VIDEO: Illinois Driver Shocked to See Black Bear Climbing a Tree

You never know what you'll see when you're driving down a road in Illinois. One driver in the Land of Lincoln can attest to this fact as he was quite shocked to see a black bear casually climbing a tree next to the road he was on.

This video was shared by Alexis Rae with WSIL News 3. This close encounter of the bear kind happened near Murphysboro, Illinois recently.

It's very possible this is the same bear that just prior to the bear climbing incident was spotted climbing out of a lake in southern Illinois near Kincaid.

Wildlife Illinois isn't certain exactly how many black bears there are in the southern part of the state right now. Multiple sightings in July and August make me believe that more September appearances of this black bear (or bears) is a definite possibility.

If you decide to road trip and spend a weekend in the outdoors of Illinois (especially in the southern part of the state), assume that bears are nearby. You'll probably be correct.