LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — A Lake County woman says her neighbor came onto her property illegally and shot a bear without her permission. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is now investigating.
Lisa Schafer was in her bedroom when she heard shots fired. “All of a sudden, I hear one gunshot and then about 3 to 5 seconds later I hear another one. And I thought I was getting shot at.”
Schafer and her fiancé, Geoff Kazet, soon discovered they weren’t the targets. A mama bear had been shot by a neighbor who didn’t have permission to be on her property.
Geoff says, “She was bleeding from the face and neck, she wasn’t able to regain her step, she wasn’t able to stand up.” They say the bear had been with her baby when the shooting happened. Geoff says, “The yearling was trying to get her up, wrapping her arms around her and hugging her.”
FWC officers say a bear was euthanized and a juvenile bear found nearby was safely relocated. They say the individual who shot the bear was arrested on an unrelated warrant, and the shooting remains an open and active case.
Lisa says, “He swears that the bear charged him.” FWC wouldn’t comment while the case is under investigation. But Lisa says she had previously warned her neighbor: “He was informed then he can’t be on my property with any firearms.”
Attempts to speak with the neighbor were unsuccessful, and he is not being named because no one has been arrested in connection with the shooting. Lisa says, “I think people need to realize we can co-exist and killing these wild animals is not the answer.”
According to FWC, a person can legally kill a bear in self-defense but cannot put themselves in a situation where they would need to kill the bear. If found guilty, a judge could order a fine or jail time.
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