Notes come from all around Chicago outdoors.
MUSHROOM OF THE WEEK
Jay Damm said this looks like one of those once in every four or five years where he has a good chanterelle year. He thinks these are the Chicago chanterelle (Cantharellus chicagoensis), a local species identified by Field Museum adjunct curator Patrick Leacock.
MOTW, the celebration of mushrooms around Chicago outdoors, runs as apt in the special two-page outdoors section in the Sun-Times Sports Saturday. Submit nominations by message on Facebook (Dale Bowman), on Twitter (@BowmanOutside) and Instagram (@BowmanOutside) or email (BowmanOutside@gmail.com).
WILD TIMES
HUNTER SAFETY
Thursday and Saturday, July 30 and Aug. 1: Bonfield, (815) 635-3198
ILLINOIS PERMITS/SEASONS
Monday, July 27: First come, first served applications begin for site-specific dove permits
Saturday, Aug. 1: Squirrel hunting opens
Saturday, Aug. 1: Free upland game permits, application period begins, click here
DALE’S MAILBAG
“I’ve owned my home in Elk Grove for 6 years [and] his is the first year I have ever seen a firefly. I see them every night lately. I have heard that the reduced flights over O’Hare contributed to this.” Brian Pentecost
A: He spurred me to check with Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum’s Doug Taron, chief curator of the Chicago Academy of Sciences. “Fireflies up here by me (Elgin) are having a pretty good year,” he emailed. “I’ve seen more activity, but this year isn’t bad. I very skeptical that flights out of O’Hare would influence firefly numbers.”
BIG NUMBER
5: Top waterfall spots in Wisconsin, according to travelwisconsin.com: Amnicon Falls State Park, Copper Falls SP, Iron County, Marinette County and Pattison SP–Superior
LAST WORD
“As people around the world demand justice for Black lives, the Sierra Club recognizes the urgent need to dismantle systemic racism within our own organization, the environmental movement, and our country. We must reckon with how racism — both past and present — has shaped our organization and work to repair the harm done.”
Post this week by Sierra Club, whose famed founder, John Muir, has a dubious history in writings and action with racism