Town bucks, golf fishing secret, suburban turkeys, Crab Orchard Wilderness: Notes, Chicago outdoors

BUCK OF THE WEEK: UNPLUGGED

Mike Lyons photographed some growing bucks in town in the western suburbs.

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

RIVER TALKS

Monday: July 29: Mejay Gula, who curates the Tender House Project in which students develop new ways to use Chicago’s vacant bridgehouses, McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum Lunch and Learn, 12:15-12:45 p.m., museum plaza on Chicago Riverwalk

WINGSHOOTING CLINICS

Aug. 17-18: Shabbona Lake State Park, (217) 524-5466

ILLINOIS PERMITS/SEASONS

Thursday, Aug. 1: Applications begin, free upland game permit, https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/Documents/Free%20Upland%20Game%20Hunt%20Instructions.pdf

Thursday, Aug. 1: Squirrel hunting begins

DALE’S MAILBAG

``I saw a turkey along the eastbound on-ramp at 1st Ave and I-290. I’m guessing it came from where the Des Plaines River meets the cemetery on the south side of 290.’’ Terry Saether

A: Turkeys have spread virtually across all of Illinois, the most striking introduction.

BIG NUMBER

4,050: Acres of Crab Orchard Wilderness, the first wilderness area designated in the state of Illinois.

LAST WORD

``I provided a reference for one of the young ladies I coach for a lifeguarding job at a country club. I asked her to check out the water hazards; if she sees something other than carp, I want to know about it.’’

A regular contributor, revealing one of the secrets of great fishing locally