Notes from around Chicago outdoors.
FIELD NOTES
BUCK OF THE WEEK: UNPLUGGED
Christian Howe sent this photo of a “city’’ buck, one of the eight-pointers and bigger at St. Casimir Cemetery in Mt. Greenwood.
Buck of the Week: Unplugged, a celebration of live big bucks 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).
MUZZLELOADER
Harvest during Illinois’ muzzleloader season jumped to 3,297 this year from 2,403 last December. Click here for a breakdown.
WILD TIMES
HUNTER SAFETY
(Click here for full package of northeast Illinois hunter safety classes)
Jan. 20-21: Wheeling, huntersafety@sbcglobal.net
ILLINOIS SEASONS/PERMITS
Tuesday, Dec. 20: Duck season, central zone, ends
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)
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: “Could our dog be at risk [from epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) in deer]? He sometimes finds deer carcasses in Chicago forest preserves and chews on them before my husband catches up with him and chases him off.’’ April Plous, Lincoln Square
A: Illinois’ forest wildlife program manager Paul Shelton emailed, “There’s no risk to the dog from HD viruses. However, I guess it’s possible that a chronically ill (long-term infection) deer with secondary bacterial infections (septicemias) or abscesses might poses some unknown level of risk, depending on that causative agent.’’
BIG NUMBER
15: Daily limit for yellow perch on Lake Michigan in Illinois, as shown by Justin McGuffin on “a quick and very cold trip Monday afternoon.’’
LAST WORD
“Your daughter will enjoy it, especially if you are using a Vexilar. It is like playing a video game!’’
Robert France, on Facebook to a new ice fisherman
