Any bears in Shawnee National Forest (Illinois) ???

[Sarge47]

The really amazing thing is that while one person has started two threads due to fear if bears, which many people travel miles to see...

Our annual jamboree is being scheduled to take place in the middle of a BEAR SACNTUARY !!!!

Just like last year, and the year before that, and the year before that.....

And we will be there with kids, dogs.......and bacon!

You're right, Kyrat, two threads and no conclusion. It's a trade off; isolation and no bears ain't gonna happen. Lots of people around and less bears; no people then lots of bears. I believe, based on all I've read from this fellow is that he's fighting a losing battle....

[Wise Old Owl]

You are engaged in a two dimensional medium in which you don't have the luxury of seeing someone's body language. Unfortunately, joking around doesn't always come across as the humor that is intended in a medium like this. Don't take it personally. If we get on your case you'll know it. Just look how bad everyone treats me but I know they are all joking. You guys are joking, right?

Some millennial is pulling EVERYONE's foot - your paw - your ....well nevermind.... 9 posts lives in Illinois and posts a stupid question about bears. Bear Spritz should join the Boy Scouts - he's a laugh a minute.....maybe they can straaatin him out.
He is worthy of a practical joke.

[Batch]

The really amazing thing is that while one person has started two threads due to fear if bears, which many people travel miles to see...

Our annual jamboree is being scheduled to take place in the middle of a BEAR SACNTUARY !!!!

Just like last year, and the year before that, and the year before that.....

And we will be there with kids, dogs.......and bacon!

You guys let on that there is bacon at the jamboree and your going to need a bigger camp site! LOL

[Sarge47]

Some millennial is pulling EVERYONE's foot - your paw - your ....well nevermind.... 9 posts lives in Illinois and posts a stupid question about bears. Bear Spritz should join the Boy Scouts - he's a laugh a minute.....maybe they can straaatin him out.
He is worthy of a practical joke.

He doesn't live in Illinois, he claims to live in California. Here's his very first post:

Hello, I'm a newbie to this site and to backpacking.

I would like to go on my first solo backpacking trip soon, and spend about a week or longer out there. I would like to go some place with no bears, so that I just don't have to worry about them at all (peace of mind, you know ?).

I'm not looking to set up camp in an established backcountry camp, but want total solitude. In other words, I would like to camp out in the middle of nowhere, undisturbed. This is going to be sort of a spiritual journey for me, so it is very important that I am undisturbed (by people).

I realize that deserts have no bears (duh), but of course, I'd prefer an area with vegetation (i.e. a regular forest).

I live in Santa Barbara, California, and the only bear-free wilderness areas I see nearby are Montana De Oro State Park and Point Reyes National Seashore, but that is probably because they are too small to support a bear population.

I'd appreciate any suggestions. What is a reliable source of information on bear populations ? I've tried looking online but couldn't find what I was looking for.

Thanks !

Note that he says that he's new to backpacking and that he wants to be totally alone in the woods. This is as close as he's gotten to an intro with no age given. However, based on the tone of his subsequent posts I'd say he's either in his late teens or early 20s. The thing that gets me is that he claims to be new to all of this but won't listen to the information and advice given by the more experienced on here. Doesn't fit his fantasy I guess. What he doesn't seem to understand that to do what he wants he's going to have to learn to live with nature and all that it has. He claims that it's just "peace of mind" that he's looking for but it soon becomes apparent that it's a lot more than that. He's afraid of them, just like my friend was with snakes.I believe that if his trip is only possible in an area without bears and with total isolation in the woods then he'll stay at home, just like my friend did. Even if there haven't been any bears reported it doesn't mean that there aren't any. Bears can move into an area, be transplanted there, just never been sighted yet, or overlooked in some other way. It's really sad, he's been given lots of great information and advice by the membership here, but refuses to listen....

[hunter63]

There are Bears in Chicago....but they have been pretty harmless for a while now......
Nothing to be afraid of......(LOL, joke)

[TXyakr]

If this report about Indiana is true then go hiking there. Apparently the folks in Indiana are not willing to bear proof their trash and have prefered to run all the black bears out of their state for the last almost 150 years.

http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/...src=SOC&dom=fb

[pete lynch]

Or maybe Eastern Shore of Maryland. Only one bear found there in "modern times".

http://somd.com/news/headlines/2009/9878.shtml

You won't find a lot of peace and quiet there, though.( the sound of boat motors is constant)

[Rick]

Hey, Michigan shoos them south and we shoo them north. It works.

[Sarge47]

Note that bears aren't just restricted to the woods!

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