bbm,

I cannot speak for IL, but in IA, you CAN kill them legally. As of right now, they are not a protected species, and are most certainly not endangered. I think there are a lot more out there than we think there are.

As for sightings, I found out tonight one was spotted on the edge of the town I live in last week. 20 people witnessed the sighting, as it crossed the highway right by a busy truck stop. It is one thing to think of them out in the timber, and knowing we might come accross one hunting, but another to hear that they aren't afraid of towns at night at least.