Notes come from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.
WILD OF THE WEEK
Last Sunday, Feb. 2, Jim Dooley emailed this armadillo photo from the David Kenney Trail in Carbondale, noting, “When it skittered away from me, it was about three feet away. Took me too long to grab the phone camera.” Armadillos inch northward in Illinois, but I have yet to see my first Illinois armadillo. You may report armadillo sightings from the northern part of Illinois.
BIG NUMBER
17: Minutes it took to end the sturgeon season (quota of six sturgeon) on Feb. 1 on Black Lake in northern Michigan. That’s an event that should be attended at least once in life, one of my most memorable stories.
WILD TIMES
BIRDING
Friday, Feb. 14, to Feb. 17: Great Backyard Bird Count, audubon.org/community-science/great-backyard-bird-count
FISH GATHERINGS
Tuesday, Feb. 11: John Bette of Stealth Tackle, Chicagoland Muskie Hunters chapter of Muskies, Inc., North Branch Pizza & Burger Co., Glenview, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 12: Darrell Toliver, “Whose Line Is It Anyway?,” Lake Geneva Fishing Club, Poplar Creek Bowl, Hoffman Estates, 6 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 13: Fisheries biologist Seth Love, Riverside Fishing Club, Berwyn Moose Lodge 424, 6:45 p.m.
SHOWTIME
Today, Feb. 8: DRiFT Fly Fishing Auction, Villa Park VFW
Today, Feb 8: Northern Illinois Conservation Club Ice Fishing Derby, Turtle Beach Marina, Channel Lake, Antioch
Sunday, Feb. 9: Henry Decoy Show, Three Sisters Park, Chillicothe
Wednesday-next Sunday, February 12-16: NWTF Convention & Sport Show, Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, Nashville, Tenn.
Thursday-next Sunday, Feb. 13-16: Chicago RV & Camping Show, Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont
Friday-next Sunday, Feb. 14-16 and 19-23: Indianapolis Boat, Sport and Travel Show, Indiana State Fairgrounds
Friday-next Sunday, Feb. 14-16: Muskie Expo Milwaukee, Washington County Fair Park, West Bend, Wis.
Next Saturday, Feb. 15: Salmon Unlimited Swap Meet, River Park Moose Lodge, River Grove
Next Saturday, Feb. 15: Hoosier Coho Club’s “Fish Tales and Tackle Sales Swap Meet,” LaPorte County Fairgounds, La Porte, Ind.
The master list of outdoors shows, classes, swap meets and major ice fishing events are https://chicago.suntimes.com/outdoors/2024/11/28/outdoors-shows-master-list-for-2025-around-chicago-and-beyond
ILLINOIS PERMITS/SEASONS
Next Saturday, Feb. 15: Squirrel season ends
Next Saturday, Feb. 15: Rabbit season ends
Next Saturday, Feb. 15: Deadline to report windshield cards
HUNTER SAFETY
March 8-9: Bridgeview, https://bridgeviewparkdistrict.activityreg.com/ClientPage_t2.wcs or (708) 594-1818.
March 15-16: Diamond, sign up at Diamond Indoor Trap Range
The full state listing is at dnr2.illinois.gov/SafetyEd/SafetyEdClassByCounty
U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY
Next Saturday, Feb. 15: Weekend navigator, Villa Park, Don Goff, dgoff7647@gmail.com
Next Saturday, Feb. 15: Boat America, Fox Lake, Winston Tumaneng, jugodan52@aol.com