Chicago outdoors: Scofflaw bluebird, young angler exhausted, biggest black bear, E. Peoria/Chicago

Notes come from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.

WILD OF THE WEEK

Jeff Wade photographed “this scofflaw male bluebird” on the North Side while it was “vigilantly guarding his nest cavity and urging his last straggler to fledge.”

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).

DALE’S MAILBAG

“I missed your point about how East Peoria was an apt choice when the [Izaak Walton League of America] was founded in Chicago and the recent meeting wasn’t in Chicago.” Mr. Jan Thomas Pasek, Rogers Park, long ago resident of Peoria

A: His point is well taken; I stretched the definition of returning home. The IWLA chose East Peoria over Chicago because of lowers costs.

BIG NUMBER

23 10/16: Score of the world record black bear, via the Boone and Crockett Club. Black bears are scored by adding the greatest width and length of the skull. It was found July 1, 1975 in Utah by Merrill Daniels and Alma Lund. The skull was confirmed as a black bear by the Smithsonian Institution.

LAST WORD

“One young angler fighting his fourth smallmouth bass in as many casts [said], `I can’t do it, I only weigh 92 pounds!’ Oh yeah, I won’t let him forget that line!”

Kurt Justice, of Kurt’s Island Sport Shop in Minocqua, Wisconsin,

WILD TIMES

HUNTER SAFETY

Aug. 13-14: Kankakee, (815) 935-2700

Aug. 20-21: Momence, (815) 472-4900

WINGSHOOTING CLINICS

Aug. 13-14: Shabbona Lake State Recreation Area, Rich Carlson, (815) 757-2949

Aug. 20-21: Aurora Sportsmen’s Club, Waterman, hunterwsclinic@gmail.com

BLIND DRAWS

Today, July 30, and Sunday, July 31: Annual drawings for public waterfowl blinds. www2.illinois.gov/dnr/news/Pages/IDNR-announces-2022-schedule-of-waterfowl-blind-site-drawings.aspx

ILLINIOS SEASONS/PERMITS

Monday, Aug. 1-Aug. 31: Applications, free upland game permits

Monday, Aug. 1: Squirrel hunting opens