Finch, sheds, daffodils & sturgeon: Chicago outdoors

Led by WILD OF THE WEEK, Sunday notes from the Sun-Times outdoors page.

FIELD NOTES

WILD OF THE WEEK

Emil Baumbach came through with a male house finch (above), photographed at the Chicago Botanic Garden last weekend. The Great Backyard Bird Count continues through Monday.

Wild of the Week, the 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).

HUNTER SAFETY

Feb. 27-28:Essex, (815) 458-3568

March 5-6:Joliet, (815) 727-4811

March 12-13: Bridgeview, (708) 594-1818 . . . Momence, (815) 388-3853

March 19-20: Manteno, (708) 259-9483

PHEASANTS FOREVER

Saturday: South Cook County banquet, Lansing Knights of Columbus. Contact Gary Shackleton at (219) 629-0136 or shackman725@att.net

FISH GATHERING

Thursday: Chris Riebe, Fish Tales Fishing Club, Oak Forest Community Center, 7 p.m., fishtalesfishingclub.com

ILLINOIS PERMITS/SEASONS

Monday, Feb. 15: Deadline, spring youth turkey special hunt area permit applications, click here

Monday, Feb. 15: Rabbit and squirrel hunting ends

DALE’S MAILBAG

E: “I was looking around outside [on Sunday] and I saw my daffodils beginning to poke through the soil. There were actually quite a few and in different locations as well. I doubt that they will be doing much growing for a while but they are there nonetheless. . . . What a strange winter this is turning out to be.’’ Ed Buric

A: Strange indeed. Bet the shoots were in shock a few days later when winter returned. Buric inspired me to check my wife’s gardens and I could not find any daffodil shoots.

BIG NUMBER

1: Hour that the sturgeon harvest season lasted on Black Lake in Michigan when seven fish were harvested. Biggest was a 70-inch, 96-pound female.

LAST WORD

“I’ve got bucks on my mind! Now is the time to start looking for shed antlers!’’

Indiana DNR Law District 10 on Facebook