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Friday, September 18th, 2026

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Bear sightings pop up in Illinois right on cue in June

Black bears, once common in Illinois, were eliminated from the state by 1870, and there is currently no resident population of bears. But the potential exists for bear from existing populations in Missouri and Wisconsin to travel into the state. (Stock photo by Lynda Cazort, Flickr)

Black bears were spotted at each end of Illinois earlier this month, setting in motion a predictable stew of events that typically includes four ingredients: a fuzzy photo, social media buzz, police telling humans to keep their distance and DNR reminding everyone that bears sometimes wander.
Once those steps are taken, action always ensues. The bear wanders off into a neighboring state, never to be heard from again. The 2023 version of wandering bears started near Evansville, in Randolph County.

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