Notes come from round Chicago open air.
BUCK OF THE WEEK: UNPLUGGED
Fritz Plous emailed that his daughter Julia photographed this strapping six-point buck in Catherine Chevalier Woods on the Northwest Aspect in late December.
BOTW Unplugged, the celebration of dwell large bucks round Chicago open air, runs as apt within the particular two-page open air part within the Solar-Occasions Sports activities Sunday. To make submissions, e-mail BowmanOutside@gmail.com or contact me on Fb (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside), Instagram (@BowmanOutside), or Bluesky (@Bowmanoutside).
DALE’S MAILBAG
Q: “My husband and I had been questioning the place do frogs go within the winter?Now we have a small pond in our yard and we had a frog in it however we hope it’s not frozen within the backside.” Diane from Monee
A: Allison Sacerdote–Velat, curator of herpetology at Chicago Academy of Sciences/Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, texted, “Aquatic frogs like bullfrogs and inexperienced frogs sometimes keep above or atop the muddy substrate or partially buried within the mud on thr backside of ponds. They will nonetheless take up oxygen from the water via their pores and skin, however their exercise can be restricted in winter months, however they may usually slowly swim to areas the place ice is thinner or the water is open, heading for sluggish transferring streams and rivers, to be in a extra oxygen wealthy space.
“Terrestrial species like toads will dig into the soil to get under the frost line. Spring peepers and refrain frogs will discover soil cracks and crevices in logs to overwinter in. Lastly, wooden frogs will make small depressions within the soil known as types, the place they spend the winter, slightly below the leaf litter.”
WILD TIMES
OWL PELLETS
Friday, Jan. 17: “Owl Pellet Oddities,” Plum Creek Nature Middle, Crete Township, 6-7:30 p.m., BYOB, $5, register by Wednesday at (708) 946-2216
FISH GATHERINGS
Tuesday, Jan. 14: Gregg Thomas, Chicagoland Muskie Hunters chapter of Muskies, Inc., North Department Pizza & Burger Co., Glenview, 7:30 p.m., http://chicagolandmuskiehunters.org/meetingschedule.asp
Tuesday, Jan. 14: Capt. Harley Goodman, Salmon Limitless, Thornwood Restaurant & Lounge, Wooden Dale, free, 7 p.m., salmonunlimitedinc.com
Wednesday, Jan. 15: Capt. Keith Cortopassi, “Ice-out and early spring techniques for muskie,” South Aspect Muskie Hawks, Village Sportsmen’s Membership, Alsip, 7 p.m., southsidemuskiehawks.org
SHOWTIME
By at this time, Jan. 12:Chicago Boat Show, Stephens Conference Middle, Rosemont
By at this time, Jan. 12:Tinley Park Fishing, Travel and Outdoor Expo, Tinley Park Conference Middle
By at this time, Jan. 12: Chicago RV Show, Schaumburg Conference Middle
Friday, Jan. 17, to subsequent Sunday, Jan. 19:Muskie Expo Chicago, Kane County Fairgrounds, St. Charles
Friday, Jan. 17, to subsequent Sunday, Jan. 19:Rockford RV, Camping & Travel Show, Indoor Sports activities Middle, Loves Park
Saturday, Jan. 18:Musky Swap Meet, Quad County Hawg Hunters chapter of Muskies, Inc., St. Charles Moose Lodge, Duane Landmeier, dlandmeier@frontier.com
The grasp listing of out of doors reveals, courses, swap meets and main ice fishing occasions is at https://chicago.suntimes.com/outdoors/2024/11/28/outdoors-shows-master-list-for-2025-around-chicago-and-beyond
ILLINOIS SEASONS
Tuesday, Jan. 14: Last day, south-central duck season
Wednesday, Jan. 15: Pheasant, quail and partridge seasons, south zone, finish
Thursday, Jan. 16: Canada geese, north zone, ends
Friday, Jan. 17, to subsequent Sunday, Jan. 19: Second half, late-winter antlerless-only/CWD deer seasons
Subsequent Sunday, Jan. 19: Archery deer and turkey seasons finish
HUNTER SAFETY
Feb. 8-9: Wilmington, https://islandparkdistrict.activityreg.com/selectactivity_t2.wcs
