Florida bear hunt: FWC approves proposal for first bear hunt in 10 years

Florida bear hunt: FWC approves first bear hunt in 10 years

Officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) voted on Wednesday to host a proposed three-week bear hunt in December. This will be the first time in 10 years that hunting black bears will be permitted in the Sunshine State.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) voted on Wednesday to host a proposed three-week bear hunt in December. This will be the first time in 10 years that hunting black bears will be permitted in the Sunshine State. 

The proposal has drawn months of debate, with wildlife advocates in opposition citing concerns about the ethical treatment of the animals, potential harm to cubs and the lack of scientific justification for the hunt. Those in support argue the bear hunt would help with population management and conservation funding. 

What is the Florida bear hunt proposal?

What we know:

FWC officials unanimously passed the proposal with the five commissioners present. Two commissioners were not at the meeting. 

The newly approved Florida bear hunt rules would include a lottery-style permitting process and up to 187 bears being killed in four designated areas of the state:

• East Panhandle (68 bears)
• North (46 bears)
• Central (18 bears)
• South (55 bears)

The rules would also include guidelines to encourage hunters to kill male bears. 

Hunters will need to apply for permits through a random drawing, with a $5 application fee. Successful applicants will then pay $100 for a resident permit and $300 for a non-resident permit. 

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Hunters will be allowed to use various archery equipment, muzzle-loading guns, shotguns, center fire rifles, revolvers, pistols and pre-charged pneumatic air guns. 

Florida black bear hunt: 168 sign up for public comment

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is kicking off a two-day meeting on Wednesday, with the idea of a bear hunt being discussed on the agenda. The debate has been going on for years now. FOX 35's Randi Hildreth joins Garrett Wymer via Zoom to break down the latest from FWC's meeting where they are expected to vote on the controversial black bear hunt and 168 people signed up for public comment ahead of the meeting in Tallahassee.

What's next:

The proposed rule changes would take effect for the 2025-26 hunting season. 

The hunt is slated to run from Dec. 6-28.

How do people feel about the bear hunt?

What they're saying:

The idea of a bear hunt in Florida is a controversial topic, with strong arguments presented by both supporters and opponents.

FWC officials say hunting is a biologically sound method for managing bear populations in certain Bear Management Units where numbers have grown significantly. However, the agency emphasized that hunting alone will not resolve human-bear conflicts and that broader conflict prevention strategies must continue.

"I am proud that Florida is joining the majority of states that manage black bears with regulated hunting," Chairman of the FWC Rodney Barreto says. "The components of the hunt are conservative and prioritize conservation, with a limited number of permits only being issued in the areas of the state with the largest bear populations."

Debate over proposed Florida bear hunt

Florida could be inching toward another sanctioned bear hunt. On December 11, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) provided a five-year update on their ten-year bear management plan. The agency also heard discussion over proposals for a sanctioned hunt.

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Those in support argue the bear hunt would help with population management and conservation funding. 

Meanwhile, those in opposition cite concerns about the ethical treatment of the animals, potential harm to cubs and the lack of scientific justification for the hunt.

Activists push officials to vote against proposed bear hunt

For the first time in a decade, bear hunting may be back on the books in Florida soon. Activists rallied in Orlando against the proposed bear hunt today. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recently released its proposal for what the black bear hunt could look like. The agency is set to talk about the proposal at its meeting next Wednesday and Thursday.

When was the last bear hunt in Florida?

The backstory:

Florida last held a black bear hunt in October 2015, the first in more than 20 years. The hunt sparked widespread backlash after permits were made available to anyone willing to pay, and hundreds of bears were killed in a matter of days— ending the season abruptly due to overwhelming success.

Since then, the state has not permitted any bear hunting, and the issue has become a lightning rod for debate.