Chicago outdoors: Chinook draws a crowd, O'Hare buck, fall turkey harvest drop, Stray Cast
Notes come from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.
FISH OF THE WEEK
Naveen Reddy nominated her son Raya, 14, a mostly self-taught angler, for catching a nice Chinook at 31st Street on Oct. 25. Raya, 14, mostly self-taught, caught it on a crankbait. His friend Asher Podszus took the photo. No idea who the two dudes appreciating the catch and photobombing are.
FOTW, the celebration of wild stories and photos around Chicago outdoors, now runs most weeks in the two-page outdoors section in the Sun-Times Sports Sunday. To make submissions, email BowmanOutside@gmail.com or contact me on Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside), Instagram (@BowmanOutside). or Bluesky (@Bowmanoutside).
STAY CAST
The end of a night crawler is the beginning of a catfish dinner.
CHAIN NOTES
The McHenry lock closed Friday, however the winter drawdown on the Fox Chain O'Lakes will be delayed until Nov. 17 or when dredging is completed at Chain O'Lakes State Park, whichever is first.
BUCK OF THE WEEK: UNPLUGGED
Scott Richard Holm "pulled into Catherine Chevalier Woods River Loop near O'Hare [in late October] to search for a place to eat lunch and I look up to see this young male, 20 feet in front of me! I took a four minute video of him wandering around without a care in the world." Considering near peak of rutting season, I suspect he had a care, make that desire.
BOTW Unplugged, the celebration of live big bucks around Chicago outdoors, runs as apt in the special two-page outdoors section in the Sun-Times Sports Sunday. To make submissions, email BowmanOutside@gmail.com or contact me on Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside), Instagram (@BowmanOutside), or Bluesky (@Bowmanoutside).
BIG NUMBER
255: Turkeys harvested during Illinois' fall firearm season, Oct. 18-26. That compares to the 294 last year and the 1,218 taken in the record season in 2005. This year 1,763 regular fall firearm season permits were sold; the most permits, 4,968, were sold in 2007. A detailed breakdown is at https://www.illinois.gov/news/release.html?releaseid=31854
WILD TIMES
SHOWTIME
Today, Nov. 2: The Early Show, area's only all fly fishing and tying show presented by the Illinois Smallmouth Alliance and the DuPage Rivers Fly Tyers, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Mayslake Peabody Estate, Oak Brook. Admission is $10 (12 and younger, free).
FISH GATHERING
Thursday, Nov. 6: Chris Riebe on southern muskies, Midwest Musky Club, Village Sportsmen's Club, Alsip, 7 p.m., https://www.midwestmuskyclub.com/
YOUTH HUNTING
Saturday, Nov. 8: Youth clinic and pheasant hunt, Iroquois County State Wildlife Area, Beaverville, https://dnr2.illinois.gov/WingshootingClinics/
PHEASANTS FOREVER
Thursday, Nov. 6: Kane County banquet, Lincoln Inn Banquets, Batavia, https://events.pheasantsforever.org/events/kane-county-banquet/fdf3a684-f6ad-4147-b44a-30d1d0b0781a
DUCKS UNLIMITED
Friday, Nov. 7: Northeast Illinois banquet, Antioch VFW, https://ducksunlimited.myeventscenter.com/event/Northeast-Illinois-Ducks-Unlimited-Banquet-115484
ILLINOIS SEASONS
Today, Nov. 2: Central zone first Canada geese season ends