Odd buck, rabbit tick, baby perch: Notes on Chicago outdoors

Notes from around Chicago outdoors.

FIELD NOTES

BUCK OF THE WEEK: UNPLUGGED

Pat Schenck sent a “northern Wisconsin curiosity’’ from the Merrill area of an odd buck that “seemed like he wanted to stand me and the two dogs off! Curious or tuff guy or what?’’

Buck of the Week: Unplugged, the celebration of live big bucks 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

Aug. 20-21: Kankakee, (815) 935-8438

Sept. 8 and 10: Newark, (815) 210-4995

Sept. 10-11: Momence, (815) 388-3853 . . . Kankakee, (815) 935-2700

Sept. 17-18: Peotone, (708) 258-3343 . . . Joliet (815) 727-4811

Sept. 23-24: Arlington Heights, huntsafely.webs.com

DUCKS UNLIMITED

Thursday: Northwest Suburban Dinner, Cotillion Banquets, Palatine. Contact Lisa Wente, (847) 438-8733; Jeff Lanaghan, (630) 258-5273

ILLINOIS PERMITS/SEASONS

Monday: Second lottery deadline, fall wild turkey shotgun season permits, online

Thursday: Applications accepted for remaining Illinois free dove hunting permits. Click here

Through Aug. 31: Applications may be made online for the free upland Gram permit program, click here

DALE’S MAILBAG

E: “We have had rabbits in the area for a little while and now they have been stopping in the yard to eat and rest [see photo at the top]. After taking some pics and looking at them, I noticed a stuffed tick in the ear of the rabbit and it look as if there are several other bites. I never noticed ticks by me before.’’ Ron Wozny

A: A report from Chicago’s North Side that only a photographer with the skill of Wozny could get.

BIG NUMBER

13.5: Millions of mallards projected in the fall flight index of the 2016 Trends in Duck Breeding Populations, which compares to 13.8 million last year.

LAST WORD

“There’s so many little perch out here, if they grow up, I will be so happy I can’t contain myself.’’

Stacey Greene, proprietor of Park Bait at Montrose Harbor, hopin’ and wishin’ on the big perch hatch in 2015