beepollenAugust2015.jpg

Bee covered in pollen on a flower, August 2015.Credit Ken Gortowski

Wild of the Week: Chicago outdoors, Sunday notes

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

WILD OF THE WEEK

Ken Gortowski caught this pollen-packed bee, part of a swarm on a sunflowers. He said he suspected they were storing up for the coming winter. What I know is that is a nice image for this time of the year.

Send WOTW nominations on Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside) or by email (straycasts@sbcglobal.net).

WILD TIMES

HUNTER SAFETY

Sept. 26-27: Hoffman Estates, sportsmansed.com

DUCKS UNLIMITED

Friday: Chain O’Lakes Sports Memorabilia Dinner for Conservation, Marvella’s Fox Lake Banquet Hall. Contact Bill Beckmeyer, (630) 697-6533; Mike Mackey, (847) 274-9129; or Laurie Michalak, (847) 721-7138. Click here for more.

FISH GATHERINGS

Tuesday: Ben Modica on Fox Chain, Chicagoland Muskie Hunters, Muskies Inc., Giuseppe’s La Cantina, Des Plaines, 7:30 p.m., (847) 256-9322 or chicagolandmuskiehunters@hotmail.com

Wednesday: Ben Garvens on “Artificial Intelligence–Geneva Smallmouth & Largemouth Bass Strategies,’’ Lake Geneva Fishing Club, 6:30 PM, Cabela’s, Hoffman Estates, lakegenevafishingclub.com

Wednesday: Indiana guide Bill Bennett, Fox River Valley, Muskies Inc., Schaumburg Golf Club, 7 p.m., frvmuskie.com

Thursday: Collector/historian Dan Basore, Riverside Fishing Club, LaGrange American Legion, 6:30 p.m., RiversideFishingClub.com

DALE’S MAILBAG

garblack_600x351.jpg

Tweet: “BLACK GAR! Rare 44″ melanistic Longnose #Gar caught & released by Z.Huvila in IL!’’ Solomon David, of the Shedd Aquarium

A: Another reason why I like Bill Meyer and the Gar Anglers’ Sporting Society (GASS), which has details on Facebook or at garfishing.com.

BIG NUMBER

169-12: Pounds-ounces of an alligator gar, potential line-class record (130) from the International Game Fish Association, caught and released by Jason Schall from Big Lake in Texas

LAST WORD

“Gobs of yearling yellow perch in Montrose today.’’

Saul Lipsistic, lakefront regular, on sightings of big schools of baby perch reported by many in all four Lake Michigan states. Will they make it to 2016?


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