Notes from around Chicago outdoors.
FIELD NOTES
WILD OF THE WEEK
Tim Jacobsent this photo from Amanda Beto of a woodcock in Bucktown.
Wild of the Week, the celebration of the wild stories and photos around Chicago outdoors, runs when warranted on Sundays on the Sun-Times outdoors page. Send nominations by Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside) or email straycasts@sbcglobal.net.
DALE’S MAILBAG
Q: ‘‘While fishing Lake Pierce in Florida, I saw a family of sandhill cranes on an island. The next thing I see is they are swimming across to the mainland. I saw this several times. I did not know they swam. With their thin legs, where do they get the power to swim?’’ —John Green
A: ‘‘We know cranes can swim a bit and have seen young swim, but it is rare,’’ answered Mike Ward, an avian ecologist with the Illinois Natural History Survey. ‘‘I have only seen it a couple of times, and it appears to be something they do not readily do.’’
LAST WORD
‘‘No one knows for sure, but . . . don’t bury your tip-ups for the opener. you might need them.’’
KURT JUSTICE, Kurt’s Island Sport Shop, on the possibility of ice for Wisconsin’s gamefish opener May 5.
BIG NUMBER
149.375
Illinois’ highest-scoring turkey (National Wild Turkey Federation formula), an eight-bearded tom taken April 28, 2007, by Stephen
Knebel in Hardin County.
WILD TIMES
FISH GATHERINGS
Tuesday: Nate Bergman, ‘‘Finding Springtime Smallmouth Bass,’’ 6:30 p.m., Cabela’s, Hoffman Estates, arlingtonanglers.com.
Wednesday: Southside Muskie Hawks fundraiser, 7 p.m., Vince’s Pizza, Chicago, (773) 704-3401.
Thursday:Mike Norris on smallmouth bass, Fish Tales Fishing Club, 7 p.m., Oak Forest Community Center, fishtalesfishingclub.com.
ILLINOIS PERMITS/SEASONS
Turkey hunting: Second season (south zone) through Thursday; first season (north) Monday-Friday; third season (south) Friday-April 25; second season (north) Saturday–April 26.
Through April 30: Deadline, first lottery, firearm and muzzleloader-only deer permits.
HUNTER SAFETY
(Click here for full package of northeast Illinois hunter safety classes)
April 26 and 28: Chicago Heights, ducks56@comcast.net. . . . Newark, (815) 210-4995.
May 4-5: Zion, hunterssafety@5starfirearms.com.
May 19-20: Custer Park, smittythepainter@yahoo.comU.S. COAST GUARD AUXILLIARY
(Click here for full package of classes in the area)
Saturday:About Boating Safely, Chicago, Dan O’Connell, doc731@yahoo.com.
Saturday: GPS for Mariners, Waukegan, Curt Schumacher, publiceducation41.5@gmail.com.
DUCKS UNLIMITED
(Click here for the general list of Illinois DU events)
PHEASANTS FOREVER
(Click here for general list of Illinois PF events)
SHOWTIME
(Click here for the complete list of shows for the year)
NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION
(Click here for general list of banquets and events)
