Chicago outdoors: Emerging cicada, big cemetery buck, wild rice in Minnesota, Migratory Bird Treaty Act

An emerging dog-day cicada. | Amy March

Notes come from all around Chicago outdoors.

DALE’S MAILBAG

“I found a couple of cicadas shedding their exoskeleton. The finished-product-next-to-the-shell photo is courtesy of my daughter Amy March.” Mary March

A: First off, I love Amy March’s photo. The singing of dog-day (annual) cicadas has been noticeable the last few weeks, but I have yet see to any cicada killer wasps emerge from our neighbor’s gravel drive this summer.

BUCK OF THE WEEK: UNPLUGGED

Tom Lally messaged, “I think you’ll appreciate this beast my daughter and I saw at [Maryhill Cemetery in Niles].” Lally thought correctly about the buck pictured below.

BOTW Unplugged, the celebration of live big bucks around Chicago outdoors, runs as apt in the special two-page outdoors section in the Sun-Times Sports Saturday. Submit nominations by message on Facebook (Dale Bowman), on Twitter (@BowmanOutside) and Instagram (@BowmanOutside) or email (BowmanOutside@gmail.com).

A big buck in Niles.

WILD TIMES

HUNTER SAFETY

Aug. 27 and 29: Mundelein, (847) 918-6145

Sept. 19-20: Kankakee, (815) 935-2700

ILLINOIS PERMITS/SEASONS

Today, Aug. 16 to Aug. 31: Application period online for first lottery for public duck/goose permits, https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/hunting/waterfowl/Pages/OnlinePermitApplication.aspx

Through today, Aug. 16: First-come, first-served free dove permit applications, go to https://dnr2.illinois.gov/OnLineHuntingApplication/Dove/DoveAppFCFS.aspx

Friday, Aug.. 21: Final day, applications for third lottery, firearm/muzzleloader deer, https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/LPR/Pages/DeerPermitsFees.aspx

Through Aug. 31: Free upland game permits, application period, go to https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/hunting/uplandgame/Pages/OnlinePermitApplication.aspx

BIG NUMBER

More than 2,000: Lakes and rivers in Minnesota that contain wild rice. Harvesting season started Saturday (non-residents must purchase a one-day license). Click here for more information.

LAST WORD

“Like the clear crisp notes of the wood thrush, today’s court decision cuts through all the noise and confusion to unequivocally uphold the most effective bird conservation law on the books—the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.”

Sarah Greenberger, Interim chief conservation officer for the National Audubon Society, Tuesday, on United States District Court Judge Valerie Caproni’s legal opinion that the Trump administration’s rollback of the MBTA is “contrary to the plain meaning of the MBTA.”