Chicago outdoors: Leucistic Canada goose, red foxes and Wendell Berry on snow

Notes come from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.

WILD OF THE WEEK

Susan Banakis emailed, after nudging by Bob France, a photo of a leucistic Canada goose at Turner Pond in Roselle. Albinism or leucism? A simple distinction is albinism is complete lack of pigmentation while leucism is partial loss of pigmentation (and no impact on eye color), according to the National Park Service.

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), Instagram (@BowmanOutside). or Bluesky (@Bowmanoutside).

Susan Banakis

DALE’S MAILBAG

“Unfortunately, no photo . . . but as I was leaving work last Wednesday [in Downers Grove] around 3:30 — still broad daylight — a red fox crossed the entrance/exit road right near a guard booth. It knew enough to avoid cars but didn’t seem too upset about people seeing it. I’d say the Winter hasn’t been too tough on it: it looked well-fed and the coat was prime after a week of serious cold.” Pete Lamar

A: As much as red foxes are my favorite mammal, I still haven’t taken a good photo of one.

LAST WORD

“Suppose we did our work

like the snow, quietly, quietly.

leaving nothing out.”

Wendell Berry, “Like Snow” from “Leavings,” 2009

WILD TIMES

HUNTER SAFETY

Feb. 24-25: Essex, (815) 922-4027

March 9-10: Bridgeview, (708) 594-1818

March 9-10: Diamond, (815) 907-7345

Full state listing of safety classes at dnr2.illinois.gov/SafetyEd/SafetyEdClassByCounty

SHOWTIME

Through today, Feb. 4:All-Canada Show, Kane County Fairgrounds, St. Charles

Through today, Feb. 4:Rockford Boat, Vacation & Fishing Show, Indoor Sports Center, Loves Park

Saturday, Feb. 10:Northern Illinois Conservation Club’s 64th annual Ice Fishing Derby, Turtle Beach Marina, Channel Lake

Saturday, Feb. 10, to Feb. 11:Spring Lake Izaak Walton Outdoor Show, Hobart, Ind., (219) 263-3358

Next Sunday, Feb. 11:Henry Decoy Show , Three Sisters Park, Chillicothe

FISH GATHERINGS

Wednesday, Feb. 7: Guide William Heim, “Early Season Geneva Crappies Strategy,” Lake Geneva Fishing Club, Poplar Creek Bowl, Hoffman Estates, 6 p.m., lakegenevafishingclub.com

Thursday, Feb. 8: Biologist Seth Love on stocking programs, fishing trends, and a few places for the shoreline angler to fish as well, Riverside Fishing Club, Berwyn Moose Lodge 424, 6:45 p.m., RiversideFishingClub.com

ILLINOIS PERMITS

Friday, Feb. 9: Final day, third lottery, spring turkey