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Florida Wildlife Commission Approves Limited December Black Bear Hunt Under Legal Fire

Conservation groups have filed lawsuits arguing that the regulated hunt is cruel and unnecessary.

In a file image, a black bear walks between two homes at the Springs Community off SR 434 in Longwood, Florida. Hundreds took part this week in a meeting about another possible hunt proved it remains a divisive issue. (Red Huber/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Protestors become vocal the day before a planned Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission bear hunt at a rally in Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando, Fla., Oct. 23, 2015.
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Overview

  • The hunt will run from Dec. 6 to Dec. 28 and allocate 187 permits by random drawing with fees of $100 for residents and $300 for nonresidents.
  • Permits are divided among four management areas covering 31 counties where black bear subpopulations exceed healthy thresholds.
  • Hunting methods include baiting, firearms and archery immediately with the use of trained dogs phased in beginning in 2027.
  • Commission officials pointed to an estimated statewide population of 4,000 bears and increasing human-bear encounters as the basis for a controlled cull.
  • Sierra Club, Bear Warriors United and other wildlife advocates have launched legal challenges in an effort to halt the season.