Chicago outdoors: Dog toys in a drey, sandhill regulars, IL bowhunting turkeys
Sandhilll cranes, regular visitors for years, in Orland Park.
John Beberman
Notes come from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.
WILD OF THE WEEK
"[This is] Wayne and Jane, who visited our yard for the first time this early spring," emailed John Beberman from Orland Park. "This is the fifth consecutive year they’ve come. We think they enjoy the open park and yards since they can keep an eye on threats. They do love feasting on the worms and grubs in my garden. They’re fairly comfortable when we are in the yard with them, but they like a few feet between us."
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), Instagram (@BowmanOutside). or Bluesky (@Bowmanoutside).
DALE'S MAILBAG
"We have a squirrel nest with some of dog toys built into it." Ron Przybylski, Joliet
A: That reminds me I should check this spring or summer or a severe wind storm on downed nests and document some of the things used in construction.
BIG NUMBER
803: Turkeys harvested by Illinois bowhunters, compared to 801 last year.
WILD TIMES
DUCKS UNLIMITED
Thursday, March 7: North Shore Chicago dinner, Sunset Ridge Country Club, Northfield
Next Saturday, March 9: North East Illinois Guns, Bourbon, Beer & Bingo, Harbor Brewing, Lake, Villa,
ILLINOIS PERMITS
Tuesday, March 5: First lottery, firearm and muzzleloader deer, begins
SHOWTIME
Through Sunday, March 3: Northern Illinois Boat Show, Lake County Fairgrounds, Grayslake
Through Sunday, March 3: Northwest Indiana Fishing & Outdoor Expo, Lincoln Center, Highland, Ind.
Today, March 2: Indoor Fishing Flea Market, Rolling Meadows High School, through 1 p.m.
Thursday, March 7, to March 10: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sports Show, Wisconsin State Fair Park, West Allis, Wis.
Thursday, March 7, to March 10: Ultimate Sports Show, DeVos Place, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Friday, March 8, to March 10: Illinois Deer Classic, Peoria Civic Center
Friday, March 8, to March 10: Rockford RV, Camping & Travel Show, Indoor Sports Center, Loves Park
Friday, March 8, to March 10: Canoecopia, Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wis.
Next Saturday, March 9: Fish & Hook Sports Show, VFW Post 5788, Lockport
Click here for the complete list of show, outdoors classes, swap meets and major ice-fishing events.
HUNTER SAFETY
March 9-10: Bridgeview, (708) 594-1818
March 9-10: Diamond, (815) 907-7345Full state listing at dnr2.illinois.gov/SafetyEd/SafetyEdClassByCounty
U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY
Next Saturday, March 9: Boat America, Oak Forest, Bob Hennessy, bobhennessy07@gmail.com
Next Saturday, March 9: Boat American, Wilmington, Darryl Joseph Haefner, jlyrrad@comcast.net