“Hawk,” feathered, in winter. What winter? Chicago outdoors notes

Notes from around Chicago outdoors.

FIELD NOTES

WILD OF THE WEEK

John Cuculich said he got this shot of a red-tailed hawk in the Forest Preserves of Cook County because it was so cold that “I think neither of us wanted to move.’’

Wild of the Week, a celebration of wild scenes 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).

DALE’S MAILBAG

E: “Jim Hack picked up his musky today.’’ Taxidermist Doug Petrousek on Monday

A: That is the longest muskie, 54 inches, verified by a biologist in Illinois. It was caught July 5, 2016 in Lake County.

BIG NUMBER

0: Snow cover in Illinois by Wednesday. Jan. 17 is the meteorological nadir of winter.

LAST WORD

“Ice fishing two days ago for perhaps the last time this year.’’

Gary Olson, posting on Facebook middle of last week

WILD TIMES

HUNTER SAFETY

(Click here for full package of northeast Illinois hunter safety classes)

Feb. 7, 9, 14, 16: Downers Grove, (630) 963-1300 CLASS #313004-01

Feb. 18-19: New Lenox, tjhuntersafety@gmail.com

Feb. 24-25: Zion, takeakidhunting@aol.com

FISH GATHERING

Wednesday: Jeremy Smith, Lindner Media Productions, “Multi-Specie Strategies to Increase Your Fishing Success,’’ Walleyes Unlimited, Gurnee American Legion, 7 p.m.

SHOWTIME

(Click here or the exhaustive list of shows, seminars, swap meets and auctions)

Today, Jan. 22:Final day, Chicago Outdoor Sports Show, Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont

Today, Jan. 22:Final day, Chicago Travel & Adventure Show, Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont

Thursday-next Sunday, Jan. 26-29: Chicagoland Fishing, Travel & Outdoor Expo, Schaumburg Convention Center

Friday-next Sunday, Jan. 27-29: Outdoor Sports, Lake & Cabin Show, Coliseum, Fort Wayne

Friday-next Sunday: Jan. 27-29: Illinois Fish & Feather Expo, Interstate Center, Bloomington

Saturday-next Sunday, Jan. 28-29: Great Lakes Angler Super Salmon Clinic with Capt. Dan Keating, Lake Michigan Angler, Winthrop Harbor, (847) 395-5730

NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION

(Click here for general list of banquets and events)

DUCKS UNLIMITED

(Click here for the general list of Illinois DU events)

PHEASANTS FOREVER

(Click here for general list of Illinois PF events)