Parking at 87th, ichneumon wasp, lakers: Notes, Chicago outdoors

Notes from around Chicago outdoors.

FIELD NOTES

WILD OF THE WEEK

I photographed this insect on our backyard maple in September, remembering it when cleaning up photos. Brian Schlenger and Frank Andrekus were first to identify it as a ichneumon wasp. The Illinois Natural History Survey page said they are in one of the largest of insect families with more than 60,000 species.

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).

WILD TIMES

HUNTER SAFETY

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

Jan. 14-15: Hoffman Estates, diane.schneider@cabelas.com

FISH GATHERING

Monday, Dec. 4: Dan Basore, Oswegoland Fishin’ Fools, Allied First Bank, Oswego, 7 p.m. fishinfools.org

ILLINOIS SEASONS/PERMITS

Friday-Sunday, Dec. 9-11: Muzzleloader deer season

YOUTH

Dec. 30: Registration deadline, drawing for the Central Illinois Youth Goose Hunt, Jan. 15-16, (217) 785-8060

DUCKS UNLIMITED

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

Wednesday: Windy City Gun Extravaganza, New Polonia Club, Chicago. Click here

SHOWTIME

Friday-Sunday: Dec. 9-11: Milwaukee Ice Fishing & Winter Sports Show, Wisconsin State Fair Park, West Allis, Wis.

PHEASANTS FOREVER

(Click here for general list of Illinois PF events)

NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION

(Click here for general list of banquets and events)

DALE’S MAILBAG

Q: “Hey, Dale, where does one park over by 87th?’’ Jef Walczak

A: Free street parking for Steelworkers Park, the perch fishing hotspot along the slip north 87th Street, is along 87th east of South Lake Shore Drive.

BIG NUMBER

38-4: Pounds-ounces of Illinois’ record lake trout, caught by Theodore Rullman, Aug. 22, 1999

37.55: Pounds of Indiana’s record lake trout, caught by Tyler Kreighbaum, June 11

LAST WORD

“I was in the boat today, out in the mouth by the “Green Can’’ in Cal Park. They were hitting good, little bigger ones out there.”

Tim Bob Vaught, noting the good perch bite on southern Lake Michigan in the last week