Chicago outdoors: Sag bald eagle photo and lots of Ducks Unlimited events
Notes come from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.
WILD OF THE WEEK
Mark Kasick emailed his best bald eagle photo Wednesday, noting that he is "seeing quite a few eagles at Saganashkee Slough in the last couple days since it's warming up and the ice is melting. It looks to me like they are digging in the ice trying to get at dead shad. I was talking with Jim Phillips, the [Forest Preserves of Cook County] fisheries biologist. He has seen them doing that too. Regardless, it's pretty great not to have to drive to Starved Rock to see them." He's got a point. Eagles are about everywhere in recent years around Chicago.
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).
WILD TIMES
FISH GATHERING
Thursday, March 6: Steve Herbeck, "Muskies on the Shield," Midwest Musky Club, Village Sportsmen's Club, Alsip, 7 p.m., midwestmuskyclub.com
DUCKS UNLIMITED
Monday, March 6: Naperville Happy Hour and Call Out, The Lantern, Naperville, 6 p.m.
Thursday, March 6: North Shore Chicago banquet, Sunset Ridge Country Club, Northfield
Friday, March 7: Central Kane County Dinner,Lincoln Inn Banquets, Batavia
Next Sunday, March 9: Northeast Illinois Guns, Bourbon, Beer & Bingo, Harbor Brewing, Lake Villa
SHOWTIME
Today, March 1: Fish & Hook Sports Show, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., VFW Post 5788, Lockport
Today, March 1: Bronzeback Blowout, 3-8 p.m., American Legion, Elmhurst
Through Sunday, March 2: Illinois Boat Show, Lake County Fairgrounds, Grayslake
Friday-next Sunday, March 7-9: National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic, Kansas City Convention Center, Kansas City, Mo.
Friday-next Sunday, March 7-9: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sports Show, Wisconsin State Fair Park, West Allis, Wis.
Friday-next Sunday, March 7-9: Canoecopia, Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wis.
Next Saturday, March 8: Indoor Fishing Flea Market, Rolling Meadows High School
Next weekend, March 8-9: Spring Lake Izaak Walton Outdoor Show, Hobart, Ind., Jeff (219) 406-7248
The master list of outdoors shows, classes, swap meets and major ice fishing events are at https://chicago.suntimes.com/outdoors/2024/11/28/outdoors-shows-master-list-for-2025-around-chicago-and-beyond
ILLINOIS PERMITS
Today, March 1: Fishing licenses go on sale.
Tuesday, March 4: First lottery, Illinois residents, firearm and muzzleloader deer permits opens
Tuesday, March 4: Youth spring turkey permits available over the counter
SCI Banquet
April 12: SCI Illinois & Chicago chapter’s banquet, Medinah Banquets, Addison
HUNTER SAFETY
Next weekend, 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
April 5-6: Beecher, bschunted@gmail.com
April 25 & 27: Peotone, 708-258-3343 or peotoneparkdistrict.com
The full state listing is at dnr2.illinois.gov/SafetyEd/SafetyEdClassByCounty