Chicago outdoors: “Deer Prudence,” dancing sandhills and enduring eagles

Notes come from around Chicago outdors and beyond.

DALE’S MAILBAG

“We saw this pair [of sandhill cranes] walking down the third hole on Cog Hill’s “Ravines” course [in early October]. They walked right up to us and got within 20 feet before they started jumping up and down!” Ron Mohr

A: Sandhills are making a remarkable comeback. Dancing is usually related to mating, this time I think it is for territorial reasons.

WILD OF THE WEEK

John Cuculich has long followed an eagle’s nest at a Forest Preserves of Cook County site near Lemont, usually taking photos from a long distance. Then last week, he emailed, “Today, an eagle was no more that 100 feet from the road, offering some good shots. Not bad for a rainy, dreary day.” For those of us who remember when bald eagles were on the brink, that sight remains stirring.

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) or Instagram (@BowmanOutside).

LAST WORD

“Deer prudence: Avoid the urge to swerve during their mating season”

Greatest headline for outdoors-related press release I remember, joint press release by the Illinois Department of Transportation and Department of Natural Resources, composed by Jeff Stearns, part of IDOT’s communication team, and former page designer/copy editor at The State Journal-Register.

WILD TIMES

MARITIME FUNDRAISER

Thursday, Oct 26:Maritime folklore and fundraising, Chicago Maritime Museum, Chicago photographer, Barry Butler, and Tall Ships captain, Tom Kastle host, chicagomaritimemuseum.org/events.html

FISH GATHERING

Wednesday, Oct. 25: Walleye tournament angler Mark Kumorkiewicz, “How to Pattern Green Bay Walleye . . . and Perch,” Walleyes Unlimited, Gurnee American Legion, 7 p.m., walleyesunlimitedusa.org

ILLINOIS PERMITS/SEASONS

Today, Oct. 21: Fall turkey season opens

Today, Oct, 21: Woodcock season opens

Today and Sunday, Oct. 21-22: Youth waterfowl hunt, central zone

Monday, Oct. 23: White-fronted geese season, north zone, opens

Next Saturday, Oct. 28: Crow season opens

Next Saturday, Oct. 28: Duck and goose seasons, central zone open

LAKE MICHIGAN FISHERIES MEETING

Nov. 1 (virtual meeting Nov. 9): Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s Lake Michigan meeting, including tracking fish with acoustic telemetry, emerging research on PFAs in Lake Michigan fishes and Indiana DNR fisheries report, Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk classroom, Portage, Ind., 6-8:30 p.m. register at purdue.ag/fall-2023-fisheries