Black Bear Siteing

**Franny** · 07-19-2009, 08:19 PM

Never dreamed we would actually see a black bear in Sowal..never. We left Grayton Beach around 8pm headed east on 98 to Pt Washington and south of 98 we saw a bear on hind legs checking out the traffic on 98. We turned around while on the phone with Tootsie and saw him moving into the State Forest, thank goodness............

what a thrill, just hope and pray he will be safe.

DD · 07-19-2009, 08:26 PM

So cool, Franny! I probably would'a broke Tootsie's eardrums yelling..."Oh Sheet!!!!!!!!!"
I hope he's safe too.

**Franny** · 07-19-2009, 08:40 PM

I probably did break her ear drum DD...and I just told Canuck..oh my goshI spelled sighting wrong and i can't edit.....my English teacher mom in me!

It was so cool I'm still yapping to Canuck about it!

**jack fish** · 07-19-2009, 08:51 PM

Originally Posted by Franny

I probably did break her ear drum DD...and I just told Canuck..oh my goshI spelled sighting wrong and i can't edit.....my English teacher mom in me!

It was so cool I'm still yapping to Canuck about it!

i saw one cross 30a near grayton last fall. awesome sighting.

**Jdarg** · 07-19-2009, 09:07 PM

We saw a stuffed black bear at Bass Pro tonight. Boy, is that an interesting place, but that's a whole 'nuther thread.

I would rather see a live one on 98!

**Franny** · 07-19-2009, 09:32 PM

Most awesome sight you will ever see...... no stuffing allowed.

**Geo** · 07-19-2009, 09:51 PM

Originally Posted by Franny

Most awesome sight you will ever see......

Have you ever seen an alligator surfing on the beach?

**Franny** · 07-20-2009, 07:38 AM

Can't say that I have Geo. That would be a wild ride!

**kurt** · 07-20-2009, 10:53 AM

A lot of bears out of work these days.

**beachmouse** · 07-20-2009, 01:03 PM

Well the general downturn in the tourism sector makes for fewer picnic baskets they can swipe off picnic tables at their local Jellystone Campground.

So no surprise.

**dmarie** · 07-20-2009, 04:27 PM

That is very cool. But on the other hand, it saddens me. I've lived here since '80, surrounded by woods and had never seen a bear. A wild boar once,, But all these recent and numerous sightings just speak to the fact that man and his rampant development is running them out of their own territories. I know I will cry if I ever see one dead on the side of a road.

**beachmouse** · 07-20-2009, 05:34 PM

Around here, it's not so much of an overdevelopment problem. Among the feds, the state, and assorted private permanent conservation areas like Nokuse Plantation, there is a huge amount of undevelopable conservation land in the central Panhandle.

It's more of a case that careful wildlife management practices have created an environment on Eglin Reservation and in the NW Florida Greenway that has allowed the local black bear population to thrive and grow in recent years after spending a long time classified as a threatened population. A lot of areas where bears have become common in the past year or two are locations bordering Eglin that have been developed for 20+ years, not new development.

DD · 07-20-2009, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by jdarg

We saw a stuffed black bear at Bass Pro tonight. Boy, is that an interesting place, but that's a whole 'nuther thread.

I would rather see a live one on 98!

My little English houseguest (lex's boyfriend) reported on Saturday that they went to BPS and he saw, for the very first time in his life, a gun. Wow.