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 onthe announcement of the 62-percent reduction in Chinook stocking in 2017
