Florida Wildlife officials to decide...

HAVANA, Fla. — Florida wildlife officials are set to make a historic and highly contentious decision Wednesday that could open the door to black bear hunting in the Sunshine State for the first time in a decade.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will meet at 8:30 a.m. in Havana, where commissioners are expected to hold a final vote on a rule package they preliminarily approved in May. The proposal would create a regulated black bear hunting season starting December 2025 — a move supporters say is needed to manage growing bear populations, but critics argue is unnecessary and cruel.

FORT MYERS PROTESTERS AGAINST THE BEAR HUNT:

FWC staff say the purpose of the hunt is to “manage the bear population through a conservative, well-regulated bear hunt” and keep numbers in balance with available habitat.

Under the plan, hunting would be limited to specific Bear Hunt Zones within larger Bear Management Units, with permits issued via a random draw and caps based on population data and female bear survival rates. The initial season would run 23 days — from the first Saturday in December to the last Sunday of the month — with future dates set annually. The rules would also allow the use of dogs to hunt bears, harvest near game feeding stations, and a special program for large private landowners.

COLLIER COUNTY RESIDENTS WEIGH IN ON BEAR HUNT:

Public feedback has been extensive: more than 10,000 comments have been submitted since the proposal was introduced. Wednesday’s meeting is expected to draw even more— hundreds of protesters and activists, many from animal rights and environmental groups.

It comes as attorneys for Bear Warriors United say they plan to file a lawsuit in Leon County’s administrative court aimed at blocking the hunt. The group said to expect the filing by Tuesday evening.

The issue has divided Floridians. Proponents, including wildlife managers and hunting advocates, point to an estimated statewide black bear population of roughly 3,800 and rising reports of human-bear encounters — including a fatal attack in Collier County — as signs that intervention is needed. Opponents counter that habitat loss and unsecured trash, not overpopulation, are driving conflicts, and that killing bears is the wrong approach.

FWC Chair Rodney Barreto has called hunting “a biologically sound method to slow population growth”, while activists have labeled the plan “trophy hunting” and promised to keep fighting.

With a final decision now— potentially— just hours away, Havana is bracing for a showdown that could shape Florida wildlife policy for years to come.