The McHenry County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post just after 4:30 p.m., "there is a loose bull in the vegetation" between South Union Road and South Grant Highway in Marengo.
There he was on this late summer day, asking in his freedom in a McHenry County field. With neighbors looking on, the farm fugitive had the sun on his snout, and authorities on his back.
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"Oh yeah he had a temper on him, but when you're loose and running wild like that, he's scared too, just like as much as we were," said farmer Ken Bauman.
Both Ken and Beth Baumer were among neighboring farmers who spent much of the afternoon keeping an eye on the 1,200 lbs. black angus crossbreed who escaped from a nearby ranch.
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"School buses are going by, and that was our biggest fear that he would cross the road again, you know, run out in front of a school bus or something," Bauman said.
Soon it was man versus bovine; the bull cornered near Union and Coral Roads just outside of the town of Union.
Ranchers were able to lasso him at one point, but this bull was a master of cat-and-mouse. He was able to break free, his temper flaring as he charged one of the ranchers. The animal, at this point, was perhaps feeling a bit bullish about his chances.
"You just have to watch their temperament and hope that either you can get him to a standstill and coax him in somewhere safe for a little while until he can calm down. I'm sure he was thirsty," said Beth Bauman.
Eventually he was surrounded by some half a dozen ranchers on horseback, who were able to rope him and get him to calm down before leading him back to the ranch he calls home and his pen on it.
The Baumans said the bull's owner told them the animal is new to the ranch and arrived just this week. That may have been why he escaped.
Authorities said the bull is doing fine now that he's back home, perhaps a little tired and thirsty after his adventure. Neighboring farmers said it was a true community effort.