Thanksgiving pheasant, brook trout, filing suits, hawking come around Chicago outdoors

As always, thanks to readers for help in building the notes package.

WILD OF THE WEEK

James “Gomie’’ Gomez photographed this pheasant while getting things ready for Thanksgiving. He was by their bird feeder in Manhattan.

WOTW, the celebration of wild stories and photos around Chicago outdoors, runs most weeks 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

HUNTER SAFETY

Jan. 4-5: Palatine, palatineparks.org/rccms

Jan. 10-11: Bartlett, (847) 608-3163

FISH GATHERINGS

Tuesday, Dec. 10: Howard Tanner, Salmon Unlimited, open to the public and free, Thornwood Bar & Grill, Wood Dale, 7 p.m., salmonunlimitedinc.com

Tuesday, Dec 10: Record-Muskie Panel, led by Steve Statland, Kevin Butts and Frank Loye, Chicagoland Muskie Hunters chapter of Muskies Inc., North Branch Pizza & Burger Co., Glenview, 7:30 p.m., chicagolandmuskiehunters.org/meetingschedule.asp

Wednesday, Dec. 11: Andrew Ragas, Fox River Valley chapter of Muskies Inc., Schaumburg Golf Club, 7 p.m., frvmuskie.com

HONORS

Monday, Dec. 9: Fishing CPR will honor Joe Capilupo, who caught the Illinois-record smallmouth bass, public welcome, Henry’s Sports and Bait, 630 p.m.

ILLINOIS PERMITS/SEASONS

Today, Dec. 8: Final day, second firearm deer season

Tuesday, Dec. 10: Over-the-counter permit sales begin for late winter and CWD seasons

Friday, Dec. 13-Dec. 15: Muzzleloader deer season

YOUTH GOOSE HUNT

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.

DALE’S MAILBAG

“I took a good look at the huge lake trout in the Fish of the Week last week and was struck by the orange fins and white tips: It was beginning to look like its close relative, the brook trout. I’m crazy about catching brook trout, but in this part of the world, that usually means the 6- to 10-inch fish one finds in Wisconsin and Iowa. There are much bigger fish in Quebec and the Maritime Provinces, but that is a trip for 1-percenters due to the cost. I remember reading an article in a fly fishing magazine about fly fishing for lakers in Manitoba and Saskatchewan early in the season after ice out, when they are still shallow and accessible on fly tackle.’’ Pete Lamar

A: Those tiny brook trout rank in my favorite three fish with smallmouth bass and bluegill. I had not noticed the close resemblance.

BIG NUMBER

100: Suits (some nuisance, some dubious, some legitimate) filed by Natural Resources Defense Council against the Trump Administration with a federal lawsuit challenging permits (known as biological opinions) for the operations of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project in California.

LAST WORD

“So like last Bears game, I left in the 2nd quarter to go hawking. Bears come back and win again, I’m telling ya, if we want to win I can’t watch. On a positive note, Kiaya caught a squirrel and a rabbit this afternoon.’’

Tim Eaker. posting on hawking instead of Bear watching two games back