Bass anglers are gearing up for the May 31 “Fishing for a Cure” charity tournament at Braidwood Lake in Braceville.

There is a $100 entry fee for a two man boat team. Registrations are limited to 100 boats. If spots remain open, registrations will be accepted on the day of the event.

“All proceeds, including entry fees, go directly to FAAN, the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network,” said Paul Hanson, vice president of the Braidwood plant.

Cash prizes total $10,000 with the first place winning team reeling in a $4,000 payday.

Gates open at 4:30 a.m. at the south ramp off Kankakee Road near Godley. The tournament begins at 6:30 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m.
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Partnerships key to acquiring habitat areas for game and recreation

Pheasants Forever recently announced the launch of its first annual “Build a Wildlife Area” campaign in Illinois.

The program seeks to form partnerships to acquire habitat areas for game production and public recreation.

“Illinois is a state where 95 percent of land is in private ownership, so we’re excited to be launching a ‘Build a Wildlife Area’ campaign as a way to ensure we’ll always have places to enjoy the great outdoors,” said Aaron Kuehl, director of conservation for Pheasants Forever.

The campaign teams up local donations with matching share corporate or organizational sponsors to double and triple the dollars for habitat acquisition.

“Once lands are acquired, they are turned over to the state for management and opened to the public for recreation, including hunting,” Kuehl said.
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Eight members of the Kankakee Valley Bass Anglers culled just over 23 1/2 pounds of bass during last Sunday’s Clinton Lake club tourney.

Dick Woodworth led the field with three bass at 8.76 pounds. Don Hunt with second with three at 7.72 pounds and Don Burson came in third with  a 4.73 pound Big Bass winner.

The club’s next tournament is at Rend Lake on May 31st and June 1st.

Hunters and marksmen have named some of their favorite equipment in a recent nationwide survey released this week by Southwick Associates, a research group for the hunting and fishing industry.

The list gives readers of The Outdoor Journal blog a chance to comment on their own favorite equipment for the field and the shooting range.
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How would you like to get your name into outer space?

NASA is offering an opportunity for people to submit their names to be included on a DVD that will be part of the payload when the Kepler Mission blasts off in February to search for Earth-like planets beyond our solar system.
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Four environmental groups have filed a lawsuit in federal court this week to stop the spread of a deadly fish virus in the Great Lakes.

Described as the “Ebola of fish” Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia or VHS affects species ranging from freshwater drum to walleye and includes popular gamefish such as bluegill, crappie, muskies, northern pike, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and white bass.
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A four-week safe boating class begins May 15 at Kankakee Community College.

The class, offered in conjunction with the Kankakee Valley Squadron, will meet from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday evenings.

Boat Smart is an introductory course for all boaters. Topics covered include selecting a boat, an introduction to charts, operator responsibilities, boat handling, fueling, safety equipment, trailering, marine radio procedures, nautical rules of the road and state boating regulations.

The 10-hour class meets educational requirements for those ages 12 to 18 to legally operate a boat.

Registration information is available by calling KCC at (815) 802-8200 or by clicking here.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service maps of the National Wetlands Inventory are now available for viewing using Google Earth.

The wetlands inventory includes wetlands data for approximately 60 percent of the conterminous U.S., as well as portions of Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.

The maps and associated data are used extensively as part of wildlife management and conservation activities by state and federal wildlife agencies, private conservation organizations and others.

Computer users will need Google Earth version 4.2 or higher to access the wetlands maps. To get started, click HERE.

Readers of this blog can now check a calendar of upcoming Outdoors events.

The “Events” listings appear at the right side of the Outdoors Journal page and will be updated frequently.

Right now listings run through May 2008.

Clubs or organizations are welcome to submit their entries; however Outdoors events should be sent via e-mail to: bbyrns@daily-journal.com.

Wildflower walks set for May

Spring wildflowers and a morel mushroom hunt are st for May at the Kankakee River State Park.

Woodland flowers will be featured on May 3 and 17. A Mother’s Day wildflower walk is set for May 10 and more spring flowers will be explored during walks on May 24 and 31.

All walks begin at 11 a.m. at the park’s Visitor’s Center. Reservations are requested by calling (815) 933-1383, ext. 25.

Morel mushroom foray

The Illinois Mycological Association will host a May 3 morel mushroom foray at the Kankakee River State Park.

Mushroomers should assemble 11 a.m. at the University of Illinois Extension office, 1650 Commerce Drive, Bourbonnais. Following a brief session, the group will leave by noon for the Area A Archery Range on Illinois Route 102 west of Warner Bridge Road.

For more details call Michael Rusnak at (708) 755 4705.