Endangered species

Florida Approves First Black Bear Hunt in a Decade

Published AUG 14 2025

Story

Above: A black bear walks between two homes in Longwood, Florida. Image credit: Red Huber/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service/Getty Images

The Facts

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Wednesday voted unanimously to approve a 23-day black bear hunting season from Dec. 6-28, allowing up to 187 bears to be killed in the state's first hunt since 2015.
Time
Tampa Bay Times
This comes as Florida's black bear population has recovered from near extinction in the 1970s, when only 300-500 bears remained, to an estimated 4,000 bears today, according to state wildlife officials.
USA Today
Tampa Bay Times
The hunt will use a lottery system with $5 application fees, $100 permits for Florida residents and $300 permits for non-residents. Hunting will be allowed in four management zones across 31 counties.
USA Today
Tampa Bay Times
Hunters will be permitted to use bait stations, archery equipment, firearms, and — starting in 2027 — trained hunting dogs to pursue bears, methods that critics call inhumane.
The New York Times
Tampa Bay Times
This decision follows Florida's first fatal black bear attack in May, when an 89-year-old man and his dog were killed in Collier County, prompting officials to kill three bears in the area.
The New York Times
Time
The 2015 Florida bear hunt was halted after just two days when hunters killed over 300 bears, including nursing mothers and cubs, in 48 hours — sparking public backlash.
The New York Times
Tampa Bay Times

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

This hunt represents sound wildlife management based on scientific data showing bear populations have recovered beyond sustainable levels. In the face of rising human-bear conflicts, regulated hunting provides the most effective tool to prevent dangerous encounters and maintain ecological balance.

Field and Stream

Narrative B

The approval of this misguided hunt ignores overwhelming public opposition, with 75% of surveyed Floridians rejecting the proposal. It prioritizes trophy hunters over conservation and opens the door to using cruel methods to hunt a species that faced near extinction not too long ago.

The Guardian