Cooper’s hawk, trespassing, ice conditions: Chicago outdoors

Notes from around Chicago outdoors.

FIELD NOTES

WILD OF THE WEEK

Many of us watch Cooper’s hawks raiding the birds around our feeders. Emil Baumbach photographed the one above, unsuccessful in its initial raid, then perched waiting its next chance in Elmhurst.

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

DALE’S MAILBAG

Q: “I’m pretty sure that someone is trespassing/poaching on our private hunting land. Pull ropes and stand straps have been changed (not damaged), and I found a knife traceable to a small outdoors store in Kentucky in the brush under my stand, among other things. The property I hunt is about a four-hour drive away so I can’t be there all the time. Any suggestions for preventing or catching somebody? Property is posted with no trespassing signs, purple paint etc. Considering trail cams aimed at the stands but fear they might just get stolen.’’ Pete Brownson

A: The primary method is to befriend a local to help watch. Would love suggestions from others.

BIG NUMBER

425,000: Only acres of high-quality natural areas remaining in Illinois, according The Nature Conservancy. Click here to read

LAST WORD

“Dangerous but safe.’’

Thomas Platt, from Henry’s Sports and Bait, with an accurate assessment of ice conditions ever, in assessing ice north of the border last week

WILD TIMES

HUNTER SAFETY

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

Feb. 18-19: New Lenox, tjhuntersafety@gmail.com

Feb. 24-25: Zion, takeakidhunting@aol.com

Feb. 25-26: Chicago, http://carryinillinois.com/hunter-safety-course.html . . . Essex, (815) 458-3568

March 3-4: Morris, philliparnold3@gmail.com or 815-343-7330

March 4-5: Momence, (815) 388-3853

March 11-12: Bridgeview, (708) 594-1818 . . . Bolingbrook, hebpMarch2017@gmail.com (include name, address & DOB) . . . Joliet, (815) 727-4811

ILLINOIS PERMITS

Thursday, Feb. 9: Final day, third lottery, spring turkey applications, click here

FISH GATHERINGS

Wednesday, Feb. 8: Luke Ronnestrand on modern muskie trends on pressured water, Fox River Valley chapter of Muskies Inc., Schaumburg Golf Club, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 9: Mark Kubal on Lake Michigan perch, Riverside Fishing Club, LaGrange American Legion, 6:30 p.m.

SHOWTIME

(Click here or the exhaustive list of shows, seminars, swap meets and auctions)

Friday-Sunday, Feb. 10-12:Muskie Expo Milwaukee, Washington County Fair Park & Conference Center, West Bend, Wis.

Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 11-12: Tinley Park Fishing and Outdoor Show, Tinley Park High School

Sunday, Feb. 12: Henry Decoy Show, Henry-Senachwine High School

DUCKS UNLIMITED

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

Thursday, Feb. 9: McHenry Fox Flyway Dinner, D’Andrea Banquets, Crystal Lake.

PHEASANTS FOREVER

(Click here for general list of Illinois PF events)

Saturday, Feb. 11: Lake County chapter banquet, Antioch VFW.

NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION

(Click here for general list of banquets and events)