Youth Pheasant Hunt at Pere Marquette

Young hunters between the ages of 10-15 can apply now for the Pere Marquette Youth Pheasant Hunt scheduled for Saturday March 2 at Pere Marquette State Park in Jersey County.

The Pere Marquette Youth Pheasant Hunt is a new addition to the Illinois Youth Pheasant Hunt Program and represents an expansion into early spring. Most youth pheasant hunting opportunities are offered at IDNR Controlled Pheasant Hunting Areas in the fall or early winter.

Modeled after the World Shooting and Recreational Complex Youth Pheasant Hunt, young hunters at Pere Marquette State Park will participate in a wingshooting clinic during the morning. IDNR/National Sporting Clays Association Certified Wingshooting Instructors will
teach the wingshooting clinic. Young hunters will practice shotgun safety and advance their
wingshooting skills during the clinic. The pheasant hunt will take place after lunch.

More than a dozen co-sponsors are assisting the IDNR and Pere Marquette State Park with the
wingshooting clinic and pheasant hunt. Co-sponsors provide funding for the clay targets, target
and field shotshells, and for lunch for the young hunters. Many sponsors will also provide the
assistance of some of their members to provide bird dogs and bird dog handlers and hunting
guides. The co-sponsors include the Alton Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau; Channel-
Seedsmanship At Work; Ducks Unlimited; Friends of Pere Marquette State Park; Green Roof
Kennels; Hargrave International; the Illinois National Shoot-To-Retrieve Field Trial Association;
Migratory Waterfowlers; the National Wild Turkey Federation - Midwest Gobblers Chapter;
Otter Creek Hunting Club; Pfister Seed Company; Quail Forever – Illinois Pioneer Chapter;
Todd Parish - Attorney At Law; Ward Financial Services; Whitworth-Horn-Goetten Insurance
Agency; and, Winchester/Olin.

Permits for the Pere Marquette Hunt are available through the IDNR’s Controlled Pheasant
Hunting Internet Reservation System.

Hunters need to review the “…Illinois Youth Pheasant Hunt Information” and the “…Illinois
Youth Pheasant Hunt Regulations” on the controlled pheasant hunting website prior to
submitting an application. To navigate to the controlled pheasant hunting website once the
IDNR website www.dnr.illinois.gov has been accessed, hunters should follow these directions:
Click on "Upland Game” from the drop down menu under the “Hunting/Trapping” button on the
Homepage toolbar then click on "Controlled Pheasant Areas" under the “Quick Links” heading.
Hunters without computers are encouraged to gain access to the controlled pheasant hunting
online reservation system by checking with family or friends with a computer or by using a
computer at their local public library. Completing a permit reservation online takes less than five minutes.

For complete details, check the controlled pheasant hunting website at www.dnr.illinois.gov.