Strange Central Illinois Animals

[cblades]

I was reading the post about the otters and thought I would start up a neat thread.
What are some of the "rare" animals that you have seen in Central Illinois? Or what are some of the cool nature experiences you have had.
Here are mine....

I saw a bobcat while looking for arrowheads once just outside of Moweaqua.
I saw a badger once digging in a ditch just west of the Moweaqua Golf Course.
My grandma said she once saw a black panther while she was out picking up field corn.
I saw a Pileated Woodpecker when I was mushroom hunting one spring morning. They are the crow-sized woodpeckers with the crest on their head.
I was pheasant hunting over by springfield once and my dog was on point and when I went to flush it was a coyote. Weird.

[birdman]

I dont really have any weird ones, thankfully! But mother watched a couger run across a yard and leap across the road right in front of while she was at work on 7 hills road in mattoon! She even pulled up a picture of one to show me and confirm it, creepy!

[cblades]

Did you see where on October 28th a trailcam took a pic of a BIG cougar over by Jacksonville? Made the news. Google it and check it out. Big male probably. I have students that SWARE they have seen them while in the deer stand along the Sangamon River. The cougars that we could potentially have in this area most likely migrated downs from South Dakota. The opinion is that we will most likely see them call this part of the state home again in the next few years. If you think about it we have lots of large prey that they could eat and that prey (deer) are absolutely stupid when it comes to avoiding predators like big cats. I mean, they only have to worry about hunters and we are not nearly as "stealth" as a big kitty. Coyotes RARELY eat deer and they have to be small or sick at that.

[mjm76]

That one in Jacksonville was sighted less than a mile from where I have turkey hunted. I'll be a little bit more "aware of my surroundings" before light, if I hunt up there this spring.

[cblades]

Cougars (same as mountain lion or puma. Different name for the same animal. Varies by region or country) are known for attacking humans. In fact, there are more cougar attacks than any other. They are known as ambush stalkers. They will stalk and often times get in an elevated position and "pounce" on their prey. Seriously, be careful when hunting. There is not a law that states certain animals can't live here. In fact, a black bear was run over by a farmer a few years ago just south of Taylorville! It was pictured on the DNR website. A guy near Moweaqua had several sheep killed by a large predator. The funny thing was whatever did the killing didn't eat it. Just killed for fun. That is the definition of "feline" activity!!!

[birdman]

thanks chad for scaring all us hunters now. haha

[cblades]

I also heard that they like to wait near the shoreline and attack fishermen fishing shallow water..... If you stick to the main lake you are fine.
Stupid shallow fish.......
I am making reference to my poor tournament showing. I gambled on getting some big fish deeper. FAIL........

[cblades]

MEOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here is the kitty from Jacksonville!!

[bowhunter012463]

I was in a tree stand one morning well before dawn and a large dark colored animal came slinking up to the tree and circled it and walked off. It didn't walk like a deer or coyote so it had to be a cat, sure did walk like one. Good thing my scent eliminating spray was working. I was hunting robinson creek bottom near Lakewood. I also saw one of those Pileated woodpecker when I lived in Watson.

[bowhunter012463]

Just got to remembering other things, once I caught a king snake in Hidden Springs State Park while I was mushroom hunting and last year I had a Baltimore Oriole at my hummingbird feeder.