Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

A friend of mine e-mailed me some pics of a bear killed here in Illinois. I guess it was somewhere around Decatur. A guy was combing his corn when his combine fell into a hole and got stuck. When he got out to check the hole out, a big black paw came out at him. They called the game warden and was instructed to kill it. It weighed almost 300 pounds. The hole evidently was the bear's den. Too bad they had to kill it, I'd love to see bears here! I'll see if my wife will post the pics when she gets home.

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

I got that email too. From what I hear, it actually took place in Minnesota.

Neat pictures anyhow. :)

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

My hunting buddy had a bear experience on Monday. He was rifle hunting up on the mountain in GW national Forest behind our land where he had seen a nice 10 point buck last weekend, when he saw a bear (est: 300+ lbs) walking across the valley from the next ridge. He just sat there until the bear changed direction and started sauntering right towards him. He pulled back the safety on his gun and waited until the bear was within about 10 feet before he said “hey!”. The bear stopped and looked at him. Then he (my friend, not the bear) said “get out of here!” The bear turned around and leisurely sauntered off. Good thing for the bear it wasn’t in season!

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

whyd they kill it?

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

I don't get the part where they were told to kill it. If they backed the combine off the hole, I'm sure the bear would have run off. Puzzling.

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

Consider this....I live with in 15 minutes of Decatur, Illinois. The only place that this bear story has been told is on websites or coffee shops. The rumor/story says that DNR was contacted and the bear was put down. It was supposedly a 300lb male. The problem with the story is this...if it happened in the greater Macon/Christian County areas it would have been all over the local news. The local news here jump all over any story that has nothing to do murder, violence or job loss in the area.

Sorry boys but I am throwing the BS flag on this one.

I know there are pics of the incident, so it happened somewhere just not here

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

We have had quite a few sightings of black bears near St. Louis and other areas of MO. If you shot it here you would be arrested immediately, unless it was endangering you.

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

i wouldnt wanna see any bears around here!!;)

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

It was on the local news here in Southern Illinois. They said it was near Taylorsville I think..

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

Of course I heard about the Bear in IL...and the truckloads of mountain lions that the DNR shipped in to Pike County...and the mutant Timber Wolves...and the World Record whitetail that is killed every single year by 'some out of stater'...

where did this bear come from, and how did nobody see it before it got to Decatur???

I dont believe any story untill ISEE one dead on the ground.

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

I guess i should have mentioned this...but I live 15 minutes south of decatur in a little town called stonington. 7 miles south of there is taylorville. The taylorville paper never once made mention of any bear in illinois other than those kick A@@ bears north of I 80 (for those who don't understand that would be the Chicago Bears). I did some research last night and believe that i found the same pics that were emailed to me on a local newspaper site in central wisconsin on published on Nov 8th. The story was the same...guy shelling corn hits what he assumes is a tile hole or wash gets out to investigate and big bear claw comes out at him. DNR was called and permission was given to put the bear down. I may be wrong but I farm in the taylorville area and we all know that gossip and coffee shop talk is what we do best behind working dirt. No one has ever mentioned it other than internet rumors.

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

I've been to stonington before. My ex's family was from Mt Auburn and Illiopolis.

And about the bears near St. Louis.....only at the zoo. I live near STL, no bears here, or anywhere in the area.....sorry.

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

Here is one of the three photos that are attached with the email.......

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

Poor thing

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

sweet.....more pics more pics!!!

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

This is good cause the email I got said it was around Kewanee, IL which is near the Quad Cities or Galesburge...Long ways from Decatur....The DNR official in the photo's isn't wearing a typical IL CPO uniform...the shirt is blue in the photo's and IL CPO's don't have blue shirts....

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

Man I'm glad to see that you guys have the same DNR as we do here in NC. Our Wildlife Commission not only brings coyotes in by the truckload but also has "been seen" helicoptering rattlesnakes in to the state parks.

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

well i saw these on another forum and it looks to be the same thing so

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

This actually took place in Wisconsin.
Being from Toulon, 15 miles south of Kewanee, i was really hoping it was true. Lot shorter driver to Kewanee then it is to Minnesota where i go bear hunting.
Here is a link:
Bear meets combine, combine wins.
Just called the local paper, Star Courier, and they already have the correct info and will be putting it out in Monday's edition.
And again, too bad it aint true.
Thanks
Jim

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

There have been rumors the past 4 years of bear sightings around my area of Illinois. Once by a deer hunter, once by a guy driving, and 2 others by hikers.

There were also 2 seperate cases this year where people claimed to see a mountain lion.

No pictures or proof of either of these actually being true though.

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

I live in the Quad Cities wich is not far from Kewanne and Decatur...never heard anything about this....why would someone be so stupid as to lie...if their was a bear it would be all over the news like someone already stated...but im suprised we dont have bear in some areas.

also...i havent seen any corn still standing in my area recently....its all been picked for a month

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

The whole story is sad, the bear, the lies, the rumors. This is the internet at it's worst.

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

heres a link about a bear killed by a car in southern missouri. not sure how far from st. louis but there have been bear sightings in MO. http://www.semissourian.com/story/1155542.html

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

Alpha Capo....not to give you are hard time or anything....But man the Quad Cities might as well be on the other side of the world in terms of distance from Decatur...:D:D:DJust kidding man, but it is a long A$$ haul from Decatur to the Quads.

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

I heard about it. I live in Marseilles, IL. I heard it was in Henry. I'm not sure if i believe it or not. I've got a friend who works for Illinois DNR... I'll have to talk to him...

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

This bear has been killed in AT LEAST 6 places so far...Macon county IL, Minnesota, Taylorville IL, Central WI, Kewanee IL, and Henry IL.

And for everyone that says they 'heard' it was in a certain area of IL, someone from that area comes in and says they've heard nothing of the sort...

Makes a believer out of me.

Just because we cant disprove the existence of cougars(in IL), bears, elvis, or bigfoot, doesn't make it true. It's a shame that some things can get so out of hand, and that some people will believe them all.

Oh, and another rumor...the other night I heard a story about a rack that was found from a deer wounded during the '05 gun-deer season. This rack, which is now sitting on the floor of a farmers barn, was scored at 216" net typical. I know the guy that 'supposedly' has it, I'm gonna go steal it and sell it for a bucket of cash...;)Amazing how I've never heard of it before, since I know the taxi. that supposedly scored it. I would think he would've mentioned that sometime.So run and tell everybody, a world record 'pick up' , and I know where!!!! For a small fee I'll let you shake the hand of the guy that wounded it!!!!

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

Wow now im going to be soo paronoid going into the pitch black woods at 5:30

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

BIGFOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Can we say SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET When does Illinois land cannon season big harry neanderthal men start.

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

Decatur is only about 180 miles, so is Chicago...ive been to decatur a few times, and Chicago many times and dont consider either a long haul[8D]
the definition of long haul is when you hose it off at home and leave for your destination...and cant make it without hose'n it off again:D... for example from my house to Nashville TN...at least one, but more than likely two hoser' trip....or my house toDenver CO is afour hoser' and a stop at the Diner at 6 in the mornin in Ogallala NE for some Coffee, a Omlet and a pack of smokes.thats a"LONGHAUL"[8D]

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

That deer must be a cat, it has 3 more states to go! But seriuosly, The DNR has admited to releasing mountain loins here, so, there is a very good possibility that there are some in ILL., because as far as takin a leak is concerned, it wouldn't be releavent. Now, during the youth deer season, a girl shot a mulie here in Iowa this year, and acouple years back, my buddy shot a Red Deer, Eouropean Elk, Red Stagg, or whatever they are called, and it had a tag in its ear that the DNR traced to a fram in Ontario, now that is a long haul, and we never heard a thing obout an Elk being seen, and it was a large bodied deer, with a slightly larger rack than what a whitetail would have, so it would have stuck out. But everyone hears stories, sees pics, whatever, but don't rip on somebody for them passing it on trying to get the truth on it. It is possible, and as far as the uniform goes, do you have Sherrifs? Ours wear tan shirts and brown pants, so that could be a sherrif. Either way, that would be bad @$$ if there was a bear there, when you are alone in the woulds, who's to say that bear wasn't trying to climb the tree you are in? So Shoot straight.

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

Correction, that "bear" must be a cat.

RE: Anybody hear about the bear in Illinois?
 

My thoughts exactly!