Florida to Hold First Bear Hunt in 10 Years

Florida will allow hunters to take up to 187 bears during a three-week-long bear season in December. (Photo by Roger Epps)

Florida will hold a three-week-long bear hunt in December, which will be the first time the state has allowed bear hunting in 10 years.

According to Fox35orlando.com, officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) voted in favor of the proposed hunt in August.

The vote follows months of debate between animal rights activists who are opposed to the hunt, and supporters of the hunt, who say it will help control the growing population of black bears and aid in conservation funding.

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

* East Panhandle (68 bears)

* North (46 bears)

* Central (18 bears)

* South (55 bears)

Guidelines encourage hunters to kill male bears.

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

Hunters will be allowed to use various archery equipment, muzzleloading guns, shotguns, centerfire rifles, revolvers, pistols and pre-charged pneumatic air guns for the hunt, which is slated to run from December 6-28, 2025.

FWC officials say hunting is a sound method for managing the growing bear population in specific Bear Management Units where numbers have grown significantly.

"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."