Black bear in Central Illinois???

[sjsfire]

Interesting to see how this plays out.......


http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2008/09/17/bear_carcass_found_in_douglas_county

[Lanse couche couche]

Hmmm, I wouldntbe surprised if therewerea few bears down in Shawnee National Forest. Or maybe up in the Mississiipi River bottoms on the Wisconsin border. But this is a pretty strange place to have one turn up.

[sjsfire]

Other than some river frontage here and there the only place I can think of a bear would be is Walnut Point SP near Oakland in that general area. And that is a well used park. I doubt a bear would want to hang around there. About 20 years ago hunting Hardin Co. we ran across a old timer who swears his group had come across some bear tracks in the Shawnee. It will be interesting to see what the outcome of the Hugo bear will be.

[Lanse couche couche]

Anybody know when the last time there was any significant verified black bear population in Illinois. I seem to recall an old newspaper article in Richland County that talked about a group of hunters killing a bear in the Embarrass River bottoms around the turn of the century, but i could be wrong.

[2 Lunger]

ORIGINAL: Lanse couche couche

Anybody know when the last time there was any significant verified black bear population in Illinois. I seem to recall an old newspaper article in Richland County that talked about a group of hunters killing a bear in the Embarrass River bottoms around the turn of the century, but i could be wrong.

Lanse,

I believe you are correct. The early 1900's was about the end of the black bear in IL. I still see newspaper clippings at my grandparents about wolf hunts in the 40's and 50's in Crawford County.

[HNI_Christine]

Read this. (different part of Central IL)

http://www.prairiestateoutdoors.com/index.php?/pso/article/bureau_county_bear_sighted_again/

[Lanse couche couche]

Does the rock river run thru there?

[tickman1961]

The Shawnee National Forest and southern Illinois area could easily support black bears. That area is surrounded by the Mississippi and Ohio rivers.

[LLBUX]

Wed. papers indicate the bear came from PA. No idea how it got here to IL.

Do I smell a prank?