There are a lot of leaves on the trees for the second day of November here in west central Illinois. There’s a lot of corn still in the fields too. 

The beautiful weather we’re enjoying this weekend is just what the farmers have been needing to dry the corn down more so they won’t have to spend everything on fuel to dry it out in the bin.

The price of gas is down considerably from a couple months ago but I don’t believe the price of heating fuel has seen the same adjustment. 

This would be a good weekend to take a drive through the countryside with the fall colors being in full brilliance and the price of gas making the drive a little more affordable. 

Maybe you can slow down and “smell the roses” in the summer �" but the fall has it’s own pleasant fragrance and perhaps more color for the eye if you’ll just take the time.

Best hunting ahead
There are a lot of leaves on the trees and a lot of corn in the fields but both are coming down quickly.  Bow hunters have been doing well in Illinois but as the leaves fall and the cornfields are harvested the deer are easier to see as they move about the countryside and deer hunting success will increase.

Combine this with the advancement of the “rut” �" the deer breeding season �" and the next two weeks will offer Illinois archers the best deer hunting of the archery season.

If you were to think of the stages of the rut and the amount of deer activity in regards to its advancement and compared it to an accelerating car �" the pedal is to the metal �" and you just power-shifted from third gear into fourth and the tires are laying rubber! 

The rut �" just like the car �" still have a ways to go before they peak out. But for deer hunters, the real excitement is just now comin’ on!

Upland season open
The Illinois northern zone upland game season for rabbit, quail, pheasant and partridge opened Saturday and will continue ‘till Jan. 8.  I don’t know any hunters who haven’t participated in this season.  Rabbits have been a staple food for many folks who grew up in rural areas.  Pheasants, quail and partridge are among the finest wild game birds available for folks with or without money. 

I guess that just goes to show you my circle of friends and acquaintances are a little vaster than some folks �" and I respect all of them.  They respect, appreciate and utilize our natural resources and don’t mind getting their hands a little dirty along the way.

Fur prices down
The Illinois northern zone hunting season for raccoon and opossum and trapping season for raccoon, opossum, skunk, weasel, mink muskrat, beaver, fox, coyote and badger will open Wednesday.

Many of the fur industries papers and tabloids were predicting very good fur prices for this year.  Recent downfalls in the world economies with the stock markets and commodities have been devastating to the fur markets.  Fur prices will reflect this as the season opens.

Turkey season to end
The Illinois fall firearm wild turkey season will close today at sunset.