outdoors

Dale Bowman biography

Outdoors columnist Dale Bowman began his reporting career as a correspondent covering state government for WTAJ-TV in 1982. While in graduate school in 1984, he …

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  • 2012 was a busy year for outdoorsmen

    Outside chances came true in 2012. Illinois fish records and the passage of the DNR Sustainability Bill highlighted the year, while the Drought of 2012 and the decadelong degrading of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources darkened the year outside. Here are the top 10 …Read More

  • Record walleye caught in January earns Fish of the Year honors

    Nick Tassoni locked up Fish of the Year honors only a week into 2012. Then a 15-year-old freshman at Rockford Auburn, he caught a 14.75-pound walleye on Jan. 7 from the Pecatonica River on a Rapala firetiger No. 7 Minnow Rap while fishing with his …Read More

  • 12/26: Buck of the week

    BUCK OF THE WEEK Austin Hoekstra shot his first deer on the second day of the first firearm season. The 14-year-old from Beecher took the eight-point on public land in Jefferson County. ‘‘He has been going with me since he was 6-years-old,’’ his father, Brian, …Read More

    • 01/02: Fish of the Week

    Sam Krucek caught and released the Wolf Lake walleye of his life in early December. Along with his son Sammy Krucek, Krucek was casting a Rapala at night along the shoreline. ‘‘Initially when he was bringing it in, he thought it was only about five …

    01/02: Midwest fishing report

    AREA LAKES: Ice fishing is beginning. Regs on local public waters are nearly the same as in previous years (posted at Stray Casts at blogs.suntimes.com/bowman). CHAIN O’LAKES AREA: Ice fishing is underway and ice is building, Greg Dickson at Triangle said. Access points are in …

    12/26: Fish of the week

    FISH OF THE WEEK Danielo X Hamilton showed why he is one of the better lakefront fishermen on Sunday, when he caught a 361/2-inch laker weighing 16 pounds from shore in downtown Chicago. He was walk trolling an X-Rap on 6-pound line, according to his friend …

    12/26: Midwest fishing report

    AREA LAKES: Ice fishing will begin on some local lakes this week. Ice fishing regs on local public waters are nearly the same as previous years. I will post those regs at Stray Casts (blogs.suntimes.com/bowman/). CHAIN O’LAKES AREA: Some guys tested the ice on backwaters …

    Free upland-game hunt is real deal

    HARMON, Ill. — The first cockbird busted with a cackle from plantings next to the browned, downed sunflower stubble of dove fields. It made the mistake of quartering across the five of us. Jeff Lampe made a long, clean shot. It sailed a couple of …

    Ed Mullady still focused on Kankakee River

    As a quest, catching a smallmouth bass from the Kankakee River on Christmas is more quirky than quixotic, but it pulls at me all the same. I have meant to do it since I read an article Ed Mullady wrote in his Sportsman’s Letter, a …

    Remembering conservationist and canoe-maker Ralph Frese

    The ‘‘Sons of the Shop’’  gathered Monday at Chicagoland Canoe Base, remembering and working toward the future, only hours after Ralph Frese died that morning. That’s what men do. Take care of things. Do. Move. Build. Mr. Frese, 86, known around the world as ‘‘Mr. …

    Thinking outside the nest box

    When the bleachers were replaced at Prosser Career Academy, the engineers gave shop teacher Frank Lagodny the wood. ‘‘We got all this wood and didn’t know what to do with it,’’ Lagodny said. What became of the initial pile of 2x10 pine at the school …

    12/19: Fish of the Week

    It’s becoming a December to remember for lake trout caught by perch fishermen at Navy Pier. Pat Chambers caught a 35-inch laker, which was weighed at 143/4 pounds at Henry’s Sports & Bait, with a crappie rig on 6-pound line. ‘‘Took 20 minutes [to land], …

    12/19: Buck of the Week

    Andy Pawlik (in camouflage) made the most of his chance in late October to hunt out of the stand Fishtech president Jim Templin (right) has in Lake County. Pawlik arrowed a buck measuring 165 inches. That’s good advertising for Fishtech, which has an archery range …

    12/19: Midwest Fishing Report

    LAKEFRONT PERCH: Best bite until ice comes. CHICAGO: Arden Katz said minnows producing keepers (1-in-4) better, but spikes and Mini-Mites (1-in-12) providing better action at Diversey. He said key at Navy Pier is to move until the best spot is found. Henry’s also reported perch …

    BOWMAN: Hunting’s a blast, even when it’s slow

    After grazing on rye shoots for a few minutes, the 8-point buck laid down to rest. The 4-point with him followed suit. All this happened within 75 yards of the ground blind I was hunting from on the Sunday of Illinois’ first firearm deer season. …

    Rejoice about DNR Sustainability Bill — just realistically

    Might have stretch the definition of ‘‘sustained.’’ But at least there’s long-term hope for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources after the Illinois Senate passed Senate Bill 1566, the DNR Sustainability Bill, 39-11 on Wednesday. Gov. Pat Quinn, who backed the bill and has given …

    12/12: Fish of the Week

    John Lazarich put on a fishing show Saturday near Navy Pier. He hooked and landed a big lake trout while perch fishing. ‘‘Lots of tourists and onlookers around, which caused a little commotion,’’ he emailed. ‘‘Let’s say some skill involved and a lot of luck.’’ …

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