46 



GAME AND FISH RESORTS. 



McHenry is sixty-six miles from Chicago, on the banks of Fox River. It has 

 three hotels. Five miles distant, a chain of small lakes extends eastward some 

 thirty miles. These lakes are full offish, and along their shores game is found m 

 abundance. Reached via the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad. 



Richmond is on the banks of the Neipersink River. The Twin Lakes are 

 three miles from the station, and furnish excellent fishing. Game abounds in the 

 vicinity. Reached via the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, seventy-five 

 miles from Chicago. Hotel accommodations. 



Ridgefield. Excellent shooting and angling in the vicinity. Reached via the 

 Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, forty-six miles from Chicago. 



McT.ean County— 



Belle Flower. Excellent pinnated grouse shooting. Reached via the Oilman, 

 Clinton and Springfield Railroad. 



Bloomingtoii. Pinnated grouse on the prairies. Reached via the Chicago and 

 Alton, or Illinois Central, and other roads. Board $3 : teams $3 to $5. 



Leroy. Pinnated grouse and quail. Reached via the Indianapolis, Blooming- 

 ton and Western Railroad. 



Waeon County — 



Decatur. Pinnated grouse and ducks. Reached via Illinois Central and 

 other railroads. Hotels $3. 



Madison County- 

 Alton. Duck and snipe shooting. Reached via the Chicago and Alton, or 

 Indianapolis and St. Louis Railroad. 



Mason County — 



Havana^ forty miles below Peoria, on the Illinois River, (which see, below) is 

 reached by steamer, or via the Peoria, Pekin and Jacksonville, the Indianapolis 

 Bloomington and Western, or the Springfield and Northwestern Railroads. 



The Illinois River. The most noted sporting grounds in Central Illinois, if not 

 in the whole State, lie upon the Illinois River about twenty-five miles below Peoria. 

 The game here is of great variety and abundance, consisting of ducks ; the mal- 

 lard, wood or summer, blue and green-winged teal, wid^-eon, canvas back, and 

 nearly all the other inland varieties, with several of the salt water species ; geese, 

 the brant and common wild goose ; white pelicans, sand hill cranes, herons, water 

 turkeys, coots, plover, snipe, common hawks, bitterns, curlew, loons, dippers, 

 quail, pinnated grouse, woodcock, large fox squirrels ; catfish, buffalo fish, pike, 

 bass and most of the ordinary varieties of fresh water fish. Of fur bearing, ani- 

 mals, there are raccoons, minks and muskrats. The hunting grounds lie upon 

 either side of the river. The part west is in Fulton County, that east in Mason 

 County. Havana, a small village near the south end of them, is a good initial 

 point, either by railroad or river. They are about eight miles long, and one and a 

 half miles on each side of the stream. They are " bottom lands," and generally 

 heavily timbered, but in some places open, except brush, flags, weeds, etc. 

 They are lower, back from the river, than on its banks, which are open, hard, 

 drv, and fine for camping, with plenty of wood. Blind wagon roads intersect 

 them generally, so thev are easily entered on almost every side. The river is 

 generally about three hundred yards wide with a slow current, and sloping banks. 

 On each' side, and back at convenient distance for hunting, lie about twenty lakes, 

 sloughs and ponds, varying from three miles and a half, down to the ordinary 

 pond. These, about ten on each side, stretch along from north to south, throughout 

 the hunting grounds. The most prominent are Thomson's, Johnson's, Slim and 

 Duck Island, in Fulton County ; Flag, Spring, Mud and Clear in Mason County. 

 Camps are generally pitched so as to command several of these lakes. Persons 

 living in the vicinity will always conduct strangers to the best camping grounds, 

 01 haul their camp equipage to and from the same. Steamboats often land par- 

 ties right on the ground, hence Peoria or Pekin, from the north, are good initial 

 points, where perfect outfit for camp may be purchased. A small skift or boat is 

 almost indispensable, and there are few if any to hire. India rubber boots with 

 high leggins, are a necessary article of outfit. Most of the game killed may be got 

 by wading from the shore. The lakes are generally shallow, and some may be 

 waded ; some are open, but most are broadly belted with wild rice, flags, grass, 

 etc. From about the loth to the 20th of October is the best time to camp here. 

 Shooting is generally along the borders, and a retriever will add much to the 

 sport. 



