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.