black bear

[fishingjean]

Black bear killed on hwy. yest. on hwy. 87

 

[Bruiser]

Car strike?

 

[FrankT]

Good news. maybe we get a season for them soon!

 

[Telum Pisces]

I just saw one while driving home on Hwy 87 on Saturday afternoon. I wonder if it's the same one. It was just cruising along the woodline along hwy 87 as I drove by just south of the yellow river. It was the first one I had seen in that area before.

 

[Bruiser]

Ive seen them pretty often on Eglin itself... Ive encountered them as well while deer hunting just south of Crestview off Hwy 85 on South bound side.

 

[Clam]

I live off of 87 a few miles south of I10 and saw a huge one in my neighborhood munching on my neighbors garbage two weeks ago. We had another on less than a year ago doing the same thing and eating another neighbors chickens.

 

[Daezee]

I live off of 87 a few miles south of I10 and saw a huge one in my neighborhood munching on my neighbors garbage two weeks ago. We had another on less than a year ago doing the same thing and eating another neighbors chickens.

So what are the rules if a black bear is destroying your livestock? I'm guessing that bears have more protection in Florida than a thief robbing your home with you in the home.

 

[Clam]

I'm not sure if you can shoot them protecting livestock or not.

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk 2

 

[Daezee]

From FWC:

Is it ever legal to kill a bear in Florida?

Bears are protected by the Bear Conservation Rule, which states it is illegal to injure, shoot, or kill bears in Florida. The only applicable defense to illegally take or attempt take of a bear is the Common Law Defense of Necessity. The defense is limited to the following circumstances:
the defendant reasonably believed that his or her action was necessary to avoid an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to himself or herself or others;
the defendant did not intentionally or recklessly place himself or herself in a situation in which it would be probable that he or she would be forced to choose the criminal conduct;
there existed no other adequate means to avoid the threatened harm except the criminal conduct;
the harm sought to be avoided was more egregious than the criminal conduct perpetrated to avoid it; and
the defendant ceased the criminal conduct as soon as the necessity or apparent necessity for it ended.

68A-4.009 Florida Black Bear Conservation.
(1) No person shall take (as that term is defined in Rule 68A-1.004, F.A.C.), possess, injure, shoot, wound, trap, collect, or sell Florida black bears (Ursus americanus floridanus) or their parts or to attempt to engage in such conduct except as authorized by Commission rule or by permit from the Commission.
(2) The Commission will issue permits authorizing intentional take of bears when it determines such authorization furthers scientific or conservation purposes which will benefit the survival potential of the species. For purposes of this rule, a scientific or conservation purpose shall mean activities that further the conservation or survival of the species, including:
(a) Collection of scientific data needed for conservation or management of the species; and (b) Removing bears from situations that constitute a human safety risk or a risk to the well being of the bear. (3) The Commission will provide technical assistance to land owners and comments to permitting agencies in order to minimize
and avoid potential negative human-bear interactions or impacts of land modifications on the conservation and management of black bears. The Commission will base its comments and recommendations on the goals and objectives of the approved Florida Black Bear Management Plan. The plan can be obtained at http://MyFWC.com/bear/.
Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV., Sec. 9, Fla. Const., 379.1025 FS. History–New 8-23-12.
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After reading all that, I hope I never have to face a confrontation between a bear and my livestock and have to make a choice.

 

[ksenter]

what are the chances of a Black Bear, a predominately herbivore animal, destroying livestock?

 

[Clam]

what are the chances of a Black Bear, a predominately herbivore animal, destroying livestock?

One ate my neighbors chickens and they were in a coop. The bear destroyed the coop to get to them.

 

[FrankT]

Had one attack a horse close to where I hunt last year, FWC put out a bulletin in the area for him.

 

[Bruiser]

For real......I shot a deer one evening, it fell dead 40 yds away, and this black bear came walking within 75 yds of it and never paid it any mind. I was archery hunting so nothing to alarm it.

 

[Daezee]

Don't know the chances, but it's already happened in this area. Saw it on Channel 3 news. The first time nothing was done, just dead goats. The 2nd time the news showed the fencing the bear tore down and some of the freshly killed goats. The owner shot the bear in the act the 2nd time, and the news reported the state had not decided whether to charge the owner for killing a bear. The state later decided not to charge the owner.

This is from FLORIDA BLACK BEAR MANAGEMENT PLAN
Ursus americanus floridanus
Approved June 27, 2012

"Depredation of livestock has become an increasing concern, with documented bear attacks on animals such as hogs, goats and chickens."

Here's a page showing a hog killed by a Florida bear (scroll down the page) in June: http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_18/372556_TA50_initial_review.html&page=12