There’s always a chance you might see wildlife while in the wilderness, but some hikers in Florida got quite the show when they stumbled upon a bear relaxing on their trail.
A black bear lying across a path typically used by hikers and joggers literally stopped people in their tracks.
“It makes me nervous. It’s exciting to see the bear, but I think I would probably turn around and go the other direction,” hiker Crystal Spears said.
Experts say bear mating season typically starts in May and ends in July, so that’s the time when they’re out and about, meaning people need to be on alert right now when their anywhere near a wooded area.
“They do have up on the signage warnings,” Spears said.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, if you encounter a bear, remain standing up, back up slowly, and speak to the bear in a calm, assertive voice.
Don’t make any sudden movements and avoid eye contact.
But the hikers who spotted the bear on the trail bravely got their video and then walked into the woods to go around the bear.
“I don’t think I’d have stayed that close that long,” hiker Karen Merkle said.
