Step into the Wild Buttons - an Annual Tradition

The Step into the Wild button series was initiated in 1981 based on a button from Wisconsin with a similar slogan. At the time, a series of education packets were being prepared in Illinois and it was decided to incorporate the button in the packet. Every teacher who used the education packet in their class could request a button for each of their students. The button became a means to measure the number of students who received instruction from the education packets.

The first Step into the Wild button was designed by Robert Eschenfeldt, who also did artwork on several habitat posters. Subsequent buttons were done via a contest for several years and the winner was announced at the Illinois State Fair. In 1998, a sticker was produced in lieu of the button due to a decreased budget and the assumption that the sticker would have wider appeal. The ensuing outcry from staff and the public was enormous, so the button was reinstated the following year. Over the years, the button has been designed by a variety of artists including Patti Malmborg Reilly, former IDNR Natural Areas Project Manager, whose artwork graces the 2003-2012 buttons. Sadly, Mrs. Reilly passed away in January 2013 not long after sending us the 2012 design. 10 years of Step into the Wild buttons... many lifetimes of appreciation.

Each year, the species selected to appear on the button is determined by staff vote. Generally staff nominated one of their favorite species, but occasionally there was a deeper meaning behind the winner.

Along the way, the Step into the Wild button has developed a loyal following of collectors. Many collectors anxiously await the start of the Illinois State Fair, where the new buttons make their debut. Following the Fair, the buttons are distributed to the public throughout the year at educational events.
With each year’s button, we renew our invitation to the citizens to “Step into the Wild” and enjoy the natural resources of Illinois. Our state offers a diverse array of forests, prairies, wetlands, lakes, rivers and streams. Whether you enjoy the rocky canyons and cypress swamps of southern Illinois, the play of the wind across a central Illinois prairie or the view from a forested river bluff in northwest Illinois, a “Step into the Wild” is a step we hope you will take at every opportunity!

Note:
Starting in 2010, the Step into the Wild button was not offered in physical form. Instead, it was released as a digital image only. This is due to several efforts to reduce state government spending:

1981 Great Egret	1982 Tree Frog	1983 Franklin's Ground Squirrel
1984 River Otter	1985 Cave Salamander	1986 Peregrine Falcon
1987 Red Bat	1988 Bald Eagle	1989 Trout Lily
1990 Painted Turtle	1991 Paddlefish	1992 Zebra Swallowtail
1993 Flowering Dogwood	1994 Bob-o-link	1995 Ornate Box Turtle
1996 Prickly Pear Cactus	1997 Southern Flying Squirrel	1998 Carolina Mantid
1999 Elktoe Mussel	2000 Timber Rattlesnake	2001 Cooper's Hawk
2002 Meadow Jumping Mouse	2003 Prairie Chicken & Carolina Rose	2004 Baltimore Checkerspot & Turtlehead
2005 Tiger Salamander	2006 Eastern Bluebird	2007 Plains Scorpion
2008 Logperch & Snuffbox	2009 Alligator Snapping Turtle	2010 Indiana Bat
2011 Spotted Dusky Salamander	2012 Barn Owl