Eagles, Lake Michigan access, Chinook, red-wings: Notes on Chicago outdoors

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Eagle at LeClaire, Iowa.
Provided by Peter Ponzio

Notes from around Chicago outdoors.

FIELD NOTES

WILD OF THE WEEK

Using a Nikon D750 and Sigma 150-500mm lens, Peter Ponzio captured a series of brilliant shots on his fourth annual trip to LeClaire Iowa at Lock and Dam 14, including the one above.

“I’m beginning to recognize a number of the birds and to anticipate some of their movements and behaviors,” he emailed.

That is just cool.

WOTW, the celebration of wild scenes around Chicago outdoors, runs as 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

“The red-winged blackbirds are back at Bartel [Grassland]. Along with hundreds of brown headed cowbirds, eww ick.”

Georgiana Dodd email on Feb. 15

A: It seems early, but red-wings arrived all over. Two days earlier, wildlife biologist Bob Massey messaged that they were at the Des Plaines Game Propagation Center. Cowbirds lay eggs in the nests of other birds.

BIG NUMBER

41 inches: Length of Chinook surveyed in 2018 by the Illinois DNR. The 29 1/2-pound king was the longest ever surveyed by the IDNR.

LAST WORD

Parts of Indiana Dunes were shut down Aug. 15, 2019 for a chemical spill in the water.

A sculpture on the beach at the Indiana Dunes.
Dale Bowman/Sun-Times

File photo

“The high water mark, essentially the edge of the beach, is defined as the line on the shore established by the fluctuations of water and indicated by physical characteristics, such as a clear and natural line on the bank, shelving or changes in the soil’s character. Within that area, individuals are entitled to access the water for the traditional purposes of navigation, commerce or fishing, according to the ruling.”

Dan Carden, author of a Northwest Indiana Times article on the U.S. Supreme Court letting stand the 4-0 decision Indiana Supreme Court made a year ago.

WILD TIMES

ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK FOUNDATION

Saturday: South Suburban banquet, Glenwood Oaks Rib and Chop House Glenwood, tickets at events.rmef.org/shop/midewinelk1. Contact Jim  Adams (708) 288-1358 or Cindy Gustafson (708) 768-4315.

FISH GATHERING

Wednesday: Korey Sprengel on “`Using Electronics to Improve Your Catching Success,” Walleyes Unlimited, Gurnee American Legion, 7 p.m.

ICE FISHING

Saturday, March 2: Rescheduled LVVA Ice Fishing Derby, Bangs Lake, Wauconda

SHOWTIME

(Click here for the list of shows, classes and seminars)

Thursday-Sunday, Feb. 28-March 3: Northern Illinois Boat Show, New Lake County Fair Grounds, Grayslake

Saturday, March 2: Indoor Fishing Flea Market, Rolling Meadows High School

Saturday, March 2: Illinois Smallmouth Alliance’s Bronzeback Blowout, Elmhurst American Legion

Saturday-Sunday, March 2-3: Elmwood All Outdoors Show, Elmwood Community Schools

PHEASANTS FOREVER

(Click here for general list of Illinois PF events)

Friday: Tallgrass banquet, Orland Chateau, Orlad Park, PFTallgrass@gmail.com

Saturday: South Cook banquet, Lansing Knights of Columbus, click here for info

DUCKS UNLIMITED

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

Friday: Central Kane dinner, Riverside Banquets, Geneva. Contact Bob Walker, (630) 234-8497 or Phil Eggen, (815) 482-3999

HUNTER SAFETY

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

March 9-10: Bridgeview, (708) 594-1818 . . . Dyer, Ind., (219) 515-2197

March 28 and 30: Chicago Heights, ducks56@comcast.net

March 30-31: Chicago (taught in Polish), (630) 479-0708

NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION

(Click here for general list of banquets and events)

U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY

(Click here for full listings of classes in the area)


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