59 ducks, an average of 0.11. Most of the ducks were ruddles. 



We computed that boats on the lake averaged 1.6 hianters per boat. From boat 

 liveries on and around Grass Lake, 790 boats were rented for shooting on that lake. Less than 

 2 per cent of the hunters brought their own boats. Unknown is the number of boats used by 

 hunters owning cottages around and adjacent to the lake. All data we have. Including counts 

 made of boats anchored at cottages on lakes Marie and Grass, Indicate that the minimum number 

 of boats In use at Grass Lake on the opening day was 1,000 emd the maximum number 1,500, with 

 1,200 probably the actual number. 



6 



