Chicago outdoors: Bucks holding antlers, goldfinch colors, Turkey Run SP, pelicans

American goldfinches sporting both spring and winter colors in the south suburbs. (Michael Dodd)

Notes come from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.

WILD OF THE WEEK

Michael Dodd photographed American goldfinches in both winter and spring colors at a thistle feeder in the south suburbs. It’s that time of year.

WOTW, the celebration of wild stories and photos around Chicago outdoors, runs most weeks in the special two-page outdoors section in the Sun-Times Sports Saturday. To make submissions, email BowmanOutside@gmail.com or contact me on Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside) or Instagram (@BowmanOutside).

DALE’S MAILBAG

“Driving down Sandbar Road [Wednesday] morning on the Kankakee River near the McHie Ferry sign [upstream of Route 17] and saw these beauties. Thought they were swans at first, but turns out they are pelicans. I have not seen these on the river before. The geese and mallards were squawking at them.” Jeff Habedank

American white pelicans on the Kankakee River near the McHie Ferry sign. (Jeff Habedank)

A: American white pelicans, of which sightings have been drifting east in Illinois over the last couple decades, are notable birds, looking and in size. Jaelyn French Anderson also messaged about the pelicans, too. I vividly remember the first time I saw them in Illinois, circling over the Masters Walleye Circuit event about 20 years ago on the Illinois River at Spring Valley.

BIG NUMBER

1: Ranking of Turkey Run State Park Trail 3 in Parke County in Indiana in the Midwest’s Best Hike in Midwest Living’s annual Best of the Midwest list. Turkey Run is a family favorite state park.

Hiking in the recently honored Turkey Run State Park in Indiana. (Provided by the Indiana DNR)

LAST WORD

“Some still don a chapeau.”

Jeff Norris, texting about a buck sporting antlers late Tuesday night on a trail cam in the western suburbs (bucks shedding antlers in Illinois typically peaks in mid-February).

A buck still sporting antlers on March 21 in the western suburbs. (Provided by Jeff Norris)

WILD TIMES

DUCKS UNLIMITED

Thursday, March 30: Windy City Dinner, The Elmcrest, Elmwood Park,

Friday, March 31: Lockport Dinner, Crystal Grand Banquet Hall, Lemont,

SHOWTIME

Click here for the complete list of show, outdoors classes and swap meets.

Today, March 25: Walleyes Unlimited swap meet, Antioch VFW Post 4551, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.

Through Sunday, March 26: Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo, Knoxville Convention Center, Knoxville, Tenn.

Friday, March 31, to April 2: Illinois Deer Classic, Peoria Civic Center

ILLINOIS SEASONS

Through Sunday, March 25-26: First youth spring turkey hunt

Next weekend, April 1-2: Second youth spring turkey hunt

Next Saturday, April 1: Inland trout season opens. . . . Smelt netting opens in Chicago.

Through April 30: First lottery, Illinois residents only, fiream or muzzleloader deer permits

HUNTER SAFETY

April 22-23: Momence, (815) 472-4900

April 28-29: Morris, philliparnold3@gmail.com or (815) 343-7330

May 6-7: Ingleside, S.FREY2008@YAHOO.COM

U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY

Next Saturday, April 1: Weekend Navigator, Villa Park, Don Goff, dgoff6547@gmail.com

LAKE MICHIGAN FISHERIES

April 5: Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s spring workshop, Wilmette Harbor Club, 6-8:30 p.m., (virtual viewing will be April 13 6-8 p.m.), register for either at tinyurl.com/2tx6p9sf

FUNDRAISER

Saturday, April 29: Help send autistic angler Robbie “Goose” Henderson, currently ranked sixth in the nation, to the National Bass Trail National Championships, Lake Hartwell, South Carolina, Musky Tales, Antioch, 5-9 p.m., contact Jeff Henderson (847) 409-1410 or goosefishing@yahoo.com

SAFARI CLUB INTERNATIONAL

April 22: Illinois & Chicago chapter’s 50th annual fundraiser and banquet, Medinah Banquets, Addison