I know I am a ways from Illinois central portion...but here in SE Missouri ...there are numerous reports , confirmed ones, about black bears. Near Jackson Missouri , Cape Girardeau, Advance , Mo etc...and they are all over the area near current river, Jacks Fork, and the Eleven Point in the southern Missouri ozarks....not too much of a stretch to think they can cross the river at any point along the border between Mo and Illinois......but you are right..a 7' bear is big....I don't know if bears are like big cats, where the established male runs off the juvenile males...if the bear population is indeed growing in Missouri...it would make sense the "zone " or ring of distribution may be growing.....I always say the same thing about bear sightings...big cat sightings , bigfoot, etc......with as many varieties of trail cameras there are....I would say , get as many folks to put them up in the areas of interest as possible....bait accordingly ...and see what happens......as long as the intent is just observation , not baiting to kill...pretty sure there'd be some frowns on that in a state that probably does not have a Bear Season on the books...
