Led by WILD OF THE WEEK, Sunday notes from the Sun-Times outdoors page.
FIELD NOTES
SHOWTIME
The Chicago Boat, RV & Strictly Sail Show runs through Monday at the McCormick Place South Hall. . . . The Chicago Outdoor Sports Show opens Wednesday at the Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont.
WILD TIMES
HUNTER SAFETY
Jan. 27-28: Essex, (815) 458-3568
Feb. 9, 11, 16 & 18: Downers Grove, (630) 963-1300, class 313044-01
Feb. 20-21: Gurnee, registration begins Monday at (847) 856-1229
Feb. 13-14: New Lenox, tjhuntersafety@gmail.com
Feb. 19-20: Mt. Prospect, huntersafety@sbcglobal.net
DALE’S MAILBAG
Q: “I guess the question or point I’m trying to make is what mental midget in the Department of Natural Resources decided on this holiday weekend [for the first late-winter antlerless or CWD seasons]?’’ Dan
A: The final three days are the traditional dates for late-winter deer seasons. That became the second season, which ended Sunday, when The Deer Task Force recommended expanding the season to nine days. With hunter input, that was modified to seven days with the extra four days suggested to be when kids were out of school. So the four-day first late-winter seasons began the Thursday after Christmas, deer project manager Tom Micetich explained.
Bison heading to the gate and out into the northwest pasture area in the great experiment at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie.
Credit: Dale Bowman
BIG NUMBER
3-4: Times of the increase in visitors to the welcome center at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie since introduction of bison in October.
LAST WORD
“Look, if anybody still wants to dispute the science around climate change, have at it. You’ll be pretty lonely, because you’ll be debating our military, most of America’s business leaders, the majority of the American people, almost the entire scientific community, and 200 nations around the world who agree it’s a problem and intend to solve it.’’
President Barack Obama