Chicago outdoors: Trout, sheepshead mushroom, caribou and thought on crossbows and bowhunters

Tyler Debernardi with his arms full of goodness, a sheepshead mushroom and his son Huck. | Provided

Notes come from all around Chicago outdoors.

WILD OF THE WEEK

MUSHROOM OF THE WEEK

In my world, this is arms full of good. Tyler Debernardi messaged a photo of holding his son Huck and a sheepshead mushroom (known by some as hen of the woods) they picked Monday of “about 40 pounds in LaSalle County.” Thanks to Larry Schwartzbach for inspiring Debernardi to send it.

MOTW, the celebration of mushrooms 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).

You know what, I like the photo enough to run it full-length. It just makes me happy. (Note to readers: The lead photo in online postings is adjusted to be 4 x 3, if it is not already.)

Full-length view of Tyler Debernardi with his arms full of goodness, a sheepshead mushroom and his son Huck.

WILD TIMES

HUNTER SAFETY

Oct. 17-18: Tinley Park, (708) 342-4200

Oct. 24-25: Joliet, (815) 935-2700

ILLINOIS PERMITS/SEASONS

Sunday, Oct. 11: Final day, youth waterfowl hunt, north zone

Monday, Oct. 12: Final day, youth deer hunt

Next Saturday, Oct. 17: North zone waterfowl seasons open . . . woodcock opens

Next Saturday, Oct. 17, to Oct. 18: Youth waterfowl hunt, central zone

DALE’S MAILBAG

File photo of a rainbow trout.

“Since so many lakes are not going to be stocked with trout this fall, what and where are all these extra trout going to go? Will the DNR stock extra trout in lakes that are going to be stocked, will the extra trout be held over to spring, or will the extra trout be donated to food pantries?” Wally Olson

A: Fisheries chief Mike McClelland emailed, “The trout that were slated to go to sites that will not be open for fall trout season are redistributed among all the remaining open sites across the state.”

BIG NUMBER

46: Latest count shows 46 caribou living on remote Caribou Island and Slate Islands, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation on Monday. The Lake Superior caribou are the southernmost herd in the world.

LAST WORD

“If you recall, the long bow and recurve traditionalists said the same thing about compound bows 30 years ago and were worried that the compound bow users would wipe out the deer herd.”

A reader, on those who claim the general use of crossbows in Illinois will destroy the herd

A file photo of a crossbow at the ready, a much more common scene in Illinois.Dale Bowman/Sun-Times