Notes come from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.
WILD OF THE WEEK
Joseph Opoka and his granddaughter Gabriella Opoka regularly send photos from the western suburbs and it just makes me happy and hopeful for the future. “Not sure if this doe was trying to hide, but nice shot of trees, weeds and a whitetail! Ah, nature!” Joseph emailed.
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 Sunday. To make submissions, email BowmanOutside@gmail.com or contact me on Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside), Instagram (@BowmanOutside). or Bluesky (@Bowmanoutside).
DALE’S MAILBAG
“Do you know when the fall trout opener is for Cook County?” Louis Cook
A: It’s Oct. 19. The early catch-and-release season on a few select waters (outside Cook County) begins Oct. 5. Details and specific waters will be announced any day.
LAST WORD
“Take advantage of every day you can, in 90 days you could be drilling ice to catch them.”
Dave Kranz, proprietor of Dave’s Bait, Tackle & Taxidermy in Crystal Lake, on the recent weather Tuesday while giving a fishing report
WILD TIMES
CWD PUBLIC MEETING
Thursday, Sept. 26: Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area, Wilmington, 6 p.m.
SHOWTIME
Next weekend, Sept. 28-29: Geneva Lake Boat Show, Blackhawk chapter of the Antique and Classic Boat Society, The Abbey in Fontana, Wisconsin, https://www.genevalakesboatshow.com
PAW PAWS
Saturday, Sept. 28: Paw Paw Festival, Paw Paw, 1l a.m.-5 p.m., free, https://pawpawfest.org
ILLINOIS SEASONS
Sunday, Sept. 22: Teal season ends
HUNTER SAFETY
Thursday, Sept. 26, & Saturday, Sept. 28: Newark, davidpaulinski@gmail.com
Oct. 5-6: Wilmington, islandparkdistrict.activityreg.com/selectactivity_t2.wcs
Full state listing is at dnr2.illinois.gov/SafetyEd/SafetyEdClassByCounty
WINGSHOOTING
Nov. 9: Youth clinic & youth pheasant hunt, Iroquois SWA, Beaverville, (815) 933-1383