[Arbud]

Have been a member of this forum for 2 years and am moving here with my wife and little dog in June 2023.
This has been discussed many times before I know. I might not make any friends here, just looking for informed answers. Not funny little comments that aren't funny.
Have spent plenty of time down here in village of Santo Domingo. Walked my dog in morning light on a leash. I actually clean up after her and take it home with me. I do take her out on a leash at night to do her business.
Now from what I have read over the last couple of years, because of human encroachment on wild lives environment, there is a chance of an encounter with bears especially.
I have read that you can not kill a gator or bear. Do not know about coyotes, foxes, or bobcats.
I am however getting prepared to protect what is near and dear to me.
A super powerful flashlight for going out at night so I get no surprises. With some aid just inside in case there is a bear that I have bothered and he wants to eat me or my dog.
In walking around the neighborhood with my wife and dog will have licensed concealed aid in case of an encounter with anything that wants to eat any of us.
Now I know I have left myself wide open to antigunners and make shift lawyers but guess what I am completely competent on the use of the things I am talking about and will protect all of us.
Would anyone like to talk me out of my paranoia.

[asianthree]

If you worry about wildlife here, you may not want to walk in the dark. We not only have bears in the southern area, but coyotes, bobcats, a gator or two near any pond. Birds of prey are more frequent and a bigger concern for smaller dogs.

As far as discharging a gun in a heavily populated area in the dead of the night, I hope you are not moving to my area. Yes, I have concealed permit, but have never had a thought of every carrying during a walk or run. Why because whatever sneak’s up behind me may not be wildlife. No matter how good of eyes I have would never in the dead of night take that chance. But to each his or her own of fear of what awaits in the dark of night.

I run all by myself about 3am, see occasional wildlife, it’s the snake crawling across the road that I try to avoid.

[Caymus]

Almost nobody would be capable of killing a bear with a handgun. It is not target practice; they do not just stand still while you aim. Carry an airhorn or spray if nervous.

[Bogie Shooter]

//////

[Kelevision]

Originally Posted by arbud

Have been a member of this forum for 2 years and am moving here with my wife and little dog in June 2023.
This has been discussed many times before I know. I might not make any friends here, just looking for informed answers. Not funny little comments that aren't funny.
Have spent plenty of time down here in village of Santo Domingo. Walked my dog in morning light on a leash. I actually clean up after her and take it home with me. I do take her out on a leash at night to do her business.
Now from what I have read over the last couple of years, because of human encroachment on wild lives environment, there is a chance of an encounter with bears especially.
I have read that you can not kill a gator or bear. Do not know about coyotes, foxes, or bobcats.
I am however getting prepared to protect what is near and dear to me.
A super powerful flashlight for going out at night so I get no surprises. With some aid just inside in case there is a bear that I have bothered and he wants to eat me or my dog.
In walking around the neighborhood with my wife and dog will have licensed concealed aid in case of an encounter with anything that wants to eat any of us.
Now I know I have left myself wide open to antigunners and make shift lawyers but guess what I am completely competent on the use of the things I am talking about and will protect all of us.
Would anyone like to talk me out of my paranoia.

Please don’t move here if the only thing you’re thinking about is killing wildlife. I’ve lived here all my life, now 58, I’ve never seen a bear. I was born and raised in Leesburg, now live in the villages. it’s not legal to kill bear or gators and if you’re just looking to kill an animal, please, please, please go someplace else.

[Byte1]

Probably better chance of being accosted by a crazy old senior than wildlife. I have heard of a neighbor that was walking her small dog one day and a large hawk attempted to make a meal of it, without success.

[drpepper]

I understand your concern. I carry pepper spray and a firearm to protect my dog when I'm walking him. We aren't near water but we had a gator walk across our back lawn last summer and a bobcat has been spotted just a few doors away several times lately.

[Bogie Shooter]

Hey, you cowboys, don’t shoot towards my house.🤬

[mjr0773]

While I respect your right to a firearm I would hope that you find somewhere else to take your walks. Even a small garden flag rustling in the night or a running jackrabbit behind a bush could be a candidate to illicit a response form you and I’d hate for one of your bullets to wind up in someone’s living room. Just by the fact you posted your original post tells many that your potential new neighbors need be concerned.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

As someone said up-thread - just get an air horn. Bears don't like loud noises. They'll run from an air-horn being blasted in their direction.

If you think you need to kill all the wildlife that lives in this area just to protect your dog, maybe you should just - not have a dog.

[ThirdOfFive]

Originally Posted by arbud

Have been a member of this forum for 2 years and am moving here with my wife and little dog in June 2023.
This has been discussed many times before I know. I might not make any friends here, just looking for informed answers. Not funny little comments that aren't funny.
Have spent plenty of time down here in village of Santo Domingo. Walked my dog in morning light on a leash. I actually clean up after her and take it home with me. I do take her out on a leash at night to do her business.
Now from what I have read over the last couple of years, because of human encroachment on wild lives environment, there is a chance of an encounter with bears especially.
I have read that you can not kill a gator or bear. Do not know about coyotes, foxes, or bobcats.
I am however getting prepared to protect what is near and dear to me.
A super powerful flashlight for going out at night so I get no surprises. With some aid just inside in case there is a bear that I have bothered and he wants to eat me or my dog.
In walking around the neighborhood with my wife and dog will have licensed concealed aid in case of an encounter with anything that wants to eat any of us.
Now I know I have left myself wide open to antigunners and make shift lawyers but guess what I am completely competent on the use of the things I am talking about and will protect all of us.
Would anyone like to talk me out of my paranoia.

I wouldn't worry about bears. The bears in question are black bears and they're pretty timid critters overall. My daughter chased one off her porch with a broom when it decided to raid her trash can.

If you are worried about protecting yourself and/or your dog, try Bass Pro or Amazon. As a post farther up indicates pepper spray should be adequate. There are several brands of pepper spray designed to repel bears. I very much doubt that you'd ever need to use it but it will give you peace of mind.

Gators, the same. They're happy just to hang out around water and do their thing. The only time they're a threat to pets is when the owner gets industrial-strength stupid and allows Rover to run free along the various shorelines around here.

[Joeint]

The Lions took care of the Bears so no worries.

[Caymus]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

I wouldn't worry about bears. The bears in question are black bears and they're pretty timid critters overall. My daughter chased on off her porch with a broom when it decided to raid her trash can.

Like this bear living in a hollow tree?

Bear finds home in tree of Connecticut backyard

[Stu from NYC]

Rumor has it bigfoot has moved into the area and purchased a house down south.

[Arbud]

Last thing in the world I want to do is kill an animal. I am no cowboy. I hit what I aim at. Just want to be prepared that is all. Would love to just carry some bear spray. 35.00 rather than much more. But there sure are a lot of shoulds. I love the villages just do not want to end up dead as the population increases. Not worried about gators. You are stupid if you let your pet run near the water.
If you come between a mother bear and her cubs lets see if the loud noise or spray would work. Oh shoot it didnt I am mauled.