IDNR to Test-Launch New White-tailed Deer Website

UPDATE:
Back in April the Illinois Department of Natural Resources tested the New Whitetail Deer Website.

Well after test the site is now live... You can view it HERE.

http://deer.wildlifeillinois.org/ has been a long time in the making.  As you can tell everything is in one location for Illinois Whitetail enthusiast.


Original Post:

There is finally a light at the end of the tunnel for a project that has been in the making.  We have all heard rumors regarding this new whitetail website.  Well, it looks like it will be LIVE April 1st, 2017.  However, some hunters and landowners will get a sneak peak at the website before it goes live and give feedback to the IDNR in regards to last minute changes.  Below you'll read the official press release of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.  

IDNR to Test-Launch New White-tailed Deer Website

SPRINGFIELD, IL – White-tailed deer are an integral part of the Illinois landscape, and a new website will provide up-to-date information on deer biology, management, research and regulations. A random set of Illinois deer hunters and landowners will receive an e-mail invitation this week to assist with finalizing the new White-Tailed Deer Illinois website.

White-tailed Deer Illinois is a collaborative effort led by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Division of Wildlife Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration, and the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center. Funding for the White-tailed Deer Illinois website was made available through Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Project W-147-T.

White-tailed Deer Illinois is a digest of biological information and interesting facts to provide users with valuable insights into the life history and management of the Illinois state mammal. The site also contains information on white-tailed deer stakeholder groups (hunters, landowners, wildlife watchers and more), how deer hunting regulations are set, and deer depredation and deer population control permits. Scientific research activities related to deer and deer hunting are also presented.

Several features of the site will, for the first time, provide users with levels of information previously unavailable. Users will have access to a searchable database of deer-vehicle accidents, and will be able to plot accidents on a state road map by year (2002-2012), month and day.

A second searchable database will allow users to search IDNR annual deer harvest data and Illinois Department of Transportation annual deer-vehicle accident (DVA) rate data. The user may select the county and a range of years (from 1989 to the present), and view an image displaying both the total deer harvest and annual DVA information.

White-tailed Deer Illinois also features an online form for reporting sick and diseased deer. This process will greatly speed the collection and tracking of potential incidence of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) and Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).

Information collected from hunters and landowners during this review process will be used to finalize the website, with release to the public anticipated to occur by April 1, 2017.

Remember Enjoy the Outdoors, Good Luck and Stay Safe