Shooting a bear in your yard

DJW

I have bears in my yard one or two times per year.
Typically they run off as soon as I go outside.
However, I now have one that is hanging around and it doesn't run when it sees me. It stomps, huffs, clacks, and has charged at me. When it charged at me I fired a shot in the dirt and it retreated to the back of the yard but did not really go that far or that fast.
I have young kids so I want this bear gone.
I am considering the three S approach (Shoot, Shovel, Shut up) but my property is not secluded enough to guarantee nosey neighbors don't get involved.
I am also considering giving it a little 22 long rifle to the butt to get him motivated to move on.
Any other suggestions? Thanks.

joekat46

I'm sure you'll get lots of great answers from this forum but you've already gone past the "shut up" part.  Call FWC, call the local news, call the Governor.  Just be happy it isn*t a panther. Good luck.

bswiv

One of the positives to come out of the Bear Stakeholder Meetings was a alteration to state law to allow "hazing" of bears. You need to look into the legal means available to you as bears can be conditioned to stay away from unpleasant situations just as they can be conditioned to come for food.

Might also consider doing a bit of investigating in the area to see if there are new sources of food present that are causing more than the occasional passing through of a bear. This may be a neighbor feeding their animals or wildlife or possibly unsecured garbage in the immediate area. 

Between the removal of the source of attraction and the application of legal annoyance ( hazing ) it should be fairly easy to run a recurring bear off permanently.

One other thing to consider is what time of year it is. Bears in Florida tend to give birth around the first week of February with the little ones making their initial trips out of the den with mom at about this time. Could well be that if what you are seeing is very recent in nature, and if there are no food source new to the area, that it is a female with cubs close by. Which, again without the draw of food and with some legal annoyance can be remedied with out putting yourself in legal limbo.

Turner River Terror

I too have problem bears..Thanks FWC for releasing them near my house..
I put a speaker next to my garbage cans one night and blasted Ricky Martin , Livin the vita loca when he showed up again.
Haven't seen him for 2 months now..

gladesman

When one believes their life is in danger from an animal it is legal to kill it even if it is one of state of Florida's religious deities (e.g. bear,panther). Be prepared to be interrogated, intimidated, accused  etc. as if you were a murderer. Your description of events leading to your action better include biologically accepted animal behavior characteristics that indicate the animal was in the kill you mode. One source for this info could be to google "Hererro black bear" - he studied them for decades. The description one relays to interrogators must be consistent as you are asked over and over to relay it to multiple law enforcement officials and possibly others. Wouldn't say 1 word to press/media. Good Luck finding a solution.

conchydong

I would think that "Stand your ground"  would apply to wildlife interactions.

biglar

Whatever else you do, DON'T shoot him anywhere with a .22 LR.  Many people don't realize the power a little .22 packs - many, many Deer have been killed with a .22 and even Moose have been brought down with them.

If you do shoot him with a .22, several things are possible:
1.  Could cause a nasty wound that could well get badly infected
2.  Could get into a joint or nerve bundle and cripple it for life
3.  Could Very Well really p*ss him off and bring a deadly, for real charge
4.  Could get you into very serious legal trouble with DFG, as well as local police.

Check with DFG and/or law enforcement for rubber bullets for whatever other guns you may own.

Check with DFG and/or sporting goods stores for 12 gauge crackers.  They'll shoot a pyrotechnic about 100 ft that then explodes with a very loud bang.  Very effective.  (fun, too)

My #1 choice - ask DFG to relocate the Bear for you.

Central PA Sportsman

In PA we would call the Game Commission they will trap and relocate, maybe contact FWC.  Also we can purchase rubber bullets for shotgun they work well.  A friend shot one at a bear (back side) hit hard, bounced off and bear never returned (check for legalities).  Good Luck. 

James243

Look into hazing as mentioned above. A .490" lead round ball from a decent sling shot will get his attention. 

gritsnhuntin1

Where are all the bear lovers from when we had the hunt? I'm sure they would have some great ideas. How bout reasoning with it and explaining to him how dangerous his behavior is.

joekat46

gritsnhuntin1 said:

Where are all the bear lovers from when we had the hunt? I'm sure they would have some great ideas. How bout reasoning with it and explaining to him how dangerous his behavior is.

As my mother always said, "Give him a good talking to".  That'll fix him. As has been mentioned if there is a cub in the picture be very careful. Good luck.

Big Mak

You can always do what the  global head of safety for my company  told my crew and I to do in the case of armed attackers trying to gain access on my tugboat; "squirt them with the fire hose." Lol, and shake my head... Yeah right...

mindyabiness

DJW said:

I have bears in my yard one or two times per year.
Typically they run off as soon as I go outside.
However, I now have one that is hanging around and it doesn't run when it sees me. It stomps, huffs, clacks, and has charged at me. When it charged at me I fired a shot in the dirt and it retreated to the back of the yard but did not really go that far or that fast.
I have young kids so I want this bear gone.
I am considering the three S approach (Shoot, Shovel, Shut up) but my property is not secluded enough to guarantee nosey neighbors don't get involved.
I am also considering giving it a little 22 long rifle to the butt to get him motivated to move on.
Any other suggestions? Thanks.

There's only one reason why that bear would do that...and you and I both know what it is.
The fact that your posting this here and speaking of shooting it means to me your an **********
I think you should post all the information, if you want conclusive advice.

DJW

mindyabiness said:

There's only one reason why that bear would do that...and you and I both know what it is.
The fact that your posting this here and speaking of shooting it means to me your an **********
I think you should post all the information, if you want conclusive advice.

Haha. That's awesome. Glad you made it. We were wondering when the bear peoope would show up.
Unfortunately I'm too dense to figure out what your talking about. If you have a tip that would help me (besides getting F'd) don't keep it to yourself.
😘💓

spangler

I'm interested in hearing the 'one' reason too..

Cyclist

OK, I will be the devils advocate. The bear was here first, so give em space. Be careful with your kids and pets and garbage and birdseed, etc. Chill out and enjoy "wild kingdom" in your back yard. You are lucky, many people never see a Florida bear. Get some good photos and enjoy the ultimate in animal watching.

Soda Popinski

I would think that a well aimed roman candle would definitely do the job.  

Cyclist

Why chase it off? Make sure it's not getting food or garbage anywhere in the hood and leave it be.

Face it, nobody hangs in their yard anymore...they dash from AC car to AC work then AC car to AC house and the TV. Especially yankees and snowflakes.

Watching a bear is better than anything on cables 400 channels of BS...

Consider yourself lucky...a bear...how cool is that?

joekat46

First posts on this forum are always "suspect" .  The agendas pursued show how little some people have to do.  A quick scan through "Off Topic" is proof enough.  Getting tiresome.  
 "little .22 long rifle to the butt" was my tip off.  No such thing as a "little .22 long rifle" to anywhere.  A .22 will kill you. Most on a sportsman forum know that.

ANUMBER1

I would kill it and contact my atty.

joekat46

 Morgan and Morgan??

DJW

joekat46 said:

First posts on this forum are always "suspect" .  The agendas pursued show how little some people have to do.  A quick scan through "Off Topic" is proof enough.  Getting tiresome.  
 "little .22 long rifle to the butt" was my tip off.  No such thing as a "little .22 long rifle" to anywhere.  A .22 will kill you. Most on a sportsman forum know that.

Nice work Columbo, except it's not my first post.

binellishtr

eating ur harvest?

joekat46

The number 1 fooled me.  22er. Phoney. Hope your bear crisis goes away without further ado or comment..

DJW

joekat46 said:

The number 1 fooled me.  22er. Phoney. Hope your bear crisis goes away without further ado or comment..

As far as the 22 thing goes...

joekat46

Run that by FWC.  They'll love it.

DJW

Listen guys, killing the bear would be a last resort. Piantballs, pellets guns, slingshots and my new favorite idea of Roman  candle are all better options.
Although if I thought I could get away with it I would just shoot the **** thing.

Turner River Terror

I knida do like Cyclist and just enjoy watching them.
Yea they get into my garbage but that's on me for leaving a Buffet outside.
Now if one charged me all bets are off..but most everyone I've seen run away real fast.
Respect Not Fear thru Knowledge.

Rich M

Lady I work with - bear was trying to get at her dog in kennel, husband went out to save dog, ended up in kennel with dog, bear trying to get in.  Guy was armed but held fire.  They called FWC and were told it was a good thing the guy didn't kill the bear - they would arrest him if he did.  FWC also would not trap bear, just offered to help them bear-proof yard.

Good luck with that thing - you know society is messed up when an aggressive animal has more rights than people.

I'm not a big one for aggressive animals around kids or myself even.  Dangerous bear should = dead bear IMO.  The ones I've seen in the ONF have always run.

My neighbor rigged a air hose and a camera on a bowl of cat food - gives raccoons and opossums a blast.  Maybe you could rig a line and "blow the bear away" with some pressurized air.  Couple of encounters like that and I'd think it would avoid your yard.  Just can't bait it in to do that...  How to set up an air line where the bear would be naturally?

Soda Popinski

This thread keeps bringing me back to the movie The Great Outdoors.  Get a lamp, but make sure it's loaded!

Cyclist

Rich M said:

Lady I work with - bear was trying to get at her dog in kennel, husband went out to save dog, ended up in kennel with dog, bear trying to get in.  Guy was armed but held fire.  They called FWC and were told it was a good thing the guy didn't kill the bear - they would arrest him if he did.  FWC also would not trap bear, just offered to help them bear-proof yard.

Good luck with that thing - you know society is messed up when an aggressive animal has more rights than people.

I'm not a big one for aggressive animals around kids or myself even.  Dangerous bear should = dead bear IMO.  The ones I've seen in the ONF have always run.

My neighbor rigged a air hose and a camera on a bowl of cat food - gives raccoons and opossums a blast.  Maybe you could rig a line and "blow the bear away" with some pressurized air.  Couple of encounters like that and I'd think it would avoid your yard.  Just can't bait it in to do that...  How to set up an air line where the bear would be naturally?

I would say a bear acting like a normal bear and people being stupid....move to the country and suburbs then **** and whine....