I'm not the biggest fan of hunting upland game birds in northern Illinois, at least I used to not be a fan. A recent pheasant hunting and target shooting expedition has changed my mind on the subject.
My past experiences have been hunting birds at a few clubs and hunting wild birds in central Illinois. Wild birds are few and far between and the kind of area that they can be found in is dense with foliage and hard to get through. I've never liked shooting club birds because they are usually planted in easy-to-walk fields the morning of the hunt, and they are treated in a way that causes them not to move until a guide dog startles them. That's not for me.
I was recently asked to spend a day with Darrell Baker, Jim Sugarman and Dan Tischler at the Richmond Hunting Club where Tischler is a member. I always enjoy the company of these gentlemen and had always wanted to see what Richmond was all about. The day really opened my eyes and was a tremendous experience.
Richmond Hunting Club is located on Route 173. It is open primarily for the use of its 190 members, but there are opportunities for the general public to enjoy the facilities. Richmond offers non-members a chance for an introductory pheasant hunt, the use of their sporting clays courses and service at their excellent restaurant/clubhouse for breakfast and lunch.
Members have full use of the property for hunting pheasant, chukkar, partridge, quail, turkey, ducks and geese. They also have total access to Richmond's three sporting clay ranges that have 10 stations each. Deer hunting privileges are available with a separate fee for the entire season. There are three ponds with rowboats available for trying your hand at catfish, bluegills, trout and bass. A pond is being developed for giant hybrid bluegills and also a "kids-only" pond for big catfish. If that isn't enough, Richmond even offers swimming in the summer.
We met at the club house early on a weekday. The ground was covered with a few inches of fresh snow and the temps were in the 20s with little wind. I scanned the menu that was filled with a number of unique and interesting items. Blueberry french toast caught my eye, but alas, we only had time for coffee before hitting the sporting clays range.
Richmond Hunting Club is divided by Route 173 with the clays to the south and the hunting grounds to the north. Jim Sugarman who is the owner/operator of Rosemont's America's Outdoor Show had never fired a shotgun before. After a few pointers from Baker, Tischler and our guide, Greg Guffo, Sugarman was ready. It didn't take very long for Jim to get comfortable with his weapon and was soon breaking clay pigeons with regularity. It was time to go after some live targets.
As I began to walk the fields of the club, I was amazed at how challenging the layout was. The huntable acreage of the 850-acre property is planted with corn, sorghum, a few sunflowers and some other feed grasses. The foliage is thick and challenging and offers excellent cover for the wily birds.
At some clubs you walk fields that are as flat as the proverbial pancake and that are covered with the bare minimum of foliage. The birds are really easy for the dogs to find especially since the guides know exactly where they have put the birds anyway. You go up and down the rows a few times and if your group contains a couple of decent shooters, your day is over shortly after it just began.
This is not the case at Richmond Hunting Club. This operation is about as close as it gets to hunting birds in the wild. The grounds are rolling. There are paths, but they wind and wind and go uphill and downhill. We probably covered about four miles but it was nothing like the four miles I walk with my dog in my neighborhood. This was challenging and quite the workout. My hips and thighs finally recovered after a week of hot baths.
Richmond's birds aren't planted. They are released randomly throughout the week from the back of a caged truck. No one knows where they are, you really have to hunt for them. There are plenty of birds in Richmond's fields, as well. They sure aren't stingy in the number of pheasants they release.
Richmond buys their birds from a top quality breeder. They are big and colorful and seem to love to run hard and fast, rather than get up in the air immediately. I'll say this for their birds – they seem to not want to be shot at without making the hunters work for the opportunity.
Greg Goffo, our guide was totally excellent as was his beautiful 4-1/2-year old yellow lab, Jack. Goffo is a professional dog trainer and his dog was certainly proof of Greg's talent as a trainer. Richmond also offers kenneling services and dog training. They can train your canine for pointing, retrieving or just for general obedience.
Sometimes you'll find that a guide at a club may have a few "rough edges." Greg Goffo was a consummate professional and looked more like a guy you'd have do your taxes than an upland game hunting guide. He was extremely friendly and a great conversationalist.
Jim Sugarman put his new-found shooting skills to work quickly and proudly bagged a handful of birds. The star of the day, though, was "Dead Eye" Danny Tischler. For Pete's sake, the man just doesn't miss. It was a pleasure to watch him.
We ended our day with a bagful of birds and headed for the clubhouse where we sat with Richmond's manager, Bret Miller. He's worked there off and on for 30 years. He said, "I started here as a 15-year-old kid planting a lot of the Arbor Vitaes that stand in the hedgerows lining the fields." Miller runs a tight ship and he certainly knows how to run a quality operation.
We shared beverages and a tremendous lunch. My walleye sandwich was exemplary. We all went home with souvenirs from the hunt, too. The other guys left with cleaned pheasants and I took home an incredible pot pie stuffed with pheasant meat and vegetables. My entire family was pleased with what I brought home when we had it for dinner the next day.
I must honestly and enthusiastically report that Richmond Hunt Club is the finest place that I have ever had the opportunity at which to shoot. I hope you all have the chance to give Richmond a try. For more information, please call them at 815-678-3271 or check out www.richmondhuntclub.com .
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Northern Illinois – Dave Kranz from Dave's Bait and Tackle in Crystal Lake reports: "When fishing is good it seems like you can catch them on anything. When it slows down, remember some basics. You will get more hits on lighter line. Also, I always use wigglers on a slow day and they also catch bigger panfish on good days. Use light color jigs on bright days and dark colors on overcast days or when you have snow cover on the ice. The mid-to-late season ice is a great time to use frozen smelt for big pike." Call 815-455-2040 for hunting or fishing updates.
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The IDNR is hosting a public hearing on Friday, Feb. 18, to get comments and to discuss the new Illinois Coastal Management Program that is under review for federal approval. Newly re-elected Gov. Pat Quinn established the ICMP by Executive Order on December 10, 2010. Interested citizens, organizations and other stakeholders can review the ICMP and provide comments. This meeting is a requirement of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which oversees the federal Coastal Management Program and provides funding for state CMPs like that being established in Illinois. Illinois will receive up to $2 million annually from NOAA to improve the northeast Illinois economy and create jobs by protecting the state's coastal resources along Lake Michigan. This is an important meeting and will be held at the James R. Thompson Center, room 2-025, 100 W. Randolph, in Chicago, from noon to 4:30 p.m. A webinar of the meeting will be available online from 1 to 2 p.m. For detailed information on public meeting and the Illinois Coastal Management Program along Lake Michigan, check the IDNR website at www.dnr.illinois.gov/cmp/Pages/default.aspx.
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If you are looking for something to keep you busy while awaiting the open water fishing season, you can try your hand at FLW Fantasy Fishing. FLW Fantasy Fishing is a contest where fans pick the top finishers of 10 FLW tournaments for some huge prizes. Each of the 10 tournaments has a top prize of $15,000. The cumulative grand prize is $100,000 with the overall runner-up winning a Ranger Z-520 boat with a Ranger Trail Trailer, 250 Mercury outboard, Minnkota Maxxum 80 trolling motor, Lowrance electronics and trolling motor batteries - all valued at $54,000. The third-place overall winner will win a Chevy 1500 Silverado valued at $38,000, and fourth place will take home a FinCraft 17 Dual Console boat with a 115 Evinrude outboard that is valued at $27,000. A BRP Can-Am Outlander 400 All-Terrain vehicle, valued at $8,000, will be awarded to the fifth-place finisher; while sixth- through 10th-place finishers will win Wal-Mart gift cards ranging in value from $9,000 to $5,000. Fantasy Fishing is free to play, but fans can gain an edge buy purchasing a "Player's Advantage" which is a unique tool that offers additional resources and information. To begin playing, visit www.fantasyfishing.com and sign up.
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The Wonder Lake Sportsman's Club is holding its 25th annual Ice Fishing Derby on Sunday January 30. It is being held (of course) on Wonder lake from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Pre-registration is being held at Sunrise Bait & Grocery, 5313 East Wonder Lake Road, or at Smitty's Bait & Tackle, 6507 McCullom Lake Road. Of course, you can enter the day of the event on the ice on the northwest side of the lake at beach #4. The entry fee is ten bucks, with children 12 and under allowed to compete for free. There will be a catch-measure-and-release station available at the official's booth. The grand prize is a one-half-day Lake Michigan charter for six people. There is also a $75 cash prize for the biggest fish by length in each class and a $25 cash price for 2nd place in each class. There will be many great raffles and also a special kids division featuring great 1st & 2nd place prizes. For more information, please call Ken at 312 543-5881.
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Ryan Jacobsen is an active-duty U.S. Navy man stationed out of Great Lakes. He put together a "test run" of an ice fishing derby last year and is ready to take it big time for 2011. The derby is being held for the benefit of the Wounded Heroes Foundation, a group that helps wounded servicemen and their families. The derby will take place on Saturday, Jan. 29, on Bangs Lake in Wauconda. Registration kicks off at 6:00 a.m. and the fishing lasts until noon. Ryan has assembled an impressive list of prizes including an Eskimo gas auger for the biggest northern pike and a Clam 2-man shanty for the biggest crappie. The event has a $15 entry fee which goes entirely to the Wounded Heroes Foundation. This is a low-key family event. If you'd like to fish with some great people for a great cause and also join a number of true heroes, our dedicated American servicemen, for a great day of fishing, please visit www.lvvaicefishingderby.com or call Ryan Jacobsen at 224-634-0029.
• Steve Sarley is the host of "The Outdoors Experience" radio show Sunday mornings at 5 a.m. on WIND AM-560. The show can also be heard anytime at his Web site, www.oexperience.com. Contact Sarley at lcjedit@lakecountyjournal.com.