"There are times where they'll travel into mainly northern Illinois from Wisconsin," Illinois DNR Captain Laura Petreikis said. The tracks resembled those of a bear, although no bears are known to live in the area. I recently received the following account: "This incident occurred on April 23, 2012 at … Black bear sightings have been coming more frequently in areas surrounding the QC, and another sighting happened northeast of the area. Bethalto, Illinois. "I'd say probably seven to 800 pounds. A bear wandering in the State of Illinois is extremely rare, but that all changed for some people in the state last week in the Land of Lincoln. News Tips: (618) 985-2333 Low 28F. Illinois Conservation Police Officers prepare to launch their boat into the Mississippi River to track Bruno the bear and assist if needed in his swim to the Missouri side. This means that immediate decisions on the fate of … "None of them stay very long," Fitzsimmons said. "I was just in total shock," Thomas said. Bear Sightings: Leave Lovelorn Bear Alone, IDNR Says | PatchPM. Since 2009, three black bear sightings have been reported in the state. Black bears, gray wolves and cougars (also known as mountain lions) were once common in the Midwest. "How many times are you going to see a big black bear in Illinois?" The search comes after several bear sightings in northern Illinois over the ... Department of Natural Resources officials say they've had bear sightings in Freeport and ... Co., Inc. 2021. For nearly three decades, from about 1940 to the late 1960s, residents of the Gooseville area near Bethalto, Illinois discovered large animal tracks along Indian Creek. A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. The last notable occurrence came in 2008 when a male black bear was spotted in Jo Daviess County, made his way to Rockford and then Rochelle before turning back and heading north into Wisconsin. Like, is that really a bear?" The bear was spotted around 11 a.m. crossing Route 9, one mile West of Blandinsville in McDonough County, Illinois, The bear was headed South. Officials said if you cross its path, leave it alone. "We don't have any real sustainable resources for them, enough habitat for them, at least in northern Illinois. "You should stay a distance away from it," Petreikis said. A black bear was spotted Thursday traveling through parts of Illinois. While there have been no confirmed sightings of a black bear in southern Illinois, there have been occasional spottings in northern Illinois since 2009. For more of Cordes' photos of Bruno, visit his Facebook page. Since then, then bear has traveled through northwestern Illinois mostly unbothered until it passed through northwest Henderson County Father’s Day weekend, where more than 300 people gathered to view, follow and harass the bear. The latest is a rarity because the bear has continued to venture south instead of heading back to the Badger State. It was a shocking site that Thomas ran into Thursday morning. Illinois Conservation Police Officers run their boat in the Mississippi River to track Bruno the bear and assist if needed in his swim to the Missouri side. “We just want people to observe from a distance if they see it. "Since 2008, it's been slowly getting to be more. But that's what Winnebago County Sheriff's deputies discovered when they were called to a home in Roc Blandinsville resident Torie Thomas said. You have permission to edit this article. Calls started rolling into police about 4 a.m. about the bear, Assistant Deputy Chief Patrick Hoey said. "Did I really just see this? It's still a very rare circumstance because the black bear population in Wisconsin is more or a northern population. The bear was spotted walking across the street in Blandinsville, Illinois. To view more of Rogers' photos of Bruno, visit www.rogersphotography.com. Order 2021 Issue Now! She was traveling on Route 9, which goes through Blandinsville. Bruno, a male American black bear, walks through a field near Davenport, Iowa, while making his way south on a four-state journey. (WSIL) -- A black bear was spotted Thursday traveling through parts of the Tri-States. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources issued a warning this week asking the public to stay away from a black bear spotted passing through Illinois alone. As our cities, towns and farms grew, populations of these animals declined due to habitat loss and unregulated hunting. The bear was spotted walking across the street in Blandinsville, Illinois. Thomas said. Thomas said she pulled out of her driveway, drove down the road, and was greeted by the bear. He almost like looked both ways before he crossed the road, he knew what he was doing.". New legislation passed this spring adds black bears, gray wolves and mountain lions to the list of protected wildlife in Illinois. An Army veteran, while asleep at his home in Villa Park, Illinois, experiences flashes of bright light coming from the outside. | Photo for the H-W/Justin Rogers, Rogers Photography. About 14.7% of Illinois is suitable for black bears, according to the IDNR, and sightings are rare. The University of Illinois extension service created a website educating people on why they might be experiencing more encounters with black bears, cougars and wolves. According to Illinois Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist Stefanie Fitzsimons, there have been a handful of confirmed black bear sightings in northern Illinois in the past decade. QUINCY — Bruno the bear might be on his journey alone, but he isn't expected to be the last American black bear to find his way south of the Wisconsin-Illinois border. “People see mountain lions. Quinn, the law won�t take effect until January 1, 2015. Black bear sightings in Illinois quite rare, Chompz restaurant opens new south side location, Two COVID-related deaths reported in Adams County, including teen, Troup, Baldner win nominations in Quincy mayor's race, 3 seriously injured in rollover crash near Camp Point, Burglary arrests lead to search of building after reports of person with gun. 21-year-old Rockford, Illinois resident Jonathan Lane contacted the Singular Fortean Society’s lead investigator Tobias Wayland last week to report a sighting of what Lane would later describe as a “giant, shapeless, black thing” with “two very large red … Illinois Department of Natural Resources spokesman Chris Young said people should stay away from the bear, and not feed it. Officials with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources said although a rare sighting, this isn't the first time a bear has made its way to Illinois. 1416 Country Aire Dr. Temperatures the last two days have warmed into the lower 60s, but this afternoon, most will peak in the upper 40s and lower…, WSIL News 3 The bear then crossed into Iowa and came back into Illinois in southern Rock Island County June 18. Bruno, an American black bear, stops in the middle of a gravel road near Beverly, Ill., as a group on on-lookers are kept at a safe distance by the Illinois Conservation Police Officers. "We stopped and he slowly started to move towards the highway. High around 45F. Bruno is on a 400-mile trek from Wisconsin to Missouri in which he passed through the Illinois counties of Hancock, Brown, Adams and Pike in the past week. The week or more Bruno spent in West-Central Illinois was longer than most bears spend in the Land of Lincoln before moving forward. Black bears roamed Illinois in the late 1600s, but disappeared in the 1870s, mostly due to … Winds light and variable. According to Illinois Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist Stefanie Fitzsimons, there have been a handful of confirmed black bear sightings in northern Illinois in the past decade. He soon encounters a mantis-like entity while observing it exit an orb shaped craft. Since then, then bear has traveled through northwestern Illinois mostly unbothered until it passed through northwest Henderson County Father’s Day weekend, where more than 300 people gathered to view, … Man Dies After Aggravated ... 17 Height-Adjustable Desks for Making It Work in 2021. Partly cloudy skies. Editor`s Special! Robert Frazier has heard all kinds of reports about sightings in areas where wild animals shouldn’t be. If you’re not a subscriber visit whig.com/subscribe. 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