Beavers, rabbits, coyotes, Fox River trip update: Notes, Chicago outdoors

[UPDATED] Notes from around Chicago outdoors.

FIELD NOTES

WILD OF THE WEEK

Kristin Kohl caught a beaver snacking on a side pond at Independence Grove in Libertyville.

Wild of the Week, the celebration of wild scenes and photos 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

“Out by the Timber Ridge and Indian Mounds forest preserves, we have a theory about the bumper crop of rabbits. We suspect there’s been a quiet thinning of the coyote population going on over the past three years. Sharp-shooters sent deep into the woods to kill coyotes. Under the radar, not officially sanctioned.’’ James

A: I think it’s more likely hunters and trappers have become more proficient at targeting coyotes.

BIG NUMBER

3-1.1: Pounds-ounces of the Illinois-record redear sunfish, determined to be pure redear by genetic testing. Ken Krumreich caught the redear (15 ¼ inches long with a girth of 14 ½ inches) on May 19 at Goose Lake Association in Grundy County.

LAST WORD

“Saw two or three bald eagles. More great blue herons than you can count, green herons, kingfishers, killdeers and assorted ducks.”

Chuck Roberts, texting Wednesday midway through a 200-mile paddle the length of the Fox River with Charlie Zine.

WILD TIMES

HUNTER SAFETY

(Click here for full package of northeast Illinois hunter safety classes)

Aug. 10-11: Wilmington, philliparnold3@gmail.com

Aug. 11-12: Custer Park, smittythepainter@yahoo.com . . . Essex, (815) 458-3568

Aug. 17-18: Morris, philliparnold3@gmail.com

WINGSHOOTING CLINIC

(Click here for the statewide list)

Aug. 18-19: Youth/Women’s clinics, Shabbona Lake State Park, (217) 524-5466

U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY

(Click here for full listings of classes in the area)

Saturday: Chicago, Dan O’Connell, doc731@yahoo.com

DUCKS UNLIMITED

(Click here for the general list of Illinois DU events)

NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION

(Click here for general list of banquets and events)

PHEASANTS FOREVER

(Click here for general list of Illinois PF events)