Skunks, opossums, coons, cougars, ice fishing, licenses: Notes, Chicago outdoors

Notes from around Chicago outdoors. (Editorial note: Normally, I use the Wild of the Week as the top photo, but this week I loved the cougar photo too much and led with that.)

FIELD NOTES

WILD OF THE WEEK

Ted Clayton sent photos from his father, also Ted, from Markham of opossums, raccoons and skunks eating from the same dish.

Wild of the Week, the celebration of stories and photos around Chicago outdoors, run when 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

Q: “I’m getting a lot of questions about licenses. So far we do not have the 2018 in stock. Waiting to see what the state does.” Text from Tom Platt, Henry’s Sports and Bait.

A: From the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, “Illinois” 2018 fishing, hunting, and sportsmen combination licenses will be available beginning March 1, and will be valid through March 31, 2019. ” For more information, go to ifishillinois.org.

BIG NUMBER

More than 5,000: Record number of people who ice-fished Feb. 17 in the shape of the Ducks Unlimited logo on Minnesota’s Mille Lacs Lake.

LAST WORD

“There seems to be some cougar activity in Wisconsin recently! Just yesterday we learned of an incredible video of a cougar taking a peek into a house in Brookfield, Wisconsin – and prior to that another video in Washington County, just on February 7.’’

The Cougar Network, on confirmed sightings as near as the Milwaukee suburbs (see photo at the top).

WILD TIMES

FISH GATHERING

Wednesday: Capt. Ralph Steiger on “Multi-species Angling on Southern Lake Michigan,’’Walleyes Unlimited, Gurnee American Legion, 7 p.m., walleyesunlimitedusa.org

SHOWTIME

(Click here for the complete list of shows for the year)

Thursday-Sunday: Northern Illinois Boat Show, New Lake County Fair Grounds, Grayslake

Friday: Sport & Fishing Show (prizes, raffles, booths), by Evergreen Park Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #27 Association, Bourbon Street, Merrionette Park, $25.00 includes, 7-11 p.m.

Saturday: Indoor Fishing Flea Market, Rolling Meadows High School

Saturday: Illinois Smallmouth Alliance’s Bronzeback Blowout, Elmhurst American Legion

Saturday-Sunday: Elmwood All Outdoors Show, Elmwood Community Schools

U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILLIARY

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

Saturday: Waukegan. Contact Curt Schumacher, publiceducation41.5@gmail.com

Sunday: Chicago. Contact Jay Samstag, jsamstag@gmail.com

HUNTER SAFETY

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

Feb. 27-28: Chicago, carryinillinois.com/hunter-safety-course.html.

March 3-4: Palatine, palatineparks.org, Class No. 203560.

March 10-11: Bridgeview, (708) 594-1818. . . . Dyer, Indiana, booking@firstshotdyer.com.

March 16-17: Morris, philliparnold3@gmail.com or (815) 343-7330.

March 17-18: New Lenox, huntedbob@aol.com.

DUCKS UNLIMITED

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

Friday: Central Kane County dinner, Riverside Receptions, Geneva. Click here for more info or contact Bob Walker, (630) 234-8497; or Phil Eggen, (815) 482-3999

Friday: Lockport dinner, Crystal Grand Banquets, Lemont. Click here or contact John Suva, (708) 301-8366; or Dan Martis, (815) 955-2227

NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION

(Click here for general list of banquets and events)

Friday: Cook County Turkey Baggers, Chicago South Elks, Crestwood. Contact Carleton Rendel at (708) 349-8862 or cdrendel@comcast.net

Saturday: Kendall County Gobblers, Yorkville American Legion. Contact Tammi Schleining, (630) 385-2288

PHEASANTS FOREVER

(Click here for general list of Illinois PF events)

Friday: Tallgrass banquet, Orland Park Chateau. Click here for more info or contact Scott Krneta, (708) 987-6685

ILLINOIS SEASONS

Wednesday: Crow hunting ends

TREE COURSE

April 7: Deadline for registering for Openlands TreeKeeper certification course, at Washington Park fieldhouse on Thursdays and Sundays from April 8-May 3. Cost is $128. Enroll at www.openlands.org/treekeepers