Notes come from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.
LAST WORD
“If you have recently seen an armadillo in Illinois, please REPORT the sighting to IDNR at this link [wildlifeillinois.org/gallery/mammals/other-mammals/armadillo/]. Thank you.”
My favorite Illinois Department of Natural Resources social media post, Feb. 19 on Facebook
WILD OF THE WEEK
Tony Davies sent the photo to the left of a Cooper’s hawk.
It was taken by his wife Paulette, out last week out of the kitchen window.
Cooper’s hawks have active around many backyards and bird feeders with our regular winter this 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).
WILD TIMES
HUNTER SAFETY
March 12-13: Bridgeview, (708) 594-1818 . . . Diamond, (815) 907-7345 . . . Morris, (815) 942-6644
DUCKS UNLIMITED
Thursday, March 10: North Shore Chicago Dinner, Kenilworth Club
U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY
Wednesday, March 9: Paddlers Guide to Safety, Chicago, Don Leonard, uscgachicago@gmail.com
Saturday, March 12: Boat America, Chicago, Dan O’Connell, cgaux@gmail.com . . . Boat America, Waukegan, Curt Schumacher, curts402@aol.com
SHOWTIME
Click here for the complete list of shows, classes and swap meets for the coming months.
Through today, March 6: Northwest Indiana Fishing and Outdoor Expo, Lincoln Community Center, Highland, Ind.
Thursday-next Sunday, March 10-13: Journal Sentinel Sports Show, Wisconsin State Fair Park Exposition Center, West Allis, Wis.
Friday-next Sunday, March 11-13: Canoecopia, Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wis.
Saturday, March 12: Fish & Hook Sports Show, VFW Post 5788, Lockport
Saturday, March 12: Fox River Valley chapter of Muskies Inc.’s annual banquet, Schaumburg Golf Club
Next Sunday, March 13: Quad County Hawg Hunters’ Fishing Flea Market, Plano American Legion, dlandmeier@frontier.com or (815) 286-7170
FISH GATHERINGS
Tuesday, March 8: River specialist Mike Teafoe Chicagoland Muskie Hunters chapter of Muskies, Inc., North Branch Pizza & Burger Co., Glenview, 7:30 p.m., chicagolandmuskiehunters.org
Tuesday, March 8: Salmon Unlimited, Top 3 Boats from the 2021 season (Fish n Crew, Follow Me and Dojigger), , Thornwood Restaurant & Lounge, Wood Dale, 7 p.m., salmonunlimitedinc.com
Wednesday, March 9: Capt. Matt Raley, who guides in Wisconsin’s Oneida and Vilas counties, Fox River Valley chapter of Muskies, Inc., Schaumburg Golf Club, 7 p.m., frvmuskie.com
Wednesday, March 9: Andrew Ragas, “Artificial Techniques & Spring Strategies For Trophy Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass,” Lake Geneva Fishing Club, Poplar Creek Bowl, Hoffman Estates, 6 p.m., lakegenevafishingclub.com
Thursday, March 10: Capt. Doug Kloet, “Spring Musky Fishing on Lake Geneva and the Chain O’Lakes,” Riverside Fishing Club, LaGrange American Legion, 6:30 p.m., RiversideFishingClub.com
ILLINOIS SEASONS
Tuesday, March 8: Over-the-counter sales, spring turkey, begin
DALE’S MAILBAG
“Now that the long-standing smallmouth bass record has been [topped] a few years ago, it may be time to start looking at the lakefront for the next state-record pike.” Tim Jacob commenting on Facebook
A: He has a point. Illinois’ northern-pike record has stood since Nov. 9, 1989 when Walter Klenzak caught his 26 pounds-15 ounces monster from a strip pit, now called Monster Lake at Mazonia South.
