Starved Rock eagles, shed antlers, mallards, geese: Notes on Chicago outdoors

Notes from around Chicago outdoors.

FIELD NOTES

WILD OF THE WEEK

John Cuculich gathered many eagle photos last weekend at Starved Rock, this time with extended family. ‘‘This is from a family that can’t organize a Thanksgiving dinner every year!’’ he emailed. ‘‘Seven of us all packed into my brother’s SUV. We had more fun reminiscing and comparing memories than actually watching the eagles.’’

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

0

Mentions of natural resources or the outdoors in Gov. Bruce Rauner’s State of the State address Wednesday.

DALE’S MAILBAG

Email: ‘‘Tried for geese [in late January] on a farm near Essex. Saw three geese and about 10,000 ducks. I have not seen that many ducks in Illinois since my Carbondale days. We had a small goose spread out, and the mallards were bombing in all morning.’’ — John Saban

A: I bet the open waters of Braidwood Lake held the ducks.

LAST WORD

‘‘[Be] sure to get out and look for shed antlers from the one that got away. Spring turkey and crappie fishing will be here before you know it.’’

— Matt ‘‘Flatlander’’ Cheever, in HeartlandOutdoors.com, with timely advice in a post on the possible biggest drop-tine buck of the season.

WILD TIMES

FISH GATHERINGS

Today: Jim ‘‘The Crappie Professor’’ Kopjo on ice fishing and open-water, Oswegoland Fishin’ Fools, 7 p.m., Allied First Bank, Oswego, fishinfools.org.

Thursday: Guide Dave Duwe on southern Wisconsin, Riverside Fishing Club, 6:30 p.m., La Grange American Legion, RiversideFishingClub.com.

U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILLIARY

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

Saturday: GPS for Mariners, Waukegan. Contact Curt Schumacher at publiceducation41.5@gmail.com.

SHOWTIME

(Click here for the complete list of shows)

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

Saturday-Sunday: Chicago Travel & Adventure Show, Stephens Convention Center

Saturday-next Sunday: Tinley Park Fishing Show, Tinley Park High School

Saturday: DRiFT’s 24th annual auction, Villa Park VFW, driftorg.com

HUNTER SAFETY

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

Feb. 6, 8, 13, 15: Downers Grove, (630) 963-1300, Class No. 171012-01.

Feb. 17-18: Momence, bobhuntnfish@yahoo.com

March 10-11: Bridgeview, (708) 594-1818.

PHEASANTS FOREVER

(Click here for general list of Illinois PF events)

Saturday: Lake County banquet, Antioch VFW. Contact Matt Mercereau at (847) 561-2061.

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

DUCKS UNLIMITED

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

NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION

(Click here for general list of banquets and events)