Chicago outdoors: Quillback carpsucker, lake memories, Park Bait, eastern tiger swallowtail caterpillar

Close-up of an eastern tiger swallowtail caterpillar. | Provided by Billy Miller, taken by Harry Balough

Notes come from all around Chicago outdoors.

WILD OF THE WEEK

Billy Miller (Engine 42 Chicago Fire Department) cracked, “ Here’s looking at you,” when emailing the photo his father-in-law Harry Balough took of an eastern tiger swallowtail caterpillar last week at a Cook County forest preserve.

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 Saturday. Submit nominations by message on Facebook (Dale Bowman), on Twitter (@BowmanOutside) and Instagram (@BowmanOutside) or email (BowmanOutside@gmail.com).

WILD TIMES

HUNTER SAFETY

July 30 and Aug. 1: Bonfield, (815) 635-3198

Aug. 15 and 22: Waterman, asceducationdept@gmail.com

ILLINOIS PERMITS/SEASONS

Monday, July 20: Deadline, second lottery, site-specific dove permits, click here

Aug. 1: Squirrel hunting opens

Aug. 1: Free upland game permits, application period begins, click here

DALE’S MAILBAG

Danny “Taks” Borgert shows his personal best yellow perch, caught in late June.

“Most of my summer days began with a bike ride to the bait shop on Belmont at Clark to pick up a carton of crabs and then back to Belmont Harbor to enjoy my day with my bamboo pole. Though I do not remember catching any jumbos as big as [Danny “Taks” Borgert] does, I guarantee I enjoyed my success every time out. Then, too soon, it was back to Nettlehorst and fishing took a back seat to school.” David Gates, Mt. Prospect

A: Wonderful memory. I didn’t find it easy to refocus on school after a summer outdoors as a kid. Click here for the column on Borgert’s jumbo.

BIG NUMBER

Michigan record quillback carpsucker.

9 pounds, 15 ounces: Michigan record quillback carpsucker caught April 28 from the Muskegon River by Owen Seay.

LAST WORD

“I also think it needed to be said that her clientele needs the lakefront to fish for food. Boaters, walkers, joggers, birdwatchers, bikers and runners are all nonessential.”

A veteran lakefront angler (asking anonymity), on Stacey Greene-Fenlon and Park Bait at Montrose Harbor. Click here for the column on Park Bait remaining closed.

A cryptic sign hangs on the door of the closed Park Bait at Montrose Harbor.