Buck wading/eating to bobcat vs coyote: Notes on Chicago outdoors

Notes from around Chicago outdoors.

FIELD NOTES

BUCK OF THE WEEK: UNPLUGGED

Jim Lukancic took this photo and posted, “I didn’t know deer eat lily pads.’’ When I first saw another one of his wonderful photos, I immediately thought of moose wading in the Boundary Waters.

Buck of the Week: Unplugged, the celebration of live big bucks around Chicago outdoors, runs Sundays on the outdoors page as warranted. Send nominations by Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside) or email (straycasts@sbcglobal.net).

WILD TIMES

HUNTER SAFETY

Sept. 17-18: Peotone, (708) 258-3343 . . . Joliet (815) 727-4811

Sept. 30-Oct. 1: Zion, takeakidhunting@aol.com

Oct. 1-2: Elburn, phil-joanne@juno.com

Oct. 7-8: Arlington Heights, huntsafely.webs.com

Oct. 8-9: Mokena, (708 479-1020

DUCKS UNLIMITED

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

Thursday: Lake Forest sponsor dinner, Onwentsia Club.

Thursday: North Shore Chicago Season Kick-off, Little Ricky’s Rib Joint, Winnetka

Saturday: Marengo Flyway DU- Guns’N Gear Event, Joe’s Place.

FISH GATHERINGS

Tuesday: Bill Schwartz on fall trolling, Chicagoland Muskie Hunters chapter of Muskies Inc., Giuseppe’s La Cantina, Des Plaines, 7:30 p.m., chicagolandmuskiehunters.org/meetingschedule.asp

Tuesday: Jim LaFortune on fall kings, Salmon Unlimited, Elk Grove Village VFW,, 7 p.m., salmonunlimitedinc.com

Tuesday: [Note time, day and site changes] Biologist Luke Roffler, Lake Geneva Fishing Club, Big Foot Archers, Lake Geneva, Wis., 5:30 p.m., lakegenevafishingclub.com

Wednesday: Wisconsin fisheries biologist Ben Heussner, Fox River Valley chapter of Muskies Inc., Schaumburg Golf Club, 7 p.m., frvmuskie.com

WINGSHOOTING

Sept. 17-18: Des Plaines Conservation Area, Wilmington, (217) 785-2262

ILLINOIS PERMITS/SEASONS

Thursday, Sept. 15: Final day, early Canada goose season

Sunday, Sett. 18: Final day, teal season

DALE’S MAILBAG

Q: “I live in Willow Springs. We have seen and heard a bobcat here. Haven’t heard coyotes in a while. Is that related?’’ Vince Hall tweet

A: I enjoyed the question enough that I emailed Bob Bluett, wildlife diversity biologist for the Illinois DNR, and added a question of my own on who would win in a bobcat vs coyote battle. I found both responses from Bluett interesting and informative, so I included his long form answer below for the online version:

I found his answer to my hypothetical question different than what I expected. I would have put my money on the bobcat.

BIG NUMBER

17.8 cm: Listed maximum length, by USGS, for a round goby in the United States (Swear I’ve seen bigger)

LAST WORD

“A lot of time and effort are put into duck hunting each summer/fall only to have it partially ruined by a wildly fluctuating river.’’

Aaron Yetter, on Illinois River flooding, in his blog after the first aerial waterfowl survey of the 68th season by the Illinois Natural History Survey. Click here for general info on the aerial surveys and to find out many other matters related to waterfowl research.