Chicago outdoors: Illinois armadillos, backyard Cooper’s hawk, record smallmouth bass & northern pike

A note on how to report armadillos in Illinois, a well-photographed backyard Cooper’s hawk, and thoughts on Illinois-record smallmouth bass and northern pike are among the notes from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.

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Armadillo. Photo: http://www.birdphotos.com, CC BY 3.0

Armadillo.

Photo: http://www.birdphotos.com, CC BY 3.0

Notes come from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.

LAST WORD

“If you have recently seen an armadillo in Illinois, please REPORT the sighting to IDNR at this link [wildlifeillinois.org/gallery/mammals/other-mammals/armadillo/]. Thank you.”

My favorite Illinois Department of Natural Resources social media post, Feb. 19 on Facebook

Backyard Cooper’s hawk. Credit: Paulette Davies

Backyard Cooper’s hawk.

Paulette Davies

WILD OF THE WEEK

Tony Davies sent the photo to the left of a Cooper’s hawk.

It was taken by his wife Paulette, out last week out of the kitchen window.

Cooper’s hawks have active around many backyards and bird feeders with our regular winter this year.

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.

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

WILD TIMES

HUNTER SAFETY

March 12-13: Bridgeview, (708) 594-1818 . . . Diamond, (815) 907-7345 . . . Morris, (815) 942-6644

DUCKS UNLIMITED

Thursday, March 10: North Shore Chicago Dinner, Kenilworth Club

U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY

Wednesday, March 9: Paddlers Guide to Safety, Chicago, Don Leonard, uscgachicago@gmail.com

Saturday, March 12: Boat America, Chicago, Dan O’Connell, cgaux@gmail.com . . . Boat America, Waukegan, Curt Schumacher, curts402@aol.com

SHOWTIME

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

Through today, March 6: Northwest Indiana Fishing and Outdoor Expo, Lincoln Community Center, Highland, Ind.

Thursday-next Sunday, March 10-13: Journal Sentinel Sports Show, Wisconsin State Fair Park Exposition Center, West Allis, Wis.

Friday-next Sunday, March 11-13: Canoecopia, Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wis.

Saturday, March 12: Fish & Hook Sports Show, VFW Post 5788, Lockport

Saturday, March 12: Fox River Valley chapter of Muskies Inc.’s annual banquet, Schaumburg Golf Club

Next Sunday, March 13: Quad County Hawg Hunters’ Fishing Flea Market, Plano American Legion, dlandmeier@frontier.com or (815) 286-7170

FISH GATHERINGS

Tuesday, March 8: River specialist Mike Teafoe Chicagoland Muskie Hunters chapter of Muskies, Inc., North Branch Pizza & Burger Co., Glenview, 7:30 p.m., chicagolandmuskiehunters.org

Tuesday, March 8: Salmon Unlimited, Top 3 Boats from the 2021 season (Fish n Crew, Follow Me and Dojigger), , Thornwood Restaurant & Lounge, Wood Dale, 7 p.m., salmonunlimitedinc.com

Wednesday, March 9: Capt. Matt Raley, who guides in Wisconsin’s Oneida and Vilas counties, Fox River Valley chapter of Muskies, Inc., Schaumburg Golf Club, 7 p.m., frvmuskie.com

Wednesday, March 9: Andrew Ragas, “Artificial Techniques & Spring Strategies For Trophy Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass,” Lake Geneva Fishing Club, Poplar Creek Bowl, Hoffman Estates, 6 p.m., lakegenevafishingclub.com

Thursday, March 10: Capt. Doug Kloet, “Spring Musky Fishing on Lake Geneva and the Chain O’Lakes,” Riverside Fishing Club, LaGrange American Legion, 6:30 p.m., RiversideFishingClub.com

ILLINOIS SEASONS

Tuesday, March 8: Over-the-counter sales, spring turkey, begin

DALE’S MAILBAG

“Now that the long-standing smallmouth bass record has been [topped] a few years ago, it may be time to start looking at the lakefront for the next state-record pike.” Tim Jacob commenting on Facebook

A: He has a point. Illinois’ northern-pike record has stood since Nov. 9, 1989 when Walter Klenzak caught his 26 pounds-15 ounces monster from a strip pit, now called Monster Lake at Mazonia South.

The Latest
Despite getting into foul trouble, which limited him to just six minutes in the second half, Shannon finished with 29 points, five rebounds and two assists.
Cowboy hats, bell-bottoms and boots were on full display Thursday night as fans lined up for the first of his three sold-out shows.
The incident occurred about 3:40 p.m. near Minooka. The horse was successfully placed back into the trailer, and the highway reopened about 40 minutes later. No injuries were reported.
The Hawks conceded the game’s only two goals within the first seven minutes and were shut out for the 12th time this season in a 2-0 defeat Thursday.