Applications opened Friday for Florida’s first regulated black bear hunt in a decade, a lottery that will distribute just 187 harvest permits and has reignited a heated dispute between hunters and animal rights advocates.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission began accepting online and agent-submitted permit entries at 10 a.m. EDT. Applicants may apply as many times as they wish; each entry costs $5 plus handling fees. The drawing runs through Sept. 22 at 11:59 p.m., and winners will receive a single, nontransferable permit. Resident permits cost $100; nonresident permits cost $300. No more than 10% of permits will be issued to nonresidents.
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The hunt is scheduled for Dec. 6–28 and will be limited to four selected bear-harvest zones that include parts of Clay, Putnam, and St. Johns counties. Hunters must be at least 18 years old by Oct. 1 and must also hold a valid Florida hunting license.
Inside Green Acres Sporting Goods, a stuffed bear sits as a reminder of why some residents want the state to allow the hunt. “You’re starting to see a lot more in residential areas,” said Z. Farhat, firearm manager at Green Acres Sporting Goods. “I think it’s good they’ve opened up the season at least at a limited degree.” Farhat added that customers are already gearing up and submitting applications.
But animal rights groups, led by The Bear Defenders, have pushed back — urging supporters to enter the lottery and not use permits if selected, a tactic intended to limit the number of bears killed. “They came up with this system, so why not?” said Adam Sugalski, campaign director for The Bear Defenders.
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Sugalski also questioned whether the state has adequate population data to justify a hunt now. “The FWC’s population study won’t be completed till 2030, so why would they have it now if we don’t have complete numbers? We think it’s too soon for them to even make that assessment,” he said.
Supporters of the hunt say it is a tool for managing increasing bear encounters in residential areas and maintaining population balance. Opponents counter that the state is moving forward without complete science and that some hunting methods — including the use of dogs — are inhumane.
Applications for the regulated bear-hunting season will be handled via GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or at license agents and tax collector offices. For details on how to apply, click here (click “Limited Entry and Quota Permits”) or here.
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