Bald eagle to “Making Waves”: Notes around Chicago outdoors

Notes from around Chicago outdoors.

FIELD NOTES

WILD OF THE WEEK

Here’s Peter Ponzio’s best bald eagle photo from last weekend at LeClaire, Iowa, where they collect around the locks. This winter, you can see eagles on most of our rivers, though not in the numbers at LeClaire.

Wild of the Week, a celebration of wild scenes around Chicago outdoors, runs on Sundays on the Sun-Times outdoors page as warranted. Send nominations by Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside) or email (straycasts@sbcglobal.net).

DALE’S MAILBAG

Q: “I read your Sun Times article about [the documentary `Making Waves’ on] invasive species in Lake Michigan with great interest. Can you provide more info on how I might view it? I live in Denver, although I grew up on Lake Michigan, on the Michigan side.” Martha Gray

A: Best for places away from the Great Lakes region is to rent “Making Waves: Battle for the Great Lakes” online or order a DVD; for either, email makingwavesdoc@gmail.com.

BIG NUMBER

1.7 million: Acres in 2016 where Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever improved habitat, through working with more than 31,000 landowners and chapter affiliates completing more than 15,200 habitat projects.

LAST WORD

“I flew all the way from the U.K for this,’’

Simon Harwood, production director for Drascombe by Churchouse Boats Ltd., explaining the most beautiful boat at the Chicago Boat, RV & Strictly Sail Show, which ends Sunday, Jan. 15 at McCormick Place South

WILD TIMES

HUNTER SAFETY

(Click here for full package of northeast Illinois hunter safety classes)

Feb. 7, 9, 14, 16: Downers Grove, (630) 963-1300 CLASS #313004-01

Feb. 17-18: Mount Prospect, huntersafety@sbcglobal.net

Feb. 18-19: New Lenox, tjhuntersafety@gmail.com

FISH GATHERINGS

Tuesday, Jan. 17: Cory Yarmuth[Speaker change] Ken Kuhnle on drop-shotting bass on Geneva, Arlington Anglers Fishing Club, Cabela’s Hoffman Estates, 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 19: Andrew Ragas, Fish Tales Fishing Club, Oak Forest Community Center, 7 p.m.

SHOWTIME

(Click here or the exhaustive list of shows, seminars, swap meets and auctions)

Thursday-Sunday, Jan. 19-22: Chicago Outdoor Sports Show, Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont

Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 21-22: Chicago Travel & Adventure Show, Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont

NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION

(Click here for general list of banquets and events)

DUCKS UNLIMITED

(Click here for the general list of Illinois DU events)

PHEASANTS FOREVER

(Click here for general list of Illinois PF events)