Florida man’s morning commute halted by bear wandering through his yard

Florida man spots black bear strolling through yard

A Florida man’s morning work commute was delayed after he was greeted by a black bear strolling across his front yard.

GULF BREEZE, Fla. - A Florida man’s morning work commute was delayed after he was greeted by a black bear strolling across his front yard.

Caught on camera:

In a video shared by Michael Tullos on TikTok, Tullos steps outside the front door of his Gulf Breeze home, turns the corner toward his van — and quickly retreats back inside after spotting the shaggy animal.

"Moved about as fast as I could, seeing I was still in shock," Tullos said on TikTok.

Dig deeper:

The encounter comes as bear sightings across Florida continue to draw attention following several high-profile incidents in recent months. 

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida’s first deadly bear attack happened in May 2025, when officials said an 89-year-old man and his dog were killed by a bear in rural Collier County.

PREVIOUS STORY: Elderly man, dog killed in bear attack in Southwest Florida, FWC says

Later that year, Florida held its first regulated black bear hunt in a decade. FWC says 52 bears were killed during the December season and 172 permits were issued.

MORE NEWS: Judge allows Florida’s first bear hunt in a decade to proceed

Florida Bear Hunt

By the numbers:

- Total permits: 172

- Total bears harvested: 52

- Total bear harvest zones: 4

- Estimated Florida black bear population: 4,000

The backstory:

Florida previously allowed regulated bear hunting from the 1930s through 1994, before it was halted and briefly reopened in 2015. That season ended early when harvest goals were met faster than expected, sparking controversy and legal challenges. 

What they're saying:

"Hunting is an effective tool for managing wildlife populations around the world and is a key part of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation," said FWC Chief Conservation Officer George Warthen in a news release. "It’s about helping bears succeed over the long term in our state and is a way for us to guide an iconic Florida species into the future, for their benefit and ours."