Human-Bear Conflict Response

Policies and Guidelines

 

November 10, 201 6

l. Wm:

n, Division of Law Enforcement Date

Jammy!? LIL

Director Thomas Eason, Division of Habitat and Species Conservation Date

 
    
   

Table of Contents
PURPOSE OF THE HUMAN-BEAR CONFLICT RESPONSE POLICY ................................................................... 3
ACRONYMS AND DEFINITIONS FOR THIS DOCUMENT ................................................................................. 3
1. REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE ..................................................................................................................... 6
2. RISK TO PUBLIC SAFETY ............................................................................................................................. 9
3. FIELD RESPONSE ...................................................................................................................................... 11
4. CAPTURE ................................................................................................................................................. 14
5. KILLING OR EUTHANIZING....................................................................................................................... 15
6. BEARS DAMAGING PROPERTY ................................................................................................................ 18
7. ON-SITE RELEASE AND RELOCATION ...................................................................................................... 20
8. BEAR CARCASSES..................................................................................................................................... 22
9. SICK, INJURED, OR OTHERWISE COMPROMISED BEARS......................................................................... 24
10. ORPHAN BEARS ..................................................................................................................................... 26

This document was written by the Bear Policy Action Team. The Team was sponsored by Colonel Jim
Brown (DLE) and Eric Sutton (OED). The Team leader was Dave Telesco (ISM/HSC) and Team
Members included Mike Abbott (WHM/HSC), Alexander Gulde (WIM/HSC), Mike Orlando (ISM/HSC),
Chris Roszkowiak (DLE) and Billy Sermons (WHM/HSC). The Team recorder was Sarah Barrett
(ISM/HSC). The Team regularly received input from FWC staff outside of the Team, and multiple drafts of
this document were reviewed by interested staff and agency leadership before final approval.

2

 PURPOSE OF THE HUMAN-BEAR CONFLICT RESPONSE POLICY
The purpose of this policy is to guide the actions of the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission (FWC) staff and contractors when responding to situations
involving bears and human-bear conflicts. It is intended to help promote public safety
and proper management of Florida’s black bear population. The policy is designed to
empower and encourage an informed and responsible citizenry that voluntarily takes
actions to avoid or reduce human-bear conflicts, supports sustainable bear populations,
and appreciates FWC’s conservation and management actions. Effective
implementation of this policy will require a responsive and proactive approach that
develops partnerships to share responsibility for managing bears. This policy cannot
foresee all situations or circumstances that may require alternate responses. If there
are extenuating circumstances where the guidance provided by this document is
unclear, staff should consult with the Bear Management Program Coordinator or
Assistant Coordinator or the Wildlife and Habitat Management Section Regional
Biologist.
ACRONYMS AND DEFINITIONS FOR THIS DOCUMENT
ABB - Area Bear Biologists (ABB) are employees of the BMP. ABBs are located in the
West Panhandle, East Panhandle, Central, and South BMUs. ABBs are responsible for
coordinating field response to human-bear conflicts, leading the Bear Stakeholder
Group in their BMU, and providing outreach to the public in their area. The Big Bend,
South Central and North BMUs do not have ABBs, however, they do have an equivalent
designated FWC staff person.
BMP - The Bear Management Program (BMP) is a Program in the Imperiled Species
Management Section of the Habitat and Species Conservation Division of the FWC.
BMU - The 2012 Florida Black Bear Management Plan set up seven Bear Management
Units (BMUs) in Florida (East Panhandle, West Panhandle, North, Big Bend, Central,
South Central, and South). Each BMU is centered on a bear subpopulation and uses
county and state boundary lines as their borders.

3

 BRC - Bear Response Contractors (BRC) are private individuals who are trained and
paid to assist the FWC in responding to human-bear conflicts. BRCs operate under the
BMP and perform the following tasks:
1. collect information from and dispose of bear carcasses,
2. set and monitor traps,
3. scare bears with less-than-lethal methods,
4. conduct site visits,
5. transport bears to relocation sites, and
6. transport bears to a designated FWC staff member for immobilization, data
collection, marking, and/or killing or euthanasia.
DLE - The Division of Law Enforcement (DLE) of the FWC.
Dependent cub – A bear cub (less than 12 months old) that is found before August 1st or
that is estimated to weigh under 30 lbs is dependent on the adult female bear in order to
survive in the wild.
Designated FWC staff - Staff that have familiarity with FWC Human-Bear Conflict
Response Policies and Guidelines and experience with responding to human-bear
conflicts in the field. The following positions are considered designated field staff: BMP
staff, Bear Research Program staff, WHM Regional Biologists, biologists or technicians
participating in an official ‘on-call’ program for response to human-bear conflicts after
regular business hours, a biologist selected by the WHM Regional Biologist to act on
their behalf, or biologists or technicians, or DLE Investigators selected by the WHM
Regional Biologist or BMP due to their qualifications.
Euthanize - To humanely put a bear to death due to injury, sickness, or some other
compromised condition making it unlikely the bear could survive on its own in the wild.
This is in contrast to kill.
FWC - Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)
Kill - To humanely put a bear to death due to conflict behavior that may pose a threat to
human safety, but the bear could survive on its own in the wild. This is in contrast to
euthanize.
Orphan - An orphan is typically a bear cub that was born the same year that it was
found and presumed to be an orphan because no adult female is nearby and attempts
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 have been unsuccessful in locating the adult female (if her fate is unknown). Orphans
can also be bears born the previous year from when they were found (now yearlings)
that are of a physical size that make survival on their own unlikely.
Regional Call Center - The Regional Call Center operates under the Office of the
Executive Director and is housed in each of the five FWC administrative Regional
Offices. The Centers are responsible for receiving calls from the public, providing
information and assistance, and/or directing the caller to the appropriate FWC staff.
Transient - A transient bear is one that has wandered into an urbanized area, is highly
mobile, and rarely shows patterns of conflict behavior (if any). Their mobility and lack of
a behavior pattern make capturing them very difficult. In addition, attempting to capture
a bear in an urbanized area can result in an increased risk to public safety and the
safety of the bear (e.g., traffic hazard). Fortunately, in most cases there is no reason to
attempt to capture a transient bear because they usually leave the area on their own
using the same habitat cues that they followed on their way in.
Urbanized area - An area that has a high density of human development, whether
residential, commercial, or a mix of both. Major cities such as Pensacola, Tallahassee,
Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, and Miami are good examples of urbanized areas.
WAB - Wildlife Assistance Biologists (WAB) are staff in the Wildlife Impact Management
Section in the Division of Habitat and Species Conservation. Every region has an
assigned WAB located in the Regional Office. WABs provide technical assistance to
the public regarding questions and/or concerns about wildlife.
WHM – The Wildlife and Habitat Management Section (WHM) is in the Division of
Habitat and Species Conservation of the FWC. Staff in this section perform a very wide
variety of tasks that relate to wildlife and habitat management both on and outside of
Wildlife Management Areas.

5

 1. REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE
POLICY
Designated FWC staff will determine which requests for assistance with human-bear
conflicts require an immediate field response and which requests do not. Designated
FWC staff, WABs, Regional Call Center staff, and/or DLE Duty Officers will respond to
requests for assistance with human-bear conflicts in a prompt and professional manner
by providing information and assistance to reduce conflicts and risks to public safety.

GUIDELINES
A) Certain requests for assistance concerning human-bear conflicts should receive an
immediate field response, including whenever a bear:
1. is currently putting a person in a dangerous situation and the person is unable to
reach safety (Section 2), or
2. has injured or killed a person (Bear Incident Response Plan), or
3. is currently lingering on school or day care property during regular business hours
when children are present, or
4. is dead AND currently still in the roadway where it could cause a traffic hazard
AND cannot be safely removed by those already on scene (Section 8), or
5. is reported as sick or injured AND is currently unable to leave the area AND no
other law enforcement officers are able to assist (Section 9), or
6. injured or killed a cat or dog recently AND the cat or dog was leashed, within a
fenced yard, and/or in proximity to a person when it was injured or killed (Section
6), or
7. is currently in a dangerous situation (e.g., stuck on a roadway median, up a
power pole, is lingering in an extremely dense urban area).
B) There are circumstances outside of those described in A) above where a timely field
response should be initiated during regular business hours of the day it was reported
or on the following day(s). Designated FWC staff will determine which circumstances
need a field response and the appropriate response (see G below).
C) During regular business hours, requests for assistance should be handled as
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 follows:
1. The Regional Call Center staff or WAB should receive initial requests for
assistance with human-bear conflicts.
2. If other FWC personnel receive an initial request for assistance, they should notify
the WAB of the request:
a) within one business day if only technical assistance was provided, or
b) before responding in the field or as soon as possible if an immediate field
response was required.
3. Field response to requests for assistance should be conducted by the ABB, BRC,
regional WHM or biological staff from other sections, DLE personnel, or trained
volunteers.
D) After regular business hours, requests for assistance should be handled as follows:
1. Regional DLE Duty Officers should receive initial requests for assistance. The
Duty Officer should contact a DLE Field Supervisor when necessary to determine
whether a request for assistance requires an immediate response.
2. If DLE Field Supervisor determines there is a need for immediate assistance, they
should contact the ABB, regional biological staff listed as after-hours contacts, or
a DLE officer.
3. Requests not requiring immediate assistance will be reviewed on the next
business day by the WAB to determine the most appropriate response.
E) Designated FWC staff, WABs, or Regional Call Center staff receiving an initial
request for assistance should contact a regional DLE Duty Officer whenever:
1. illegal activity is suspected,
2. a human is injured by a bear,
3. crowd control is needed,
4. coordination with local law enforcement is needed, or
5. there is an imminent threat to public safety (Section 2).
F) A WAB or Regional Call Center staff receiving an initial request for assistance during
regular business hours should:

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 1. determine the time period between when the incident occurred and when it was
reported, as this will influence whether a field response would be necessary and/
or beneficial, and the timing of that response, and
2. attempt to determine the cause of the human-bear conflict, and
3. collect all pertinent information on the request, and
4. provide technical assistance to prevent conflicts, when appropriate, and
5. refer to the FWC’s ‘Bear Management Handbook’ for advice on resolving specific
human-bear conflicts, and
6. advise that disturbance, damage, or depredation by black bears will likely recur if
preventative measures are not implemented, and
7. log the request into the bear database.
G) If the WAB, Regional Call Center, or DLE Duty Officer believes a request for
assistance received during regular business hours may need a field response, they
should relay it to the ABB or the designated FWC staff person to make a decision
on whether a field response is necessary. The WAB, Regional Call Center, or DLE
Duty Officer should indicate which staff the call was referred to in the database
record, but should not record any specific field response recommendation in the
database. If the ABB or the designated FWC staff determines a field response is not
necessary, they should contact the caller to inform them of that decision. If the ABB
or the designated FWC staff person determines a field response is necessary, they
should:
1. coordinate a response with a other designated FWC staff, BRC, DLE staff, or
trained volunteers, or
2. respond themselves.
H) The designated FWC staff, BRC, or trained volunteer responding in the field should:
1. visit the person requesting assistance, and
2. report to the ABB or the designated FWC staff person or WAB by phone or email
within 1 business day after the site visit is completed, and
3. submit a hard copy of biological datasheet and samples collected to the ABB or
the designated FWC staff person or WAB within 1 week of the response.
I) The ABB or the designated FWC staff person should:
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 1. immediately inform the WAB of their decision on whether a field response was
initiated, and
2. communicate with on-call staff about current issues, and
3. enter information on the field response into the database or provide that
information to a staff person who has access to the database, and
4. scan datasheets for your records, and
5. submit hard copies of all previous month’s datasheets and biological samples
collected and entered into the database to BMP in Tallahassee by the 15th of the
following month.
J) Most responses to requests for assistance received outside of normal business hours
can wait until the next business day for a response by designated FWC staff
(Section 3).
2. RISK TO PUBLIC SAFETY
POLICY
Designated FWC staff will be able to identify situations and conditions that could
constitute a risk to public safety and will take appropriate actions to minimize that risk.

GUIDELINES
A) Designated FWC staff should recognize situations that can lead a bear to become a
risk to public safety, including but not limited to:
1. Bears that repeatedly receive food rewards in communities such as garbage, pet
food, and bird seed can become so food conditioned and habituated that they
can completely lose their fear of people.
2. A food conditioned and habituated bear is often spending a considerable amount
of its time in a community, repeatedly exhibiting conflict behavior patterns,
including but not limited to:
a) knocking over garbage cans and rummaging through garbage and other
human attractants on a regular basis, and/or
b) sleeping in proximity to occupied buildings, and/or
c) showing little fear of people and/or does not seek to avoid people, and/or
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 d) is active during the day in human use areas, except in the fall, when bears
can be active for up to 18 hours a day.
B) Designated FWC staff should recognize situations where bears have not yet become
food conditioned and habituated and therefore do not yet pose a risk to public safety.
Actions that can be taken to reduce conflicts and risk to public safety in those
situations can include, but are not limited to:
1. advising residents and businesses to secure attractants and scare bears following
FWC guidelines, and/or
2. advising DLE staff of situations where a resident and/or businesses was informed
by Regional Call Center, WAB, ABB, DLE staff, BMP, BRCs, or trained volunteers
of the risks associated with unsecured attractants and their action or lack of action
could be illegal, but the resident and/or business chose not to address the
situation, and/or
3. attempting to haze or capture, haze and release, or relocate bears to discourage
continued presence in communities. If staff are unsure whether the bear should
be released, they should consult with either the BMP Coordinator or Assistant
Coordinator or the WHM Regional Biologist or their designee before releasing or
relocating a bear.
C) Designated FWC staff should recognize the following descriptions of bear behaviors
and/or evidence of actions that indicate a risk to public safety, which include, but are
not limited to, when a bear has:
1. injured or killed a person, or
2. entered or attempted to enter a dwelling or business used regularly by people, or
3. entered or attempted to enter a screened room used regularly by people, where:
a) a person is present at the time of entry, or
b) the bear injures or kills a domestic animal in the screened room, or
c) no easily-accessible attractants are present at the time of entry.
4. entered or attempted to enter a garage used regularly by people, where:
a) a person is present at the time of entry, or
b) the bear injures or kills a domestic animal in the garage, or
c) no easily-accessible attractants are present at time of entry, or
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 d) the garage door was forced open to gain or attempt to gain entry.
5. entered or attempted to enter a carport used regularly by people, where:
a) a person is present at the time of entry, or
b) the bear injures or kills a domestic animal in the carport.
6. entered or attempted to enter an enclosed tent used regularly by people, or
7. entered or attempted to enter the enclosed cabin of a motor vehicle used
regularly by people, or
8. injured or killed a cat or dog that is leashed, within a fenced yard, or in proximity
to a person, or
9. injured or killed a domestic animal on a porch, steps, or otherwise in proximity to
a dwelling or business regularly used by people, or
10. displays behavior(s) that Designated FWC staff interpret as a public safety risk,
which could include:
a) intentionally approached close to a person, or
b) allowed a person to approach closely while bear was aware of the person, or
c) chased a person, or
d) followed a person, or
e) refused to leave after a person takes aggressive action to drive it off, or
f) bluff charged a person, where:
1) a dog(s) is not present, or
2) dependent young are not evident, or
3) the bear appears to have had a clear escape route, or
4) the bear appears to be defending an unnatural food source like garbage.
3. FIELD RESPONSE
POLICY
Designated FWC staff will determine what type of response is most appropriate to a
human-bear conflict considering all of the factors in each situation in a manner that
minimizes the safety risk to people, other animals, and/or the bear.

11

 GUIDELINES
A) Designated FWC staff will consider whether a field response is necessary and/or
beneficial based on a number of factors, including the time period between when an
incident occurred and when it was reported to FWC.
B) Designated FWC staff, BRCs, or trained volunteers may conduct site visits to:
1. determine the cause of human-bear conflicts, and/or
2. provide information and education to constituents in person, and/or
3. collect information on property damage possibly caused by bears (Section 6),
and/or
4. loan and install deterrent equipment for up to 60 days, which may include:
a) electric fencing, or
b) bear-resistant garbage cans, or
c) bear-resistant dumpster lids, or
d) bear-resistant dumpsters, or
e) motion-activated alarms, or
f) motion-activated water sprinklers
5. retrieve loaned equipment, and/or
6. canvass the area to disseminate literature to multiple residents in an area
experiencing human-bear conflicts.
C) Appropriate efforts should be made to collect as much data as possible when
designated FWC staff, BRCs, or trained volunteers respond to human-bear conflicts
in the field.
1. Data Collection and Processing
a) The following data should be collected whenever possible and reported
immediately to the WAB:
1) precise location of the response,
2) resident or business contact information,
3) description of bear if directly observed (e.g., general size, chest blaze),
4) description of bear behavior,
5) frequency of bear activity in the area, and
6) actions taken by FWC staff, BRCs, or trained volunteers.
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 b) If a bear is captured and/or handled during a field response, all of the
following additional data should be collected whenever possible:
1) sex,
2) weight estimate,
3) age class estimate,
4) the presence/absence of lip tattoo or ear tags,
5) a premolar tooth extracted for age analysis,
6) multiple hairs with root follicles collected for DNA identification,
7) total length,
8) chest circumference,
9) the presence of distinguishing characteristics (e.g., chest blaze), and
10) description of injuries if apparent.
c) Data and any biological samples should be sent to the ABB or the WAB within
one week of collection, and the ABB or the WAB should enter this information
into the bear database and then those datasheets should be scanned to keep
for your records and hard copies and samples mailed to the BMP in
Tallahassee by the 15th of each month.
D) Equipment can be loaned to residents or businesses for up to 60 days:
1. Constituents receiving loaned equipment should sign an FWC Loan Agreement
holding him/her responsible for returning loaned equipment in good working
condition or replacing lost or damaged equipment.
2. Designated FWC staff or BRCs who loan equipment are responsible for reporting
information about the equipment and the recipient to the ABB or the designated
FWC staff person.
3. ABBs or the designated FWC staff person are responsible for tracking equipment
and coordinating transfer and distribution.

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 4. CAPTURE
POLICY
Designated FWC staff will determine when a trapping effort is required and trap,
capture, and handle bears in an ethical and professional manner that minimizes the
safety risk to people, other animals, and/or the bear.

GUIDELINES
A) Designated FWC staff should attempt to capture a bear in the majority of situations
where a bear:
1. is considered a risk to public safety (Section 2),
2. is sick, injured, or otherwise compromised to the degree it is unlikely to survive
on its own in the wild (Section 9),
3. is a bear cub is determined to be an orphan and it is before August 1 and/or its
estimated weight is less than 30 lbs (Section 10),
4. has defeated a preventative method prescribed by FWC that was properly
constructed, used and functioning (Section 6), including:
a) electric fencing,
b) commercially manufactured bear-resistant container,
c) a secured sturdy shed or garage, and/or
d) a bear-resistant shed following FWC designs.
5. has caused property damage (Section 6), and where:
a) appropriate protective measures were properly constructed, used and
functioning but were ineffective in preventing damage from the bear, or
b) appropriate protective measures were not reasonable or practical to
implement (e.g., large-scale/commercial agricultural operations).
6. has injured or killed a domestic animal(s) [Section 6], and where:
a) the domestic animal(s) was properly secured with electric fencing or some
other system that should have prevented bear access, or
b) there was no practical option to properly secure the domestic animal(s).
7. is transient passing through an urbanized area and:

14

 a) there is a clear and imminent danger to the bear or people (e.g., staying in
bushes on a busy highway median), or
b) the bear climbs a tree and remains in the tree for more than 24 hours, or
c) the bear has not left the urbanized area and its movements and patterns are
becoming more predictable after several days.
8. has not yet become food conditioned or habituated to the point it is a risk to
public safety (Section 2), where:
a) the ABB or designated FWC staff is confident this intervention could
discourage the bear’s presence in communities and therefore prevent the
bear from becoming a public safety risk, and
b) most members of the community where the conflict is occurring have agreed
to take actions to reduce human-bear conflicts.
B) Designated FWC staff who will attempt to capture bears should have experience and/
or training in the method they are going to use:
1. Designated FWC staff or BRCs should primarily be using culvert or Cambrianstyle traps when attempting to capture bears in human populated areas.
2. Before setting a leg hold snare, designated FWC staff should consult with either
the WHM Regional Biologist or BMP Coordinator or Assistant Coordinator to
discuss the situation and consider alternatives. Leg hold snares should only be
used when other trapping methods have been tried without success. Refer to the
FWC’s ‘Bear Management Handbook’ for more details.
3. Except in emergency situations, designated FWC staff who will attempt to capture
bears by a free-range darting should consult with either the WHM Regional
Biologist, their designee, or the BMP Coordinator or Assistant Coordinator to
discuss the situation and consider alternatives. Immobilizing a bear by free-range
darting has many variables that must be considered before use and should
therefore be used sparingly. Refer to the FWC’s ‘Bear Management Handbook’
for more details.

15

 5. KILLING OR EUTHANIZING
POLICY
Designated FWC staff or DLE Officers will attempt to capture and kill bears that pose a
risk to public safety or damage property that is properly secured or unable to be
properly secured. Designated FWC staff or DLE Officers will euthanize bears that are
compromised to the point they are unlikely to survive on their own. Unless an imminent
threat to public safety, bears will be killed or euthanized in the most ethical and
professional manner in accordance with the guidelines of the American Veterinary
Medical Association Panel on Euthanasia.

GUIDELINES
A) Designated FWC staff or DLE Officers should attempt to capture and kill or
euthanize any bear that:
1. is a risk to public safety (Section 2),
2. damages property that is properly secured or unable to be properly secured
(Section 6), or
3. is sick, injured, or otherwise compromised to the degree the bear is unlikely to
survive on its own (Section 9).
B) Any bear captured for management-related reasons that is known to have been
previously captured for management-related reasons may be killed.
C) Designated FWC staff or DLE Officers should always err on the side of public safety
whenever there is any doubt as to whether to release or kill a captured bear.
D) Designated FWC staff or DLE Officers should kill or euthanize bears in accordance
with procedures below and in the FWC’s ‘Bear Management Handbook’.
E) If a designated FWC staff person or a DLE officer judged a bear was an imminent
threat to public safety and therefore did not have time to consult with others about
the situation, so decided they needed to take immediate action to kill the bear, that
person should:

 1. during normal business hours, report the incident immediately after the action
was taken to his/her appropriate chain of command or designees, which may
include but is not limited to the:
a) Regional Commander, or
b) WHM Regional Biologist, or
c) BMP Coordinator or Assistant Coordinator.
2. after normal business hours, report the incident immediately after the action was
taken to the on-call staff or the DLE supervisor on duty, whichever is applicable
to their chain of command.
F) Designated FWC staff or DLE Officers should kill or euthanize a bear by using a
firearm or designated FWC staff can use an injection of a potassium chloride
solution:
1. When using a firearm, designated FWC staff or DLE Officers should shoot the
bear twice:
a) the first shot should be aimed at the midpoint between the eye and the base
of the ear so that the projectile enters the brain, and
b) the second shot should be aimed so that the projectile enters the heart, which
is located laterally where the bear’s elbow of its front leg meets its body.
2. When designated FWC staff are using a potassium chloride solution, they should
follow FWC guidelines.
3. Carcasses shall be disposed of in an appropriate manner (Section 8).
G) Staff from other law enforcement agencies can euthanize an injured bear when:
1. the bear presents an imminent threat to public safety and therefore there is no
time to consult with designated FWC staff or sworn law enforcement staff, or
2. they are in consultation with designated FWC staff or FWC sworn law
enforcement staff and in situations where:
a) the bear is sick, injured, or otherwise compromised to the degree the bear is
unlikely to survive on its own (Section 9), and
b) it is more practical, timely, and humane for them to do so rather than wait for
designated FWC staff to respond.

17

 c) FWC can request they provide specific location information and then pull the
carcass out of public view so designated FWC staff or a BRC can retrieve
the carcass during regular business hours.
H) In circumstances involving a bear that has caused serious injury to a person, FWC
staff should follow protocols outlined in the FWC’s Bear Incident Response Plan.
6. BEARS DAMAGING PROPERTY
POLICY
Designated FWC staff or BRCs will investigate reports of property damage suspected to
have been caused by bears and will follow the Bear Depredation Permit Program Policy
and Procedures. In cases where designated FWC staff, DLE Officers, or BRCs conduct
a site visit to investigate a domesticated animal(s) that has been potentially injured or
killed by a bear, they will follow FWC’s ‘Depredation Investigation Guide’.

GUIDELINES
A) Designated FWC staff or WABs should respond by telephone interview in a
considerate and timely manner to a report of property damage suspected to have
been caused by a bear to:
1. try to determine if a bear caused the property damage, and
2. try to determine whether:
a) the property damage has occurred recently,
b) any protective measures were being used to prevent damage,
c) protective measures were being used that were appropriate, properly
constructed, and functioning, but were ineffective in preventing bear damage
to the property, or
d) appropriate protective measures were not reasonable or practical to
implement (e.g., large-scale agricultural operations).
3. advise the property owner or lessee that a site visit, trapping effort, and
depredation permit is not applicable for damage to:
a) feeding devices used to attract wildlife, or
b) fields with agricultural plantings intended to attract wildlife, or
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 c) any corn, wheat, grain or any food substance that has been deposited by
other than normal agriculture harvesting or planting.
4. advise owners of damaged property that:
a) they are responsible for securing their property in an appropriate manner, and
b) if they do not take reasonable preventative measures in a timely manner,
property damage will likely continue regardless of the FWC’s actions.
B) ABBs or designated FWC staff should assess whether a site visit is appropriate:
1. site visits are encouraged for all depredation reports where a domestic animal
has been injured or killed by a bear, however, FWC’s ability to fully investigate
those depredations is dependent on:
a) the time period between when the depredation event occurred and when the
report is received by FWC, and
b) whether the injured or killed animal is available for examination, and
c) whether damage to property or other evidence has been repaired, removed,
or altered.
2. site visits for property damage other than to domestic animals are encouraged
whenever:
a) the cause of the damage is difficult to determine over the telephone, and/or
b) the person reporting the damage is interested in applying for a depredation
permit.
3. If designated FWC staff or BRCs suspect a bear may have damaged property
that was protected by a properly constructed, used and functioning protective
method, a site visit should be conducted to:
a) document the damage, and
b) determine if the bear defeated a properly constructed, used and functioning
protective method.
B) Before a site visit is conducted, designated FWC staff or WABs should advise
owners of a pet or livestock that was injured or killed to try and limit disturbance in
the immediate area of the injury or death, and
1. if a death has occurred, to leave the carcass where it was found if possible and
cover it with a tarp or sheet to limit disturbance, or
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 2. if an injury has occurred, to make the animal available for inspection by
designated FWC staff or BRCs if possible and/or request photographs of the
injuries or veterinary notes if available.
C) While conducting a site visit, designated FWC staff or BRCs should assess whether
damage could be prevented or reduced using appropriate protective measures:
1. If an appropriate protective method was in place at the time damage occurred but
was not properly constructed, used or functioning, designated FWC staff or BRCs
should:
a) advise the owner of the property of the most effective preventative measure
for the specific property damage the owner is experiencing, and,
b) consider a capture attempt, depending on the circumstances.
2. If an appropriate protective method was in place at the time damage occurred,
and the bear seems to have defeated a properly constructed, used and
functioning protective method, a capture attempt should be considered.
a) If the damaged property is on private land, the owner of the damaged
property, with landowner permission, may apply for a bear depredation permit.
Follow guidance provided in the Bear Depredation Permit Program Policy and
Procedures.
b) If the damaged property is on public land, designated FWC staff shall seek
landowner authorization to kill the bear.
1)

If landowner provides authorization, the bear will be killed, or

2)

If landowner does not provide authorization, the bear will be relocated.

CI) After conducting a site visit, designated FWC staff or BRCs should advise owners of
an injured or killed domestic animal to completely bury or remove any carcasses,
since they may serve as an attractant to a variety of wildlife species.
7. ON-SITE RELEASE AND RELOCATION
POLICY
Designated FWC staff will determine whether on-site release or relocation is appropriate
for captured bears based on whether there is a risk to public safety or the safety of the
bear.
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 GUIDELINES
A) A captured bear may be released in certain situations, including but not limited to
when the bear:
1. is not considered to be a risk to public safety (Section 2),
2. is in some way compromised but not to the degree that it is unlikely to survive on
its own (Section 8),
3. appears to be transient,
4. has no known history of conflict behavior but was captured incidentally as part of
a trapping effort for another bear, or
5. was captured in order to intervene in its behavioral pattern before it could
become food conditioned or habituated to the point it was a risk to public safety.
B) A bear that is a candidate for release may be released on-site or relocated into a
pre-approved area.
1. On-site releases should include situations wherein:
a) a bear is released exactly where it was captured, or
b) a bear is moved a short distance (e.g., to the edge of the same neighborhood
in which it was captured).
2. A candidate for on-site release includes:
a) a non-target bear, or
b) a bear captured outside of an urbanized area in a place that is within a
reasonable distance of a large area of potential bear habitat, or
c) females with dependent bear cubs where only part of the family group is
captured AND where there is no known history of any behaviors that would be
considered a risk to public safety (Section 2).
3. Relocation from capture locations should be done sparingly and used primarily
for situations where a transient bear is captured beyond a reasonable distance of
a large area of potential bear habitat.
4. A bear relocated from its capture location should be moved into a pre-approved
area from among a list of locations maintained by BMP staff.
5. A bear should generally not be relocated outside of the BMU in which it was
captured unless it is:
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 a) a rehabilitated bear, or
b) a sub-adult bear, or
c) part of an FWC reintroduction project.
6. Captured bears should be hazed with less-than-lethal methods following FWC
guidelines for security personnel upon release whenever possible for both on-site
releases and relocations.
7. A bear that has been captured and designated for on-site release or relocation
can be released without chemical immobilization or marking provided FWC staff
or BRC involved in the relocation can provide an estimate on weight, age class,
sex, record any distinguishing marks or obvious injuries, and temporarily mark the
animal.
8. BEAR CARCASSES
POLICY
Designated FWC staff will investigate reports of dead bears, attempt to determine the
cause of death, and remove, collect information from, and dispose of the bear
carcasses in an appropriate manner.

GUIDELINES
A) Designated FWC staff, WABs, Regional Call Center staff, and/or DLE Duty Officers
should coordinate an immediate response, which may include FWC and/or other
agency staff, for any situation where a bear carcass is:
1. creating a road hazard, including whenever the carcass is still within a roadway
AND cannot be safely removed by those already on scene, or
2. suspected to have been killed illegally.
B) When a bear is suspected to have been killed illegally, the person responding to the
scene should:
1. immediately call the Wildlife Alert Hotline to report the situation and seek
guidance from DLE,
2. minimize disturbance of the area by leaving the scene the way they entered and
keeping others out of the immediate area,
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 3. if requested by DLE, wait on scene until a DLE officer arrives,
4. if the bear carcass was taken for evidence, document the location of the bear
carcass and the name of the DLE officer so that data can be retrieved from the
carcass once it is released by DLE.
5. report the situation to the ABB or designated FWC staff to ensure follow up.
C) If a report of a bear carcass does not meet A or B, an attempt should be made to
retrieve the carcass during regular business hours of the day it was reported or on
the following day.
D) When transporting a bear carcass, cover the carcass with a tarp or in some other
manner whenever covering the bear will not present a safety hazard.
E) A bear carcass or parts should be disposed of in an appropriate manner, including:
1. buried on properties with prior approval from landowner,
2. incinerated at a state-licensed facility approved to incinerate wildlife,
3. disposed of at a county landfill with a receipt,
4. given to a rendering facility,
5. deposited above-ground on FWC managed or cooperating lands in designated
locations,
6. moved out-of-sight on the scene within the Right-of-Way if:
a) the carcass is in advanced stages of decomposition, or
b) the carcass is in a remote location where no homes are visible, and
c) the designated FWC staff or BRC notifies the DLE Duty Officer and ABB or
their designated FWC staff person of the disposition, and
d) the carcass is spray painted with a conspicuous color, across the head, teeth,
paws, and claws, and the letters ‘FWC’ are spray painted on the body to:
1) identify that the carcass has been handled by FWC, and
2) dissuade anyone from taking the remains.
E) A permit can be obtained from the FWC to retain a bear carcass or parts for:
1. scientific collection,
2. research, or
3. education.

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 a) BMP and the Species Conservation Planning Section Permit Coordinator
maintains a list of people permitted to possess a bear carcass or parts and
will contact staff to assist in locating appropriate specimens to fill permit
requests.
b) It is the responsibility of the permit holder to arrange for transportation,
preparation, and/or preservation of a bear carcass or parts.
c) BMP should provide a taxidermist who has received a bear carcass or parts
from a scientific, research, or education permit holder with a letter indicating
the bear carcass or parts have been cleared for possession through the
permit process.
F) Designated FWC staff or BRCs responding to a carcass of a dependent bear cub(s)
or an adult female(s) with dependent bear cubs should:
1. use caution when retrieving the carcass(es) of dependent bear cubs [e.g., the
adult female may be on scene and defensive of the bear cub carcass(es)], and
2. reduce the safety threat to the remaining bear family unit and motorists whenever
possible and in accordance with government regulations by moving the
carcass(es):
a) out of view from the roadway,
b) a safe distance away from the roadway, and
c) leaving the carcass(es) overnight (or indefinitely if the situation meets 6.d
above) for the remaining bear family unit to find the carcass and then move
out of the area safely rather than remaining in the vicinity searching for the
individual.
3. contact DLE Duty Officer in situations where assistance is needed to maintain
safe conditions (e.g., traffic control, crowd control).
9. SICK, INJURED, OR OTHERWISE COMPROMISED BEARS
POLICY
Designated FWC staff or DLE officers will investigate reports of sick, injured, or
otherwise compromised bears, and, when appropriate, will assess the condition of the
bear, and attempt to euthanize any bear that is unlikely to survive on its own in the wild.
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 GUIDELINES
A) Designated FWC staff or DLE officers should euthanize an injured, sick, or otherwise
compromised bear that is unlikely to survive on its own in the wild in accordance with
policies and guidelines established in this document.
1. If designated FWC staff or DLE officers are not able to respond in a timely
manner to euthanize a bear, designated FWC staff or a DLE supervisor can
authorize a local law enforcement officer to euthanize the bear in accordance
with procedures outlined in Section 5 F) 1.
2. If a DLE supervisor authorizes a local law enforcement officer to euthanize a
bear, the DLE supervisor should ensure that a designated FWC staff person is
made aware of the action taken so that they can coordinate data collection on
and disposal of the carcass.
B) Any treatment or rehabilitation of an injured, sick, or otherwise compromised bear
may only be attempted at the discretion of the BMP Coordinator or Assistant
Coordinator based on review of the bear’s condition and circumstances.
C) Some injuries a bear is unlikely to survive on its own in the wild include, but are not
limited to:
1. fractured/severely damaged spine or skull,
2. fractured jaw,
3. multiple broken legs,
4. exposed long bone,
5. fractured pelvis,
6. complete loss of eyesight,
7. exposed internal organs, or
8. seizures.
D) The inability of a bear to immediately move away from the scene when approached
should not be used as justification for euthanasia, as this inability could be
temporary as a result of shock or concussion. Non-responsive bears should be
monitored to determine whether the condition is temporary or permanent.

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 10. ORPHAN BEARS
POLICY
Designated FWC staff will investigate reports of orphaned bears and assess these
bears to determine whether the animals could survive on their own in the wild.
Designated FWC staff will attempt to capture orphaned bears that they have determined
are unlikely to survive on their own in the wild to be rehabilitated for potential release
back into the wild at a later date.

GUIDELINES
A) Upon receiving a report of a bear believed to be an orphan, designated FWC staff,
WABs, and/or DLE Duty Officers should document:
1. the specific location where the bear cub was observed,
2. the date and time the bear cub was observed,
3. whether the person reporting the bear cub is aware of a dead adult female bear
in the area where the bear cub was observed, and
4. the estimated weight of the bear cub.
B) Designated FWC staff, WABs, and/or DLE Duty Officers should advise someone
who has picked up a bear cub that they suspected of being an orphan to return the
bear cub to the location where it was found and check on it the next day if:
1. the bear cub was removed less than 24 hours prior to when it was reported to
FWC, and
2. there is no knowledge of a dead adult female in the area where the bear cub was
found, and
3. the area where the bear cub was found is reasonably safe (e.g., no known loose
dogs, not in proximity to high traffic areas or other dangers to the bear cub),
and/or
4. it is after August 1, and/or
5. the bear cub is estimated to be over 30 lbs.

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 C) Designated FWC staff or BRCs should attempt to capture and temporarily hold a
bear cub that has been determined to be an orphan to increase its chances of
survival in the wild if:
1. the bear cub was left at the location where it was found overnight and was found
there the next day and no evidence of a female bear is noted, or
2. the bear cub could not be returned to the location it was taken from because:
a) the location was not deemed reasonably safe for the bear cub, or
b) the bear cub was kept by people for over 24 hours
3. the bear cub is estimated to weigh less than 30 lbs, and/or
4. the bear cub was reported orphaned before August 1.
CI) Designated FWC staff or BRCs should attempt to capture and temporarily hold an
orphan bear cub with traps (Section 4) or other physical restraints rather than using
chemical immobilization whenever possible.
CII)

Designated FWC staff or BRCs must consult with BMP staff to coordinate the

transfer of an orphan bear cub to a BMP-approved rehabilitation facility, which have:
1. a current Class 1E permit with DLE for rehabilitation activities, and
2. agreed to follow the protocols outlined in the FWC’s Rehabilitation of Orphaned
Black Bear Cubs, and
3. agreed to provide some level of in-kind services for care of the bear cub.
CIII) Orphaned bear cubs taken into temporary captivity should be released into the
wild no later than December 31 of the same year, unless there are extenuating
circumstances.
CIV) BMP staff will assess an orphan bear cub before release to determine if the bear
cub has an appropriate fear of people:
1. any orphan bear cub that BMP determines has lost its fear of people will not be
released into the wild, rather they will be:
a) placed into permanent captivity at an appropriate facility, or
b) killed following procedures in Section 5.

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