Notes from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.
WILD OF THE WEEK
Paul Vriend photographed this dancing sandhill crane near Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wild Area southeast of Valparaiso, Indiana, where thousands of cranes gather during migrations.
“Usually, the bird will just pick up smaller plant parts,” he emailed. “Here, during the . . . dance, the sandhill crane picks up a whole cornstalk and flings it wildly in the air.”
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
“Very large 12-pointer [Forest Preserves of Cook County]. King of the preserves, other deer clear a path.” Mark Kosevich
A: I see why.
A large 12-point buck in the Forest Preserves of Cook County.
Mark Kosevich
BIG NUMBER
750,000: Record pounds of silver carp harvested, Nov. 27 to Dec. 6, during annual effort to remove invasive carp from the Illinois River’s Starved Rock Pool by Illinois Department of Natural Resources fisheries biologists, contracted commercial fishers, and biologists from the Illinois River Biological Station.
LAST WORD
“When the sun’s hitting the trees, bluegills are on the move and feeding. But at midday, detail can make a difference. When it comes to jigs, I have a strong preference, in a lot of cases, for a horizontal presentation.”
Dave Genz, ice-fishing guru in an article at in-fisherman.com
WILD TIMES
ILLINOIS SEASONS
Tuesday, Dec. 19: Duck season, north zone, ends
HUNTER SAFETY
Jan. 12-13:Bourbonnais, (815) 933-9400
SHOWTIME
Click here for the complete list of show, outdoors classes, swap meets and major ice-fishing events.
YOUTH HUNT
Dec. 31:Deadline to apply annual Central Illinois Youth Goose Hunt (aged 10-17), scheduled for Jan. 15; go online to register; questions, call (217) 785-8060.
ILLUMINATION
Through Jan. 6: Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum. Electric Illumination – an 18-and-older late-night experience – will feature a new curated disco and house music soundtrack from 9:30 to 11 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22; and an ’80s music-themed dance party Dec. 29, featuring hits from Prince, Whitney Houston, Diana Ross, Journey, Madonna, Talking Heads and more. For tickets, go to mortonarb.org and in-person at the Arboretum Visitor Center during operating hours. Pricing begins at $18.