Report 23498: Bow hunter describes possible tracks, sounds and scat north of Lake Butler

I was archery hunting in Lake Butler Management area in Baker County, Florida. I had found a hog wallow, and set up a ground blind to cover the main trail coming into the wallow. After about 30 minutes in the blind I heard several grunting and breathing noises within 10 to 15 yards of my position. I did not see what was making the noise, but I assumed it to be one or more wild hogs. Upon leaving my stand I walked through the wallow to see if any tracks had been left by the animal I heard. I discovered scat that was approximately 3.5" to 4.0" in diameter, and about 1.5' to 2.0' in length. I then found some large tracks, deeper than my boot print, leading to and away from the scat. I assumed that they were the tracks of a very large black bear. I am 6'4" and weigh over 300lbs. The tracks I saw were not as long as my boot print, but they were deeper. I now realize that the scat I saw was much too large to be that of a Florida black bear.