McHenry County conservation sites to close for hunting season

A number of McHenry County Conservation sites will be closed to allow for the district's hunting program or for safety precautions due to hunting on neighboring properties.

This is the sixth year of the conservation district's hunting program. The conservation district supports hunting practiced in a legal, responsible, safe and ethical manner. Regulated hunting is the utilization of a renewable resource and fits within the definition and framework of conservation. The activities of the hunting program are tailored to prevent significant changes to the district-established pattern of public use.

"Safety is the top priority of the hunting program," said Brad Woodson, Restoration Ecologist. "The highest standards of safety are demanded from all participants and staff involved in the program. Only ecologically, self-sustaining wildlife populations are included in the scope of the program. The definition of 'ecologically self-sustaining' is those populations naturally found in viable numbers on district sites."

These conservation district areas will be closed to the public:

• Through Jan. 15: Nippersink Canoe Base, Spring Grove

• Through Nov. 30: Glacial Park North Shelter, Ringwood

• Dec. 4-7 and Jan. 16-18: Coral Woods and Marengo Ridge, Marengo; Becks Woods, Chemung; Harrison Benwell, Wonder Lake; Trails at Brookdale, Woodstock; Rush Creek, Harvard

• Dec. 4-7: All of Glacial Park in Ringwood.

For details call the conservation district at (815) 338-6223.