The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge has announced the 2015 applications for the special deer hunt at Lost Mound are available. Two managed deer hunts, one for youth (ages 10-15) and one for adults with disabilities (16 and older), are conducted within designated Closed Areas of Lost Mound. All hunters must be accompanied by an adult able-bodied attendant that is capable of tracking and retrieving a deer.

The application period extends from July 1 – July 31 and is open to residents and non-residents. All applications will be entered into a random drawing for the 40 hunt sites on August 5 at 10:00AM, which will be held at the Refuge Office, 7071 Riverview Road, Thomson IL. The drawing is open to the public and applicants do not have to be present.

All hunters, attendants and any accompanying individuals must attend a mandatory safety orientation with two sessions being held: Saturday, October 3, 9:00AM-3:00PM to be held at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 318 Chicago Ave., Savanna IL; and Friday, November 13, 9:00AM-3:00PM at Manny’s Pizza, 211 Main Street, Savanna IL followed by a visit to the hunt area.

The youth hunt will be held on October 10-11 which coincides with the Illinois Youth Either Sex Deer Hunt. A Jo Daviess County Deer Permit must be obtained and brought to the orientation. All youth must show certification of completion of a state approved hunter safety course.

The hunt for adults with disabilities will be held on November 14-15 which is the Saturday-Sunday prior to the Illinois Firearms Deer First Season. A minimum P2a Illinois disability classification (or similar disability certification from non-resident states) is required. A Jo Daviess County Deer Permit is not needed in order to apply for this hunt, as this permit is provided by the Refuge.

Application and regulations can be downloaded from the following website. www.fws.gov/refuge/upper_mississippi_river or picked up at the refuge office located at 7071 Riverview Road, Thomson IL. For further questions please contact the Refuge office at 815-273-2732.

We will be hosting a Mayfly Watch Workshop on June 20^th, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. This workshop will teach you everything that you need to know about becoming a successful Citizen Scientist, how to use Nature’s Notebook and how to identify what you will be looking for.  This workshop is intended for all age groups.  Workshop will be held at the Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center, 7071 Riverview Rd, Thomson, IL 61285.  For more information and to pre-register call 815-273-2732.

We are seeking observers along the Mississippi River to track the timing of the seasonal event of Mayfly emergence.  Every year, mayflies emerge from the Mississippi River, and the result can be extraordinary! Large emergences can number in the millions – enough to be picked up by weather radar. Mayflies are an important food source for fish, especially during the summer emergence but also throughout the year when they are in their larval form.

The US Fish & Wildlife Service is interested in tracking the timing of seasonal events like these. Our hope is that our neighbors of the river, armed with their mayfly identification, will learn to notice the seasonal changes that occur on the river during the summer.