The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is hosting a virtual public meeting on Thursday, March 13, at 6 p.m. to gather input on the possibility of reinstating a regulated black bear hunt in Florida.
The 2015 Bear Hunt and Controversy
Florida’s black bear population has been steadily increasing since hunting was halted in 1994 due to low numbers, according to the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission (FWC). The species was listed as state-threatened until 2012, but by 2015, the population was estimated between 3,000 and 3,500. This growth led to increased human-bear conflicts, with FWC receiving approximately 6,000 bear-related calls annually. While bear attacks remain rare, about 300 bears are killed each year by vehicles.
FWC last allowed bear hunting in 2015, implementing a controlled hunt to address population growth and conflicts. Originally planned for a week, the hunt was cut short after two days when hunters killed 304 bears, nearing the statewide quota of 320.
Controversy followed, with concerns over rule violations. While some reports suggested infractions—including the killing of underweight bears, baiting animals, and mothers with cubs—FWC issued only one ticket and one warning.
The Renewed Push for a Hunt
At a December 2024 meeting, FWC commissioners stated that bear populations are now "large and healthy enough to sustain a hunt." However, the agency’s ongoing population study, expected to conclude in 2029, has not yet provided final data.
“When there’s too many of something, would you rather have it get hit on the highway and rot in a ditch, or allow somebody to shoot some, get the meat and skin and do something with it? ... If you don’t like hunting, fine. Don’t hunt. But if it’s legal, don’t tell me I can’t, because I will,” said Bucky Flowers, the Owner of Skins & Scales Taxidermy in East Naples.
Opponents argue that hunting distracts from addressing the root causes of human-bear conflicts, such as habitat destruction and unsecured trash.
"One of the things that they spoke about was human-bear conflicts. When there’s a human source of food, it attracts the bears. Sometimes that causes conflict between bears and humans," said Amber Crooks of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. “The staff who could be working on things like protecting wildlife corridors, addressing development in bear habitat, and really getting to the heart of the issues of conflict—bears in trash that is unsecured," Crooks added.
“I thought they were trying to solve a bear problem when there wasn’t one. Hunters just really wanted to kill some bears ... The bear’s life is worth way more than you winning a trophy," said Adam Sugalski of the advocacy group OneProtest, which organized many protests during the 2015 hunt.
The FWC meeting will allow public input on potential management options. No decision is expected immediately, but most likely will occur during the next FWC meeting in May.
For more information, visit FWC’s website.
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