Morel of the Week begins: And other notes around Chicago outdoors

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Notes from around Chicago outdoors.

FIELD NOTES

MOREL OF THE WEEK

Brian Schlenger starts Morel of the Week by doubling down Monday, April 17, with wild asparagus. That’s the earliest he did that double.

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

DALE’S MAILBAG

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Email:‘‘This American Golden-Plover is in mid breeding plumage with its black cheeks and breast and golden flecked back and head. I agree with many who consider this bird the aristocrat of birds–it’s that distinctive. . . . These birds are currently migrating through Chicagoland and can be found in flooded farm fields where they eat invertebrates and seeds. This photo was taken in DeKalb County [last week].’’ Emil Baumbach

A: That bird is on my list to positively ID some day.

Ryan Povolish with the Illinois-record crappie (either black or hybrid), he caught March 28, 2017 from Kinkaid Lake.<br>Credit: Les Winkeler/The Southern

Ryan Povolish with the Illinois-record crappie (either black or hybrid), he caught March 28, 2017 from Kinkaid Lake.
Credit: Les Winkeler/The Southern

BIG NUMBER

4-8.8: Pounds-ounces of the Illinois-record hybrid crappie, caught by Ryan Povolish March 28 from Kinkaid Lake, and confirmed last week by DNA testing.

LAST WORD

“We have confirmation from two geneticists that the new state record crappie is a hybrid. Male white and female black. . . . The fish had the appearance of a pure black crappie but that’s why we do the testing. Testing included both nuclear DNA and mitochondrial DNA.’’

Illinois fisheries chief Dan Stephenson, on determination of Povolish’s record

WILD TIMES

HUNTER SAFETY

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

April 29-30: Palatine, click here and it is program number 203560

May 4 and 7: Woodstock, mchenryilhs@gmail.com

May 12-13: Zion, hunterssafety@5starfirearms.com

May 18 and 20: Newark, (815) 210-4995

FISH GATHERING

Wednesday: Russ Warye on “The New World of Smallmouth,’’ Walleyes Unlimited, Gurnee American Legion, 7 p.m.

ILLINOIS PERMITS/SEASONS

Through April 30: Illinois residents may apply for first lottery, firearm and muzzleloader-only deer permits. Click here for details

Spring turkey hunting: Through Wednesday, April 26, fourth season, south zone, and third season, north; Thursday, April 27-May 3, fourth season, north; fifth season, south, Thursday, April 27-May 4

DUCKS UNLIMITED

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

Thursday, April 27:National Area Dinner, Concorde Banquet Hall, Kildeer, click here for details

SHOWTIME

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

Tuesday-Saturday: April 25-29: North American Vintage Decoy & Sporting Collectibles Show (main displays Friday-Saturday, April 28-29), Pheasant Run, St. Charles. NOTE: Decoy auction, Guyette & Deeter, Inc., Thursday-Friday, April 27-28.

NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION

(Click here for general list of banquets and events)

PHEASANTS FOREVER

(Click here for general list of Illinois PF events)


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