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


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

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.

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.

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.

Read this. (different part of Central IL)

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

Does the rock river run thru there?

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

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

Do I smell a prank?