The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said Thursday that it has removed a trap it set near a Navarre-area home last week after a homeowner complained the bear attacked and killed her dog.
"We set the trap out for four nights and removed it because a bear was not trapped. We've asked the homeowner and the neighbor to call us if they see any other bear activity," she said.
Because a bear wasn't caught in the trap, it is likely it has moved on from the immediate area of the home, she said.
Nearby resident Tim Eilders has lived in Holley by the Sea in Navarre for 12 years. Eliders said he always has seen bears in the area.
"The way I see it, they have as much of a right to be here as we do," he said.
Eliders said he frequently sees bears in his backyard. One year, a bear broke into his rabbit hutch and killed some of his rabbits, he said. Bears have also gotten into his trash a few times.
Some of the bears can be as large as 400 pounds, he said.
"I've never had them be aggressive, but I've had one come within 10 feet of the house and that surprised me," he said.
According to information posted on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website, it is important to seal and put away any food that might attract bears.
"Even though bears are normally too shy to risk contact with humans, their powerful need to find food can overwhelm their fear," the website states.
The websites states that bears can smell food for over a mile away and often roam in search of food.
"Bears are driven by their need to eat, and anything that is easily accessible and can be eaten is a potential bear attractant."
The more a bear becomes accustomed to eating trash or other food in an area, the more likely it is to return to the area.
"Areas that are large and remote enough to move bears where they won't encounter people are rare in Florida," the website states.
Statewide, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission data shows the agency received 6,094 calls involving bears in 20015, the number was down from 2014, when the agency received 6,688 bear-related calls.
The agency instructs people who encounter bears in their yards to make sure the bear has a clear escape route and to let the bear know it is not welcome by making noise such as yelling, using an air horn or banging pots and pans from a safe distance away.
