06-05-2025
Can you kill a Florida black bear in your yard? What to know before you get your gun
Florida black bears can be found in almost half of Florida.
In some areas, especially in Southwest and Central Florida and along the Panhandle, there's a high density where bears spend "a considerable amount of time," according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Interaction between people and bears is rare, but it does happen. Bears can and have showed up even in populated areas like neighborhoods and Disney World, where a bear shut down a large portion of the Magic Kingdom in 2023.
A Jerome, Florida, man, and a dog may have been killed May 5 by a bear. If the investigation confirms the suspicions, it will be the first death by bear attack in Florida, according to the FWC.
If you encounter a bear in your yard, can you kill it? Here's what you should know.
Florida law lets residents stand their ground against bears
In June 2024, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law the The Self Defense Act of 2024. It allows for the taking of bears, without any penalties, under specific circumstances.
'HB 87 ensures Floridians have the right to protect themselves, their families and pets from bears. This bill is about self defense. No Floridians should have to worry about the consequences of killing a bear when they, or their loved ones, are in danger,' Rep. Jason Shoaf, R-Port St. Joe, told the USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida in 2024.
Can you shoot a bear in Florida?
The 2024 law allows "for the taking of bears, use of lethal force" if a person:
The law does not allow someone who killed a bear to "possess, sell, or dispose" the dead bear or its parts. The FWC is charged with disposing of the bear.
Fines for violating the law's provisions can be $5,000.
Read HB 87 in its entirety
Florida bear attack in Collier County: Man, dog killed
Florida wildlife officials hauled a dead bear from the woods shortly before 9 p.m. May 5, more than 12 hours after Robert Markel and a dog were found dead in Jerome, a rural community south of Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area in Collier County.
The bear and DNA from the scene will be sent to Gainesville for testing. Officials did not confirm the bear was the one involved in the attacks.
If the ongoing investigation confirms Markel was mauled by the suspected bear, it would be the first death by bear attack in Florida.
What to do if you encounter a bear in Florida?
FWC recommends the following if you encounter a bear in Florida:
From a distance:
Enjoy the experience, but do not move toward the bear, if your presence changes the bear's behavior you are too close
At close range:
Remain standing upright
Speak to the bear in a calm, assertive voice
Back up slowly toward a secure area, be sure you are leaving the bear a clear escape route
Avoid direct eye contact. Bears and other animals may view this as aggressive behavior
Stop and hold your ground if your movement away seems to irritate instead of calm the bear
What should you do if a bear attacks you?
Fight back aggressively.
People have successfully fended off black bear attacks using rocks, sticks, or even their bare hands, according to FWC.
Will black bear hunt be held in Florida?
The FWC had three virtual public feedback meetings in April for the return of a bear hunt in Florida.
The draft of the proposal that will be presented to commissioners is expected to be ready for public review by Wednesday, May 7.
The proposal indicates 55 bears will be permitted for harvest from Lee, Collier and Hendry counties.
The last black bear hunt happened a decade ago, but the planned seven-day hunt was shut down at the end of the second day after nearly 300 bears were killed.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Can you shoot a bear in Florida? What to know about self defense law
