Cicada killer wasp to road-side fawn: Notes on Chicago outdoors

Notes from around Chicago outdoors.

FIELD NOTES

WILD OF THE WEEK

Ivica Kuhtic-Hrdjun photographed a cicada killer wasp with its prey last week, an image I’ve chased for years.

Wild of the Week, the celebration of wild scenes 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

Aug. 11 and 13: Richmond, mchenryilhs@gmail.com

Aug. 13-14: Essex, (815) 458-3568

Aug. 19-20: Morris, philliparnold3@gmail.com

Aug. 20-21: Kankakee, (815) 935-8438

FISH GATHERING

Wednesday: Social night for Walleyes Unlimited, Fox Lake American Legion Grounds, 7 p.m., walleyesunlimitedusa.org

WINGSHOOTING CLINICS

Aug 13-14: Saturday, boys and girls; Sunday, girls and women; Shabbona Lake State Park, (815) 758-2773

DALE’S MAILBAG

E: “I managed to get a quick photo of a fawn on my way home from work. Who knows, maybe a future Buck of the Week.’’ James McGowan, Alsip

A: I fear if it keeps hanging by the road, it will have a less auspicious future.

BIG NUMBER

20: Years that Shabbona Lake Young Angler’s Fishing League has been operating with its start earlier this month.

LAST WORD

“All in all looks like it could be a good year for upland birds in Iowa. Tremendous reports across our quail range on calling males this spring and same for crowing roosters across the southeast half of the state.’’

Todd Bogenschutz, upland game biologist and farmland coordinator for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, in Pheasant Forever’s just released “Spring Habitat Report’’