Bobcats vs. raccoon, lakefront walleye, fall: Chicago outdoors, notes

Notes from around Chicago outdoors.

FIELD NOTES

MUSKY HUNTER TV

Jim Saric announced that Deerfield-based “The Musky Hunter Television Show,’’ in its 12th season, has picked up CBS Sports Network, extending its reach nationwide and to 100 million homes. “Viewers will still be able to watch the show on NBC Sports Chicago (formerly Comcast SportsNet) Saturdays at 9:30 a.m.,’’ he emailed.

DALE’S MAILBAG

E: “This encounter is a first for me on a camera- not one but two bobcats with a pissed-off raccoon. He doesn’t seem to want to back down from the kitties. He actually appears to hold his ground. Pretty cool.’’ Tim Walmsley

A: Very cool. That’s answers the coon vs bobcat question, kinda. Walmsley noted he has actually only encountered one bobcat in the field. I’m still waiting on my first encounter with the secretive mammal.

Just a reminder that Wild of the Week, a celebration of wild scenes around Chicago outdoors, runs when warranted on Sundays on the Sun-Times outdoors page. Send nominations by Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside) or email (straycasts@sbcglobal.net).

BIG NUMBER

5 3/4: Pounds of a walleye (to the right) caught Thursday at Montrose Harbor, the second weighed this year at Park Bait, by Mike Sterling on a Moonshine spoon.

LAST WORD

“Fall colors are spreading across the state and many areas are already near or at peak. Tamaracks are starting to show yellow, tree canopies and brush continue to thin.’’

Wisconsin DNR outdoor report on Thursday.

WILD TIMES

HUNTER SAFETY

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

Oct. 18, 21, 22: Elburn, phil-joanne@juno.com

Oct. 20-21: Arlington Heights, www.huntsafely.webs.com

Oct. 28-29: Tinley Park, (708) 532-8698.

Nov. 2-3: Dyer, Ind., BOOKING@FIRSTSHOTDYER.COM

FISH GATHERING

Thursday: Marist bass fishing coach Jim O’Neil, Fish Tales Fishing Club, Oak Forest Community Center, 7 p.m., fishtalesfishingclub.com

ILLINOIS SEASONS

Tuesday: Over-the-counter sales of remaining firearm deer permits begin

Saturday: North zone, duck and Canada goose hunting opens . . . Fall shotgun turkey opens . . . woodcock hunting opens

Saturday-Sunday: Central zone, youth waterfowl hunt

DUCKS UNLIMITED

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

PHEASANTS FOREVER

(Click here for general list of Illinois PF events)

NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION

(Click here for general list of banquets and events)