@Nonilex Reminds me though that black bears haven't been seen in southern WI since ~ the early 20th century as well, and I had a teacher who in the 90s was called out to a neighboring farmer's field to assist with a combine that sunk into a hole which turned out to be a bear den. Farmer reported seeing something run towards the woods when it happened. My teacher had sent off fur samples to the university and they confirmed it was a black bear.
How did it get there without anyone seeing it? The woods are not dense; it's mostly farmland. Incredible, really.