COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — A Florida man says he just "wanted to scare" a bear cub he shot and killed in 2020 in a Collier County neighborhood, court records show.
Kyle Stevens, 29, was sentenced to six months probation after neighbors and wildlife experts took the stand at his trial on Wednesday.
According to court documents, Stevens said he was trying to protect his dog from the approaching black bear. He also claimed, according to the records, that he tried to yell at the animal before running inside and grabbing the birdshot.
Stevens told the court he grabbed that particular gun because he didn't want to kill the bear.
A wildlife expert testified that black bears don't typically attack dogs, WINK-TV reported.
Although Florida black bears were removed from the state-designated threatened species list in 2012, it is still illegal to injure or kill bears without prior authorization, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website.
The FWC says penalties for violating the "Bear Rule" are criminal misdemeanors, which can result in fines up to $1,000, up to one year in jail, or the loss of recreational licenses for three years for a first offense.
If a bear does come on your property, wildlife experts say you can show your dominance by holding your ground at a safe distance, looking the bear in the eyes, raising your arms above your head to look larger and making loud noises.
The agency makes it clear that you should never leave your safe location to pursue a bear. You should also not attempt to scare a cub or a female bear with a cub as it can result in injury to the cub or aggression from the mother, the FWC says.
