Jammies:

It’s the busiest time of year for those men and women who are charged with protecting our natural resources and enforcing state game and hunting regulations.

More and more state conservation agencies are using innovative methods to apprehend those ne’er-do-wells who take game animals out of season or ignore game laws meant to protect and manage our valuable wildlife resources.

Illinois hunters and anglers can expect to pay significantly more to enjoy their outdoor pastimes in 2010 with Friday’s signing of fee-increase legislation by Gov. Pat Quinn.

The measure, which becomes effective Jan. 1, was passed by the state legislature earlier this year.

With the state facing an enormous budget deficit and a Department of Natural Resources with huge financing shortfalls, Quinn and other proponents of the increase said the fee hike was overdue and necessary. The increases are projected to bring the DNR an additional $3 million a year, spokeswoman Stacy Solano said.

Advocates who want to change Montana’s non-resident hunting license system and end the issuance of preferential outfitter set-aside big game tags have received approval to begin collecting petition signatures to place the issue on the November 2010 ballot.

[ Read Full Post ]

When the 350 remaining New Mexico late season cow elk tags went on sale last week, it took less than 10 seconds for them to be claimed by anxious hunters using the Department of Game and Fish Web site. Between 9:30 and 10:30 on Monday morning, the agency Web site received about a quarter million hits.