Black bears...

[Atticus]

These guys are threatened? These pics are from Jefferson Co.

[MudDucker]

They are so threatened that they opened the season in So. Georgia this year. I started to go and kill one, but someone showed me how sorry the pelts were. Maybe next year it will get cold enough for these threatened animals to have decent pelts.

[Gulf Coast]

Call the FWC and they can teach you how to co-exist with threatened, poor, mistreaded animals ! You got about 120 day til bow season open here, you better get to work on getting him out.... one way or another.

[J Holden]

They're still protected better than people here in FL despite there being boatloads of em around. A few months back there was a one month period where I spotted 11 or 12 of them in different places while out and about which is usually more than I see in an entire year.

During that same time I was out walking on a two track off FH13 and walked up on a nice sized one while he was clawing apart a palmetto bush. He was making so much racket I got up to within 10-15 yards before he saw me and he took off in that funny loping gait they have faster than I have just about ever seen a critter move. Those things can book it.

Can't really think of any reason I'd ever want to shoot one though, even if there was a season for it.

[Harmsway]

Bit of a nuisance on the SE side of TLH. They used to visit my granddaughter's house on trash day almost every week. Wildlife officers said to learn to live with them and gave us a pamphlet about coexisting with bears. She was never directly threatened, but I was glad when she moved away from that bear-infested area.

[Flint River Pirate]

I agree with you J, I have never had a desire to shoot a bear. Or really any predator animal, just my opinion though.

[Atticus]

Hey guys - not trying to stir the pot - I know bears are a controversial subject in FL. Just showing the pictures for conversation sake. I don't hold a position on the issue either way. I have never hunted them and never really had a desire to kill one. But my buddy who paid for the feeder... he might have a different story...

[Jumptrout51]

Your buddy has a right to stand his ground.

[MIKE REELMAN]

look he's trolling his big behind

[Gulf Coast]

Atticus, I don't know how high you have your feeder but you might get it higher, looks like there is too much corn in one spot, make him work for it. Spread your corn out more or don't put as much out. If you pile it up for him, well you see the pics. We don't believe that it's worth his effort when the corn is spread out. Maybey 5 gal. in a 20-25 ft circle. Good luck !!

[slowroller]

Since our county commisioners got us these new bear feeders(garbage cans) they got all they need there. Dont have em on my corn no more, they're on the sides of the road.

[Atticus]

Atticus, I don't know how high you have your feeder but you might get it higher, looks like there is too much corn in one spot, make him work for it. Spread your corn out more or don't put as much out. If you pile it up for him, well you see the pics. We don't believe that it's worth his effort when the corn is spread out. Maybey 5 gal. in a 20-25 ft circle. Good luck !!

That's really good advice. What happened is as follows:

Turkey season - we get out there hunting thunder chickens and notice the feeder is empty. Get 100lbs of corn; 100lbs of soybeans. After a turkey hunt we load the feeder and proceed to jack it up with that wench on the 2x4. The lag bolts going into that 2x4 (not ours - we were using the hardware from the guys who used to have the lease) fail and the feeder and 200lbs of feed slam to the ground. Thats why the pictures from March show the wench dangling and the bear rolling around (partying) in a ton of corn on the ground.

My buddy orders a new motor and battery and bottom end of that feeder from Moultire. They ship it to him. We get back out there after turkey season and re-hang the feeder with about 135lbs of feed which we saved from the "great crash". We get it up and leave. Turkey season is over for a few weeks.

Friday my buddy goes out to put up a new game came on another spot and he finds the feeder trashed.

We basically called-in that bear with the feeder failure back in March. Now we're dealing with the consequences.

[MudDucker]

They populate pretty fast, because they have no natural predator. When they over populate, they invade areas with homes and have been known to harm pets. They can pose a threat to small children, especially a female with cubs.

They are only good for their pelt. Tried to eat one many years ago and I won't make that mistake again. The operative word is NASTY!

[Dubble Trubble]

Since our county commisioners got us these new bear feeders(garbage cans) they got all they need there. Dont have em on my corn no more, they're on the sides of the road.

Yep, we got one of those "bear proof" garbage cans here at the cabin at Alligator Point. The stupid latch never has worked on it (Won't catch and lock). I got a neighbor who can hardly get the latch open on his, so he just bent the darn thing out of the way.

Wonder how much our trash pickup went up to "fund" this fiasco by government.

Dubble