My big adventure for the weekend will be hitting the Illinois Taxidermist Association Convention and Competition during setup on Friday. It is open to the public on Saturday and Sunday at the Northfield Inn in Springfield. Judges for the competition side are Mark Gonnering, Tim Perkins, Shawn Dawson and Brett DeFreitas. This will be a first for me. I am looking forward to it.

The big show this week is the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sports Show at the Wisconsin Exposition Center in West Allis, Wis. I still need to make that one of these years.

If I wasn't seeing the tax man, after a week's delay, on Saturday, I would be at the Indoor Fishing Flea Market at Rolling Meadows High School. It is cosponsored by the Chicagoland Muskie Hunters chapter of Muskies Inc. and the RMHS Choral Boosters from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cory Yarmuth speaks at 10 a.m.; Capt. Bob Bachler, 11 a.m.

Saturday looks beautiful enough, and shore reports on catfishing have been good enough, that I am tempted to take the kids to shore fish at Braidwood Lake as a treat at the end of the day. I suspect the day will get away from us.

I should be poking around for sheds with the snow melting, but just haven't had the time.

This is a year that we missed doing any maple syrup events as a family.

I did sign up for the regional conference part of Illinois's Conservation Congress. To register for the regional meetings (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings in Chicago), click here, then go down to the ``get involved'' section and click on the date you wish to register for.

On Sunday, my day will be spent covering the women's finals of Beat the Champs charity bowling contest for the Sun-Times. Just as well, it is supposed to be raining.

Monday is a packed morning of recordings for my Outside radio show on WKCC-FM (91.1). Suggestions for guests are always welcome.