Sandhills/deer/winter fish/ice fishing: Notes on Chicago outdoors

Notes from around Chicago outdoors.

FIELD NOTES

WILD OF THE WEEK

Bill Peak came through with his usual quality photographs of sandhill cranes–“going gangbusters’’–at Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area southeast of Valparaiso, Ind. The Tuesday count of 15,453 was high for the year so far.

I plan to trek there this week, sounds like the right time.

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

Wednesday: Bob Needles, Mike Orawiec and Steve Everetts on late-season trolling on Lake Erie, Walleyes Unlimited, Gurnee American Legion, 7 p.m., walleyesunlimitedusa.org

ILLINOIS SEASONS/PERMITS

Monday, Nov. 28: Woodcock hunting ends

Thursday-next Sunday, Dec. 1-4: Second firearm deer season

Thursday, Dec. 1: Deadline for residents, first lottery, spring wild turkey season. Click here

Now: Remaining firearm and muzzleloader-only deer permits are available over the counter

PHEASANTS FOREVER

(Click here for general list of Illinois PF events)

Saturday: Tallgrass chapter All Ages Shoot, Palos Sportsmen Club, Frankfort. Click here for details

DUCKS UNLIMITED

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

NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION

(Click here for general list of banquets and events)

DALE’S MAILBAG

E: “Forecast of night temps in the 20’s with high of mid 30’s means we should see some fishable ice as early as [this] week.’’ Kurt Justice, on ice fishing coming to lakes around Minocqua, Wis.

A: For a while this fall, it felt like those days might not come.

BIG NUMBER

54,452: Deer harvested during Illinois’ first firearm season, down significantly from 57,870 last year first season. Click here for details

LAST WORD

“I expect the fish are now sulking in deep holes.’’

Pete Lamar, with a nice turn of phrase, describing the experience of fishing through the weather change Nov. 18 in the Fox Valley