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FLORIDA - The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has directed staff to develop proposals for a potential bear hunt, with plans expected to be presented during a May 2024 commission meeting.
This move comes as Florida’s growing black bear population continues to spark debates over management strategies.
FWC officials aim to gather additional data from ongoing bear population studies and public input before finalizing their proposals.
The discussion around resuming bear hunts remains divisive, with passionate arguments from both supporters and opponents.
Supporters of the hunt, such as Newton Cook of United Waterfowlers Florida, believe hunting is a natural and necessary tool for wildlife management.
“Over the eons, man has hunted bears and occasionally a bear has hunted a man. If we are going to have a natural distribution of wildlife, it is important that we use man in the picture,” Cook said.
On the other side, opponents argue that bear hunting is ineffective in reducing human-bear interactions and advocate for non-lethal measures.
Kate MacFall, representing the Humane Society of the United States, voiced strong opposition, stating, “The Humane Society of the United States and the humane community oppose trophy hunting and certainly we oppose black bear hunting. Respectfully, we urge you not to consider such a hunt."
Bear hunting has long been a controversial topic in Florida.
The state’s only approved bear hunt in recent decades took place in October 2015.
Initially planned to last up to a week, the hunt was abruptly ended after just two days as hunters killed 304 bears, reaching the set quota faster than expected.
At the time, Florida’s black bear population was estimated to exceed 4,000, with evidence suggesting continued growth since then.
As the FWC prepares to revisit the idea of a bear hunt, the debate underscores the challenge of balancing wildlife conservation with public safety and ethical considerations.
The May meeting is expected to shed light on the future of bear management in Florida