Stray Casts

Is it an otter or a beaver?

John Vician, an experienced outdoorsman from the Northwest Side, sent this photo taken ``at the lakefront in 2006 at Henrys fall salmon derby.''

I've seen a good number of wild otters and beavers swimming in my life, but I can't say positively whether or not it is an otter, even after blowing up the photo. Vician originally labeled the photo a beaver, but had been rethinking that.

However, naturalist Joel Greenberg, author of A Natural History of the Chicago Region, did me a favor and looked at the photo. He said the head was too broad for an otter.

In late April David W. Ruiz reported an otter at Northly Island. They have been sighted in Chicago's rivers for several years, but lakefront reports have been sketchier. Now James Fernandez reported seeing one last year just south of the Museum of Science and Industry.

Eagle cams have been around for awhile. Illinois now has one at Coffeen Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area in Montgomery County. Just go to http://www.ameren.com. You can watch the bald eagle family daily between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily.

Because I am curious about stuff like lakefront otters I am trying to track any earlier reports for the lakefront. If you have one, please email me at outdoordb@sbcglobal.net.

Continue reading "Updated Wild Sunday (lakefront otters and eagle cam) 5-11-08" »

Posted by Dale Bowman at 04:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Outdoor things to do, indoor and out. It's mid-May, let's make it a dozen again.

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Continue reading "Weekender (morels, challenges, all kinds of fish) for May 9, 2008" »

Posted by Dale Bowman at 06:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The first morel inspired me to look harder Wednesday afternoon. And my 6-year-old daughter and I found three of about three inches. It will make a good snack tomorrow.

Hunting morels should be a family tradition.

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Continue reading "First morels" »

Posted by Dale Bowman at 04:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I have a problem. It's a good problem. (At least my connection problems were solved by lunchtime and I am able to post this.)

Fish of the Week for today was selected from at least four or five candidates just as worthy. But I went with one of the mythical 16-inch perch on Lake Michigan.

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My problem is what do I do with the other great offerings for FOTW.

Continue reading "Fish of the Week 5-07-08" »

Posted by Dale Bowman at 10:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Illinois Bowfishers member Darin Opel shot a 92.5-pound bighead carp, apparently the second biggest bighead documented in the United States, from the Mississippi River near Alton on Sunday, May 4.

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Continue reading "Second biggest bighead carp bagged" »

Posted by Dale Bowman at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Keith W. Ruiz was fly fishing around Northerly Island on Wednesday, April 30, when he was treated to an otter swimming in Burnham harbor.

I'll let Ruiz tell it (paragraphs were added for easier reading), then have Bob Bluett, the Illinois wildlife biologist much involved with the reintroduction of otters into Illinois, gave some explanations.

Continue reading "Otters in downtown Chicago on Wild Sunday 5-04-08" »

Posted by Dale Bowman at 08:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

High-water springs tend to be good ones on the Fox Chain. Considering the weeks that the Chain was no-wake after ice-out, and portions of the Fox River were closed to boating, it small wonder that the fishing has been so good.

Earlier this week, I asked district fisheries biologist Frank Jakubicek about the 17.5-inch crappie caught by Larry McClelloge on Lake Marie on April 22.

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Continue reading "Crappie and other big fish on the Fox Chain" »

Posted by Dale Bowman at 09:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)