Suburban bucks, Christmas Bird Counts and Happy Hunting Mommas in notes of Chicago outdoors

Notes come from all around Chicago outdoors.

BUCK OF THE WEEK: UNPLUGGED

Eric Bjork tweeted the photo his wife, Nicole Bjork, took in the suburbs. He said bucks were still chasing does, which I find notable.

BOTW Unplugged, the celebration of live big bucks around Chicago outdoors, runs as apt in the special two-page outdoors section in the Sun-Times Sports Saturday. Send nominations to @BowmanOutside on Twitter or Instagram, to Dale Bowman on Facebook or email BowmanOutside@gmail.com.

WILD TIMES

YOUTH GOOSE HUNT

Friday, Jan. 3: Registration deadline for Central Illinois Youth Goose Hunt, Jan. 19-20, register at (217) 785-8060.

OUTDOORS & ART

Through Jan. 5: ``Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum,’’ 50 acres of trees transformed with lights and music, $13-$23 for adults, $7-15 for children, mortonarb.org/illumination.

ILLINOIS SEASONS

Sunday, Dec. 29: Final day, late-winter antlerless and CWD seasons

Tuesday, Dec. 31: Final day, salmon snagging at select spots on Lake Michigan

SHOWTIME

Expansive list at chicago.suntimes.com/2019/12/18/20964816/chicago-outdoors-2020-show-season

DALE’S MAILBAG

Provided

``I have always gone out with other hunters and have never been the `senior’ waterfowl hunter until [earlier this month at Black Crown Marsh]! I was able to prove to myself that my mentors have trained me up well and all the times out hunting and observing, asking questions, and taking it all in was worthwhile!!! It was a rough walk and I wish we would’ve had some snow so that I would’ve thought to still bring my kids’ sled (per your recommendation in previous email, but no snow cover on the ground). A coworker lent me his decoys so that I would have enough all by myself, and all my other hunting partners canceled due to illness. Therefore, an opportunity opened up for me to take out a new hunter [Chicagoan Cierra DuBose] and we have now started our own little clique of `Happy Hunting Mommas!’ Lessons learned included reinforcement that I need to get back into shape! . . . We had five swans come in behind us, so close that my new hunting buddy, who has never realized that wing beats of birds can be rather loud and whistling. It was a wonderful morning of a budding new friendship, hunter, and reconnection with nature that I have been lacking as of late!’’ Nicky Strahl, Hunter Heritage Biologist

BIG NUMBER

120: Years of Christmas Bird Counts; a record of more than 2,600 counts across the hemisphere in 2018.