Your definitely right on the generaly part as an enormous Black Bear began hanging around "Joanies Blue Crab Cafe" in Ochoppe, Fl. on the TamiAmi Trail in the early 2000's. I saw him many times and he was or looked as big as an average Grizzly and he had NO fear of people and raided the dumpster regularly. The folks living in Copeland began giving him a 6 pack of Bud every day also and they would watch him drink it at their feet. Sometimes some moron would even pet him. The Park Service decided something BAD was going to happen so the sedated hm and he weighed in excess of 500 lbs. They then took him down somwhere in "The Hole in The Donut" part of the Glades and he hot footed it back towards Joanies and caused a bad accident and was killed crossing the TamiAmi. The occupants of the vehicle were hurt as well. Bad ending for a good Bear turned bad by people. I hated to see him die. If you ever find yourself at Joanies check out the "giant Bear pics" she has on the wall and that's him. I met Patty when she worked there so long ago and she knew the bear well. When they were dumping and he was there they would bang on the side, step back, and wait for him to vacate. In the daytime he would sleep in the Brazilian Pepper bushes in th back and at dusk begin at the dumpster and then walk to Copeland for beer and snacks. I always think about him when I'm out that way. He had a "bear beer belly" and his massive size indicated that..Sorry for the long story...
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Tom Crutchfield

www.tomcrutchfield.com

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