[TonyWojo]

The houses in the neighborhood are far a few between.

The Saw Grass Rebellion was held about a 1/4 mile from my home.

Heading East of my property there is about 65 miles of Big Cypress Preserve, Fakahatchee Strand, Everglades National Park till you get to Fort Lauderdale area.

In the last 12 years I have seen multitudes of bear, with and without cubs. I have 5 acres and no neighbors. I am sure eventually it will be blamed on over building.

[Vigilantcitizen]

That's a very brave young man you've raised .

FWIW...We're fabricating the displays for the Collier co. museum in my shop at the moment.

[AAABEST]

The dog is the sweetest dog too. One of those mini-sheltie type collies.

[Joe Brower]

Wow. Matt's got some steel in 'im, 'e does.

So when you boys want to do some bear huntin'? $;-)

[Tamzee]

I'm so glad your son is safe! :-) I can sympathize with your situation there, too. I live in an area in PA famous for our black bears, the largest in the country and our neighborhood has an average of 3 black bears per square mile. We even have a monster male that weighs about 800 lbs that I call Everest, he's fond of my parents yard a few streets away from me and I see him often. They get into houses and basements here occasionally, too, and one helped himself into the kitchen and explored the refridgerator in my parents' house while the previous owner lived there.

People being threatened by the bears happens only very rarely, though, and has usually been instigated by a dog on the scene. Twice owners have gotten hurt in my neighborhood after their dogs growled at and agitated a bear. Fish and Game has had to destroy a couple of bears recently that began acting aggressively toward people, but generally we don't have problems as long as we are careful not to get near them accidentally and never, ever leave food or garbage outside or on our porches. Pepper spray is supposed to work really well if you or a pet winds up tangling with an aggressive bear despite the precautions. I've never had to use it, thank goodness!

I'm so happy your brave son made it through his close encounter with one safely :-)

[Rebelbase]

"Big Cypress Preserve"

I spent my teen years tromping all over that swamp, both wet and dry seasons. It is one beautiful place.