Cheryl Balensiefen took the best photos of the Bureau County bear, the photos that will preserve it for history. She shot them just southwest of Buda in Macon Township on Dec. 30 while her husband Kent drove.
Apparently, the Bureau County bear was captured yesterday two or three miles to the west of their farm and shipped to southern Illinois, according to this report in the News Tribune.
So I called for Cheryl's reaction.
``That is probably best for the bear. Then nobody will harm him. I guess I am OK with it. I would like to see him run around, but I think somebody would end up hurting him and make him a rug or something.''
Unfortunately, she is probably more accurate than I would like to believe.
But I sided with what her husband Kent had originally said: ``I would like to see him around.''
More is in the Jan. 3 Stray Casts.
I wonder what the state will do if Bears continue to wander into Illinois and try to re-establish? I think the bear issue may have to be revisited. Maybe bears can be offered some protection.
I wonder what plans the state has if bears try to re-establish in Illinois? The state needs to look at offering the bears some protection. I do think Chery was right, regrettably.
Where in So. Il did they relocate it to? Are there any other black bears there? I deer hunt near Metropolis and have never seen any sign.
They probably should have relocated it to Wisconsin so it could be near other bears.