Notes from around Chicago outdoors.
FIELD NOTES
WILD OF THE WEEK
Michael White photographed the artistic image below on the lakefront to start 2019 off right. WOTW, the celebration of wild scenes around Chicago outdoors, runs as warranted on Sundays on the Sun-Times outdoors page. Send nominations by Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside) or email straycasts@sbcglobal.net.
DALE’S MAILBAG
“It’s confusing the plants and the birds. There are still flocks of sandhills, not many but still, flying over. I believe I heard a meadowlark at Killdeer Wetland this morning. And the woman from whom I get my chicken eggs gave me some goose eggs because hers are laying. On some afternoons you can see moths or some flying critter out dancing in the sunlight.” Georgiana
A: Even the brief return to winter hasn’t altered an odd winter.
BIG NUMBER
1,695: Record number of bald eagle nests occupied by breeding adults in Wisconsin in 2018, an increase of 105 nests from 2017. Click here for the detailed story.
LAST WORD
“Well, on a positive note, there won’t be any more parking restrictions for Burnham [Harbor].”
Christian Howe, after the Bears gut-wrenching loss last Sunday
WILD TIMES
FISH GATHERING
Thursday: Andrew Ragas, “Catch Big Smallmouth Bass,” Fish Tales Fishing Club, Oak Forest Community Center, 7 p.m.
ILLINOIS PERMITS/SEASONS
Tuesday, Jan. 15: Final day, south zone pheasant, quail and partridge
Thursday, Jan. 17: Canada goose season, north zone, ends
Friday-next Sunday, Jan. 18-20: Second late-winter and CWD deer seasons
Next Sunday, Jan. 20: Archery deer ends . . . Archery turkey ends. . . . Duck hunting, south zone, ends
HUNTER SAFETY
(Click here for full package of northeast Illinois hunter safety classes)
Saturday-next Sunday, Jan. 19-20: Palatine, palatineparks.org
Feb. 23-24: Essex, (815) 458-3568
SHOWTIME
(Click here for the list of shows, classes and seminars)
Through Sunday, Jan. 13: Chicago Boat, RV and Sail Show, McCormick Place South
Through Sunday, Jan. 13: All-Canada Show, Pheasant Run, St. Charles
Through Sunday, Jan. 13: Lake Home & Cabin Show, Schaumburg Convention Center
Through Sunday, Jan. 13:Chicago Travel & Adventure Show, Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont
Friday-next Sunday: Muskie Expo Chicago, Pheasant Run, St. Charles
Friday-next Sunday: Greater Chicago RV Show, Schaumburg Convention Center
PHEASANTS FOREVER
(Click here for general list of Illinois PF events)
Feb. 9: Lake County banquet, Antioch, VFW. Contact Doug Magno, (847) 401-2678
DUCKS UNLIMITED
(Click here for the general list of Illinois DU events)
Feb. 7: McHenry Fox Flyway dinner, D’Andrea Banquets, Crystal Lake. Contact Brian Diedrich, (815) 355-0803
NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION
(Click here for general list of banquets and events)
U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY
(Click here for full listings of classes in the area)
