EXPLAINED: 6 - The Real Truth

Chicago outdoors: Little blue heron, Illinois swamp rabbits, St. Louis canyon, Wisconsin fall color

A lifer sighting of a little blue heron, a quote on Illinois swamp rabbits, an observation of St. Louis Canyon, and the start of Wisconsin fall color are among the notes from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.

Chicago Sun-Times · Sep 17, 2022

Chicago outdoors: Photobombing does, WCW’s poetic fall take, national parks, beginning angler advice

Does photobombing a sandhill crane photo, William Carlos Williams’ poetic take on fall, a presentation on visiting all the national parks and hints for a beginning angler are among the notes from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.

Chicago Sun-Times · Sep 10, 2022

Lurie Garden to Park 566, finding beauty and music in Chicago in natural or wild settings

Some of the places that provide unique opportunities to find alone time in one of the world’s great urban centers.

Chicago Sun-Times · Sep 9, 2022

Chicago outdoors: Fox River green heron, decoy windfall, steel dove shot question, fall king promise

A question on steel shot for dove season is answered, a photograph of a Fox River green heron, a decoy sale windfall, and the promise of returning fall Chinook are among the notes from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.

Chicago Sun-Times · Aug 21, 2022

Chicago fishing/Midwest Report: Shoreline salmon/trout, Chicago River ode, lakefront sturgeon, pinks

Hints come of an early start to shoreline fishing for returning Chinook and leads this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report, plus the usual options for late summer fishing around Chicago and some unusual reports.

Chicago Sun-Times · Aug 16, 2022

Chicago outdoors: Emily Dickinson and snakes, Chicago River night heron, stinkhorn, Kentucky elk

Emily Dickinson on the reaction to snakes, a good photo of a black-crowned night heron on the Chicago River, the restoration numbers of elk in Kentucky and a question/notes on stinkhorns are among the notes from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.

Chicago Sun-Times · Aug 13, 2022

Chicago outdoors: Velvet buck, white suckers, pink salmon, updating Illinois fish records

A velvet buck spotted while hunting mushrooms, a would-have-been Illinois record white sucker, a pending Illinois-record pink salmon, and a quote on white suckers statewide are among the notes from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.

Chicago Sun-Times · Aug 6, 2022

Kayaking another place and time in the tupelo and cypress of the Cache River in far southern Illinois

Kayaking the Cache River in far southern Illinois with the tupelo and cypress feels like something from another time and place; and it reminds just how many very different parts of Illinois there are.

Chicago Sun-Times · Aug 5, 2022

Chicago outdoors: Scofflaw bluebird, young angler exhausted, biggest black bear, E. Peoria/Chicago

A photo of a scofflaw bluebird on the North Side, a young angler exhausted catching, the world record black bear, and a discussion on East Peoria/Chicago and the Izaak Walton League of America are among the notes from around Chicago outdoor and beyond.

Chicago Sun-Times · Jul 30, 2022

The coming close of Henry’s Sports and Bait viewed through decades of its and Chicago’s history

Going back to the beginning of Henry’s Sports and Bait, the powerhouse of Chicago outdoors and fishing, then going through decades of the history of Chicago and Henry’s.

Chicago Sun-Times · Jul 29, 2022