She says there were fresh bear tracks near some woods on Lane Road in Springfield. According to witnesses, a man chased the animal away with a mop.

Florida Fish and Wildlife officials say bear sightings are an everyday occurrence in the Panhandle. Residents say they've periodically seen a bear and its cubs go through a nearby dumpster. Witnesses say this one was especially large.

Kathleen Skinner, who saw the bear, says, "It was a big old black thing. When it was on two paws, it was as tall as I am and I'm a big person. I'm looking for something to sleep with but not nothing like that!"

Through September, local FWC officers have received almost 900 bear complaints. Last year, they received the second-highest number of bear calls in the state.