Snow bunting, pheasants & notes: Chicago outdoors

Led by Wild of the Week, Sunday notes from the Sun-Times outdoors page.

FIELD NOTES

WILD OF THE WEEK

I saved this for this week and my timing was right. So was the timing of Emil Baumbach, who came through with the fine photo of a snow bunting above. “You know winter is around the corner when the snow buntings start making an appearance,’’ he emailed.

WOTW, the weekly celebration of wild scenes around Chicago outdoors, runs Sundays on the Sun-Times outdoors page when apt. Send nominations on Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside) or by email (straycasts@sbcglobal.net).

WILD TIMES

FISH GATHERINGS

Wednesday: Members on customized tackle rigging, Walleyes Unlimited, Gurnee American Legion, 7 p.m., walleyesunlimitedusa.org

ILLINOIS PERMITS/SEASONS

Thursday: Second Canada goose season, central zone, opens . . . Goose and duck seasons, south zone, opens

Through Nov. 24:Hunters may apply online for site-specific permits for designated IDNR Special Hunt Areas for the Late-Winter and CWD Deer Hunts, dnr.illinois.gov

Through Dec. 1:Resident hunters may apply, first lottery, spring wild turkey hunting, dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/turkey

Through Dec. 6:Remaining firearm and muzzleloader deer permits available over-the-counter

DALE’S MAILBAG

M: “Sometimes you have to check the trees at Nachusa.’’ John Heneghan

A: Heneghan was having some fun at my expense after I spent a morning hunting without seeing any pheasants on opening day near Nachusa Grasslands.

Shortly after that he saw these two cockbirds in a tree.

BIG NUMBER

31-6.72: Pounds-ounces of Illinois record rainbow trout, caught by Kyle C. Johnson on July 10, 1993 from Lake County waters of Lake Michigan

LAST WORD

“It’s not like summer perch. It is a different mentality with these fish. You can catch them in the morning, the afternoon, all day.’’

Steve Palmisano, on how perch fishing in winter on the Chicago lakefront differs from the summer perch fishing