Chicago outdoors: Dog toys, sandhill regulars, bowhunting turkeys

Notes come from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.

WILD OF THE WEEK

"[This is] Wayne and Jane, who visited our yard for the first time this early spring,” emailed John Beberman from Orland Park. “This is the fifth consecutive year they’ve come. We think they enjoy the open park and yards since they can keep an eye on threats. They do love feasting on the worms and grubs in my garden. They’re fairly comfortable when we are in the yard with them, but they like a few feet between us.”

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).

DALE’S MAILBAG

“We have a squirrel nest with some of dog toys built into it.” Ron Przybylski, Joliet

A: That reminds me I should check this spring or summer or a severe wind storm on downed nests and document some of the things used in construction.

BIG NUMBER

803: Turkeys harvested by Illinois bowhunters, compared to 801 last year.

WILD TIMES

DUCKS UNLIMITED

Thursday, March 7: North Shore Chicago dinner, Sunset Ridge Country Club, Northfield

Next Saturday, March 9: North East Illinois Guns, Bourbon, Beer & Bingo, Harbor Brewing, Lake, Villa,

ILLINOIS PERMITS

Tuesday, March 5: First lottery, firearm and muzzleloader deer, begins

SHOWTIME

Through Sunday, March 3: Northern Illinois Boat Show, Lake County Fairgrounds, Grayslake

Through Sunday, March 3:Northwest Indiana Fishing & Outdoor Expo, Lincoln Center, Highland, Ind.

Today, March 2:Indoor Fishing Flea Market, Rolling Meadows High School, through 1 p.m.

Thursday, March 7, to March 10: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sports Show, Wisconsin State Fair Park, West Allis, Wis.

Thursday, March 7, to March 10:Ultimate Sports Show, DeVos Place, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Friday, March 8, to March 10:Illinois Deer Classic, Peoria Civic Center

Friday, March 8, to March 10:Rockford RV, Camping & Travel Show, Indoor Sports Center, Loves Park

Friday, March 8, to March 10:Canoecopia, Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wis.

Next Saturday, March 9:Fish & Hook Sports Show, VFW Post 5788, Lockport

Click here for the complete list of show, outdoors classes, swap meets and major ice-fishing events.

HUNTER SAFETY

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

March 9-10: Diamond, (815) 907-7345Full state listing at dnr2.illinois.gov/SafetyEd/SafetyEdClassByCounty

U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY

Next Saturday, March 9: Boat America, Oak Forest, Bob Hennessy, bobhennessy07@gmail.com

Next Saturday, March 9: Boat American, Wilmington, Darryl Joseph Haefner, jlyrrad@comcast.net