WWW Chicago outdoors: Gone fishin', Gil Hamm

My Wild Weekend Wandering around Chicago outdoors will be in Minnesota; but with the Chicagoland Muskie Hunters chapter of Muskies Inc.

That’s the trophy, the Lunge Bucket, which goes to the team that wins the Gil Hamm Memorial Chapter Challunge. The Gil Hamm is Wednesday through Friday on Minnesota’s fabled Lake Vermilion.

I am part of the Grumpy Old Men team, one of five six-man teams from CMH, which is trying to repeat as champion. As defending champ, CMH is host for it.

I plan to be up and fishing by late Saturday and will be posting daily updates here on Stray Casts.

SHORELINE KINGS:If I was not gone to Minnesota, this would be my fishing for the week, once the lake settles after say waiting on kings, but the repeated blows this week have slowed fishing and salmon on the lakefront.

I still think there might be a chance of a 30-pound Chinook for shore fishermen this fall, or at least some well into the 20s, if the right fisherman able to handle them latches into them.

HUMMINGBIRDS:Hummingbirds are putting on a show right now, if you watch your feeders or flowers closely.

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WADING:Rivers are low and very wadeable. Not sure what the coolness will do to the bite.

KAYAK TOUR:REI offers a cool kayak tour on Saturday: Half Day Chicago Canyons from 8 a.m. to noon. Go to http://www.rei.com/class/42205/market/340

WILD OUTSIDE: The Nature Conservancy holds an Indian Summer Hike & Harvest at its Kankakee Sands location, a wild area, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday.

RIVER CLEANUP: The Des Plaines River Cleanup is Saturday. Register in advance with Tom Eckels at thomasreckels@gmail.com.

EARLY GOOSE SEASON:Early Canada geese is open. I noticed some fields being harvest. Those with water access have shooting. Season ends Sunday.

DOVE HUNTING:Dove hunting continues. From what I saw, the weather change thinned the ranks.

SQUIRREL HUNTING: Most public sites in northeast Illinois are now open for squirrel hunting through September, then close again on Oct. 1 with the start of bowhunting for deer.

In Indiana, squirrel hunting is also open. One nearby spot, which sometimes draws dozens of hunters (though many are assumed to be scouting for deer), is Willow Slough Fish and Wildlife Area.

DEER SCOUTING:Guys are getting out and checking on deer. i think that is one of the things some of the early squirrel hunters are doing, too, as much as anything. I am seeing guys already working on stands.