Sandhills, big lakers, questions on 87th access: Notes around Chicago outdoors

Notes from around Chicago outdoors.

FIELD NOTES

WILD OF THE WEEK

Sandy Melovic of Lockport photographed these sandhill cranes, one of the top draws around Chicago outdoors, this month at Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area, southeast of Valparaiso, Indiana.

Wild of the Week, the 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

BIG NUMBER

25-2

Pounds-ounces of the world-record burbot, caught by Sean Konrad on March 27, 2010, from Lake Diefenbaker in Saskatchewan, according to the International Game Fish Association.

DALE’S MAILBAG

Q: ‘‘Do you know if 87th is completely iced over?’’ — Bob Anderson

Q: ‘‘I would like to go to 87th Street for perch. Where does everyone park legally?’’ — Dennis Goron

A: The North Slip (north of 87th Street at Calumet Harbor) is icing over, but conditions change rapidly on Lake Michigan. Many means are used to bust shallow ice from shore, including homemade devices such as I-bolts cemented in coffee cans. As for parking, there’s free legal parking on 87th east of South Lake Shore Drive. At 89th, there’s free legal parking on 89th west of South Lake Shore Drive.

LAST WORD

‘‘Most of the cranes have headed south. There are still a few thousand using the NIPSCO generating station and Jasper-Pulaski FWA. Northbound cranes usually begin arriving in late January and peak in March.’’

— Last update on sandhill cranes from Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area, southeast of Valparaiso, Indiana

WILD TIMES

FISH GATHERING

Tuesday (day change for holiday): Dave VanDoorn from Take a Vet Fishing, Oswegoland Fishin’ Fools, 7 p.m., Allied First Bank, Oswego, fishinfools.org.

SHOWTIME

(Click here for the complete list of shows)

Friday-next Sunday: Chicago Muskie Expo, Pheasant Run, St. Charles, muskieexpo.com/chicago.

Friday-next Sunday: Lake Home & Cabin Show, Schaumburg Convention Center, lakehomeandcabinshow.com.

HUNTER SAFETY

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

Saturday-Sunday: Morris, smittythepainter@yahoo.com

Jan. 19-20: Wheeling, huntersafety@sbcglobal.net.

ILLINOIS SEASONS/PERMITS

Through Jan. 9: Second dove season.

Jan. 11: Deadline, second lottery, spring turkey applications, click here for info and to apply

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)