Man attacked by bear on eve of controversial Fla. hunt

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A bear attacked a man outside a motel in Florida on Friday evening, according to the state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which is investigating the incident.

The attack came on the eve of the state’s first bear hunt in more than 20 years.

Charles Griffin, 65, was walking near the Sportsman’s Lodge Motel and Marina in Eastpoint, about 60 miles southwest of Tallahassee, when he encountered a bear and sustained injuries at around 6:30 p.m.

Griffin transported himself to a hospital in Apalachicola with nonlife-threatening injuries. He was treated and released.

FWC law enforcement officers and biologists responded to the scene and are conducting trapping efforts.

Officials have sold more than 3,200 permits for Saturday’s controversial hunt. The season ends after a week, or as soon as the cap of 320 kills is reached.

Protests are planned around the state. Activists said the state should instead focus on trash management and curbing the smell of food in garbage.

Wildlife officials say the black bear population had grown to 3,500 — up from a few hundred in the 1970s — and presents a safety problem.

Contributing: The Associated Press