The only way I would believe a 13-pound largemouth came from northern Illinois is if genetic testing confirmed it. Put it this way: Even 10-pound largemouth are so rare in Illinois that another outdoor writer for years kept an informal list. Nearly all the 10-pounders came from central or southern Illinois. Petrousek messaged that Trammel’s largemouth, with a girth of 19.5 inches, projected to be 10.5 pounds. ‘‘It’s certainly one of the biggest largemouth I’ve heard of being caught in Illinois,’’ he messaged. ‘‘I’ve done some 9- to 10-pound bass in the late ’70s from the Fulton County [area] strip pits. I don’t recall doing anything that large from Illinois in the recent past. It’s a shame that the current Illinois record is a sham. Someone is being cheated out of a legitimate state record.’’ CPOs The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is seeking Conservation Police Officer trainee applicants. The written exam will be in June. Go to the CPO page at dnr.illinois.gov for more information or contact Lt. Curt Lewis at (217) 785-8407 or at curt.lewis@illinois.gov. Hunting Despite the up-and-down weather, turkey harvest in Illinois remains ahead of last season. Hunters had harvested 11,248 turkeys through Sunday, which compares with 10,359 at the same point last season. Click here for a more complete breakdown.