TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — With multiple Florida residents reporting encounters with Florida black bears at their homes or, in at least one instance, a boat, a state legislative group is considering a bill that would allow state residents to kill bears on their property and claim self-defense; a "stand your ground law" of sorts.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission currently requires a hunting permit to kill a bear, except in instances where a person's life is in danger. The Commission estimates that there are more than 4,000 bears living in Florida, particularly in South and Central Florida along with the Eastern Panhandle.
While Florida black bears mainly eat insects and vegetation, they have a strong sense of smell and are known to track down an easily reachable meal in garbage cans, on picnic tables, or on front porches. This has led to multiple reports of residents sighting bears on their property.
In October, a bear in Naples went viral after it was caught walking onto a docked sailboat at a sailing and yacht club.
In September, a bear in Seminole County broke into a family's screened patio, got into their refrigerator and stole White Claw beverages.
And there have been multiple other sightings recorded each year. One was even found at Tampa International Airport.
The FWC says that if you see a bear on your lawn, you should make sure you're in a safe area and that the bear has a clear route to escape. Then, scare it away by yelling, banging pots and pans, using an air horn, or using bear spray.
However, in some parts of Florida, people are calling for more other remedies as bear encounters are reportedly becoming more frequent.
"You know what? We're past [using noisemakers]. Something has to be done," said A.J. Smith in coverage by the Tallahassee Democrat. Smith is the sheriff of Franklin County, a panhandle county next to state and national forests. Through multiple social media posts, he's documented the many encounters and sightings residents have had of bears in the community.
State Rep. Jason Shoaf, R-Port St. Joe, and state Sen. Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee, introduced the bill as the "Self Defense Act of 2024". The House version of that bill will be taken up on Tuesday.
