Really late night crawlers on New Year’s Eve, a first sailfish from a kayak, a photogenic suburban buck, and recapping the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ safety classes in 2021 are among the notes from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.

Really late night crawlers on New Year’s Eve, a first sailfish from a kayak, a photogenic suburban buck and recapping the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ safety classes in 2021 are among the notes from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.

By Dale Bowman

A good-looking buck in in the Forest Preserves of Cook County. Credit: Jeff Getz — A good-looking buck in in the Forest Preserves of Cook County.

Notes come from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.

BUCK OF THE WEEK: UNPLUGGED

“I `shot’ this guy [photo at the top] last week in the Cook County Forest Preserve near Park Ridge,” Jeff Getz emailed. “Not the biggest buck I’ve seen, but maybe the most photogenic.” I tend to agree with that assessment.

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. To make submissions, email BowmanOutside@gmail.com or contact me on Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside) or Instagram (@BowmanOutside).

WILD TIMES

HUNTER SAFETY

Jan. 29-30: Diamond, (815) 907-7345

SHOWTIME

Click here for the complete list of shows, classes and swap meets, regularly updated, for the coming months.

Through today, Jan. 9: Muskie Expo Chicago, Kane County Fairgrounds, St. Charles

Through today, Jan. 9: Let’s Go Fishing Show, Gateway Convention Center, Collinsville

Thursday, Jan. 13, to next Sunday, Jan. 16: Northern Illinois Sports Show, Lake County Fairgrounds & Event Center, Grayslake

FISH GATHERINGS

Tuesday, Jan. 11: Wisconsin guide Jeff Van Remortel, Chicagoland Muskie Hunters chapter of Muskies Inc., North Branch Pizza & Burger Co., Glenview, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 12: Jim Saric, “The New Age of Trophy Muskies,” $10, Fox River Valley chapter of Muskies Inc., Schaumburg Golf Club, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 13: Michael Pehanich. “Tips & Techniques for a Successful Multi-Species Spring,” Riverside Fishing Club, LaGrange American Legion, 6:30 p.m.

ILLINOIS PERMITS/SEASONS

Today, Jan. 9: Second dove season ends

Monday, Jan. 10: First scaup season, south zone, ends

Tuesday, Jan. 11: Final day, applications for second lottery, spring turkey

Tuesday, Jan. 11: Duck season, south central zone, ends . . . Second scaup season, south central zone, ends . . . Second scaup season, south zone .

Friday, Jan. 14 to next Sunday, Jan. 16: Second CWD/late winter antlerless season

Saturday, Jan. 15: Pheasant, quail, partridge, south zone, ends

Gerard Urbanozo shows his first sailfish caught from a kayak. Provided photo — Gerard Urbanozo shows his first sailfish caught from a kayak.

DALE’S MAILBAG

“Yes, got my first sailfish!!!” Gerard Urbanozo

A: You have to see the photo [above] to grasp the greatness of his catch and release. He was kayak fishing on the holiday break. Kayak fishing in salt water ranks high for me for the sheer experience of it and Urbanozo’s catch is in another stratosphere.

BIG NUMBER

6,297: Safety education section issued student certifications in 2021 for hunting, 6,202 for boating, 757 for snowmobiling, and 342 for trapping, via a tweet by Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

LAST WORD

“Thought you’d like to know that we’ve got night crawlers crawling all over the place here right now. Not what I’m used to or expect to see on the last day of the year.”

Christian Howe on New Year’s Eve (I think the crawlers were in for a surprise).

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