Suburban turkeys, crossbows, SU kids derby: Notes on Chicago outdoors

Notes from around Chicago outdoors.

FIELD NOTES

WILD OF THE WEEK

Tom O’Malley photographed and videoed turkeys strolling a Wheaton subdivision on Wednesday.

Wild of the Week, a celebration of wild scenes around Chicago outdoors, runs as 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: “Is the new crossbow bill in effect immediately? Larry Cicolini

A:Yes. But for practical purposes HB 2893, legalizing crossbows for all, takes effect on Oct. 1 when archery seasons begin for deer and turkey in Illinois.

BIG NUMBER

150/600

Participating kids/fish caught at the Salmon Unlimited Kids Derby on Sept. 9 at Waukegan. Nathan Gonzalez, 13, caught the biggest (a 14.5-pound king) and Eli Welch, 12, the most (78 gobies).

LAST WORD

‘‘As someone who grew up hunting and fishing on our public lands — packing bologna sandwiches and heading out at 4 a.m. with my dad — I know how important it is to expand access to public lands for future generations. Some of my best memories are hunting elk or reeling in rainbow trout back home in Montana, and I think every American should be able to have that experience.’’

— Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, at the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation’s 28th annual banquet and auction, on plans for a secretarial order to advance sportsmen’s priorities

FISH GATHERINGS

HUNTER SAFETY

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

Sept. 21 and 23: Woodstock, Mchenryilhs@gmail.com

Sept. 29-30: Arlington Heights, huntsafely.webs.com

Sept. 30-Oct. 1: Beecher, TJHUNTERSAFETY@GMAIL.COM . . . Morris, rainbowcouncil.org

Oct. 14-15: Peotone, peotoneparkdistrict.com . . . Morris,(815) 941-3122

ILLINOIS SEASONS

Through Sept. 24: Teal, snipe and rail hunting

Through Sept. 30: Applications for bobcat hunting and trapping permits, $5 non-refundable fee, il.wildlifelicense.com/start.php

HUNTING & FISHING DAYS:

Sept. 23-24: Northern Illinois Hunting and Fishing Days, Silver Springs State Park, Yorkville, nihfd.org

FISH GATHERING

Tuesday: Lake County Watersports pro staff, Arlington Anglers, Cabela’s, Hoffman Estates, 6 p.m.,arlingtonanglers.com.

Tuesday: Capt. Chris Taurisano on fall fishing the Chain O’Lakes, Libertyville Fishing Club (guests attend free), 7:30 p.m., Libertyville Township Center, libertyvillefishingclub.com

WINGSHOOTING CLINICES

Sept. 23-24:Des Plaines Conservation Area, (217) 785-2262

DUCKS UNLIMITED

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

Thursday: Lake Forest area dinner, Onwentsia Club. Contact Steve Worth, (847) 846-0259; or Bryan Wiesner, (847) 226–9662 or click here for more information

PHEASANTS FOREVER

(Click here for general list of Illinois PF events)

NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION

(Click here for general list of banquets and events)