- Increased black bear sightings have been reported along Nash Road.
- Neighbors report bears damaging property and rummaging through trash.
- Watch the video to find out about the proposed solution.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A bear roaming through Jefferson County neighborhoods is sparking concern; and conversation.
“A fed bear is a dead bear,” said Ryan Reines, director of the North Florida Wildlife Center.
I’m Lentheus Chaney, your Monticello neighborhood reporter. I spoke with one neighbor about talk of a controlled bear hunt, and with a wildlife expert says you can do to stay safe.
It’s not something most people expect to see outside their window, but for residents off Nash Road in Jefferson County, black bear sightings are becoming more common.
Cellphone images show a bear crossing yards, even leaving behind some damage.
Just down the road is the North Florida Wildlife Center. Director Ryan Reines says the bear hasn’t been seen on their grounds but he understands why they’re showing up nearby.
“Especially now going into the summer, black bear mothers are raising young, and so that is an added stress for the black bears as they really need to find food not just for themselves but for their young. So, it is much easier to forage in someone’s trash than it is to hunt and gather in the wild,” Reines said.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Jefferson County falls within the East Panhandle Region. The area has one of the highest bear call rates in the state.
FWC estimates more than 1,000 bears live in this region, That's nearly double what it was just two decades ago.
The agency is now considering reopening regulated bear hunting to help manage that growing population.
I reached out to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for comment but haven’t heard back yet.
Neighbor Buddy Wofford has lived in Jefferson County for more than eight years. He hasn’t seen the bear on Nash Road himself but says he’s not entirely for or against hunting.
“I don’t particularly care for bear hunting, but on the other hand, since we’ve managed to destroy a lot of their habitat, they’re more concentrated. So I don’t like what would happen to bear, but I don’t like the bears either,” Wofford said.
Reines says the best way to stay safe is to secure your trash, keep small pets indoors, and avoid leaving out any food — including cat or dog food.
In Jefferson County, Lentheus Chaney, ABC27.
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