Research

Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act

The U.S. Congress created the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937 to provide financial and technical assistance to states for the benefit of wildlife.

Illinois’ annual allocation has been used on four major programs: habitat development, research studies, hunter education, and land acquisition. Studies funded with these resources are detailed below.

Deer Studies

A number of research projects related to the white-tailed deer in Illinois have been conducted. Each research project listed below includes methods, statistical analyses, graphs and tables, literature cited, management recommendations, published reports, and more.

Biology, Ecology, and Management of Deer in the Chicago Metropolitan Area: W-87-R-1. Summary: Life history and ecology in urban areas      

Illinois Deer Investigations: W-87-R-14. Summary: Population dynamics, harvest analysis, natality rates, fawn recruitment, survival            

Population Dynamics and Ecology of White-tailed Deer in Illinois: W-87-R-17. Summary: Habitat classification and analysis, Illinois Deer Harvest Analysis and Modeling Program, deer ecology in west-central and northern Illinois

Population Dynamics and Ecology of White-tailed Deer in Illinois: W-87-R-20. Summary: Habitat inventory, Deer–human non-hunting interactions, harvest efficiency, deer reproduction and recruitment

Illinois Deer Investigations: W-87-R-23 and W-87-R-27. Summary: Management, population modeling, and impacts of privatization on herd management

Illinois Deer Investigations: W-87-R-32. Summary: Spatial ecology, impacts of outfitters on deer and wild turkey harvest, deer contact rates, distribution and dispersal in east-central Illinois

Disease Studies

Since chronic wasting disease (CWD) was first discovered in Illinois in the fall of 2002, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources has undertaken an aggressive program to monitor the disease, an always fatal and transmissible neurological disease found in cervids (deer and elk). The project Wildlife and Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance includes alerts from the general public after sighting a suspect animal, samples provided by hunters of harvested deer, and evaluations by research institutions of tissue samples and spatial distribution of diseased animals. Collectively, these efforts have helped Illinois keep CWD prevalence low over the infected area and reduced the rate of spread of the disease to new areas.

In addition to the research on CWD, the studies cited here address several other wildlife diseases. Included in each annual report are numerous charts, graphs, and associated professional publications that illustrate the scientific findings.

Segment 10: July 31, 2014–June 30, 2015

Study 2, Diagnostic Testing: page 15

Study 3, Risk Evaluation for CWD: page 27

Segment 9: July 31, 2013–June 30, 2014

Study 2 Diagnostic Testing: page 19

Study 3, Risk Evaluation for CWD: page 24

Segment 8: July 1, 2012–June 30, 2013

Study 2, Diagnostic Testing: page 9

Study 3, Risk Evaluation for CWD: page 15

Segment 7: July 1, 2011–June 30, 2012

Study 2, Diagnostic Testing: page 36

Study 3, Risk Evaluation for CWD: page 41

Segment 6: July 1, 2010–June 30, 2011

Study 2, Diagnostic Testing: page 17

Study 3, Risk Evaluation for CWD: page 23

Segment 5: July 1, 2009–June 30, 2010

Study 2, Diagnostic Testing: page 8

Study 3, Risk Evaluation for CWD: page 13

Segment 4: February 16, 2008–February 15, 2009

Study 2, Diagnostic Testing: page 11

Study 3, Risk Evaluation for CWD: page 20

Segments 1–3: November 1, 2004–February 15, 2008

W-146-R-1: Study 2, Diagnostic Testing: page 15

W-146-R-1: Study 3, Risk Evaluation for CWD: page 25