Snake eating fish, dragonfly eyes: Chicago outdoors, notes

Notes from around Chicago outdoors.

FIELD NOTES

WILD OF THE WEEK

Brad Kerr photographed a snake with a catfish in its mouth along the Fox River in Montgomery. His friend told him I would like it. His friend was right, I certainly do. I am fascinated by snakes eating fish.

WOTW, the celebration of wild scenes around Chicago outdoors, runs Sundays on the outdoors page as warranted. Send nominations by Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside) or email (straycasts@sbcglobal.net).

WILD TIMES

HUNTER SAFETY

June 16 and 18: Marengo, mchenryilhs@gmail.com

June 25-26: Wilmington, hunteredsignup@aol.com

July 12, 14, 19, 21: Downers Grove, (630) 963-1300

July 14 and 16: Newark, (815) 210-4995 . . . Hebron, mchenryilhs@gmail.com

July 16-17:Bolingbrook, willcohunt@aol.com

FISH GATHERINGS

Tuesday: Larry Conn on precise walleye presentations and Fishfinder techniques, Arlington Anglers Fishing Club, Cabela’s, Hoffman Estates, 6:30 p.m., arlingtonanglers.com

FREE FISHING DAYS

Monday, Jun 20:Final free fishing day in Illinois, ifishillinois.org

WINGSHOOTING CLINICS

June 25-26: St. Charles Sportsmen’s Club, Elburn, (847) 309-1093, joemigalla5@gmail.com

ILLINOIS PERMITS

June 30: Deadline, second lottery, firearm deer permits. Click here

Through July 1: Online applications, free dove hunting permits for select sites. Click here

Through July 4: Fall shotgun turkey permit applications, resident hunters Click here

DALE’S MAILBAG

E: “Dale, we had a visitor on Truck 3 yesterday at the Fire House! The camo-colored dragonfly flew inside the cab of Truck 3. I pulled the dragonfly out of the air vent with my Gerber multi-purpose tool! Unbelievable the face on the dragonfly looks like a Skeleton Clown!’’ Billy Miller

A: Jim Phillips, the veteran fisheries biologist for the Forest Preserves of Cook County with a major interest in dragonflies and damselflies, emailed, “My first thought was this dragonfly was a lance-tipped darner based on the terminal appendages but after looking at several of my field guides I am leaning more towards a green-striped darner.’’

All I know is that I find the eyes something else.

BIG NUMBER

2011: Bottom of the last cycle of Wisconsin’s ruffed grouse population, as indicated by the 2016 roadside surveys this spring, which were about the same as 2015

LAST WORD

“I trust that the IDNR is not trying to hijack my fishing and is trying to do what is best for the fishery. I will say though that I will miss the fall run as it once existed.’’

Marty Jandura, summing up the feelings of many sensible lakefront fishermen on the announcement of the 62-percent reduction in Chinook stocking in 2017