SANFORD, Fla. – A dead bear that was found early Wednesday in Sanford died of a gunshot wound, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The female bear, believed to be between 6 and 7 years old, was found on Moton Avenue, west of Interstate 4 and south of Orange Boulevard.
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Authorities said the person who shot the bear could be face misdemeanor charges.
Anyone with information about the bear’s death is asked to call the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 1-888-404-3922. The tip line is anonymous and may lead to a reward.
The bear was found dead in front of a home on Moton Avenue in Sanford Wednesday morning.
"That's sad, because that bear didn't bother nobody," neighbor Nikki Harrell said.
"To be honest, I call this Yellowstone, Little Yellowstone, because of the bears," said Clarence Troutman, another neighbor.
While many locals are used to seeing bears roam the area, there are some people who think the bears are a nuisance.
"I couldn't get out my house because the bear was literally in my driveway, which is at my front door," said a neighbor who did not want to be identified.
Since November, FWC received more than 140 calls about bears from people in Seminole County, everything from sightings to complaints.
"We're trying to eliminate human-bear conflict," Weber said.
He also pointed out it's possible a frustrated neighbor may have caused the bear's death.
"We're asking people if they do see bears in the area to call our dispatch and not take matters in their own hands," Weber said. "Allow us to take care of it for them."
FWC is handling the case as if it were a criminal investigation.
In 2015, a bear hunt was held in certain parts of the state. Permitted hunters killed 304 of the state's estimated 3,150 bears, according to FWC. In the Central Florida region, the most harvested bears came from Marion and Volusia counties, which had 55 and 21, respectively.
Four bears were hunted in Seminole County, and one was hunted in Orange County.
The 2016 bear hunt was postponed, but it could be considered again in 2017.