Overview
- The season runs Dec. 6–28 with a one-bear limit per permit across four designated zones: East Panhandle, North, Central, and South.
- More than 160,000 people applied for the 172 permits, and at least 43 of those permits went to opponents who say they will not hunt, according to the Florida chapter of the Sierra Club.
- State wildlife officials cite an estimated statewide population of more than 4,000 bears and describe hunting as a population-management tool.
- Rules are stricter than in 2015, when over 3,700 permits were sold, 304 bears were killed, and the hunt was ended early despite not exceeding the quota.
- An emergency injunction filed in October was denied on Nov. 24, clearing the way for the hunt to begin while broader legal challenges continue.