The group Speak Up for Wildlife says they have reports of people killing Florida black bears without proper permits during the state hunt. News 6 asked state officials for an update on the hunt, but were referred to public records requests.
Florida is four days into its 2025 Black Bear Hunt, but we still don’t know how many bears have been harvested, or even if any hunters have bagged a single bear yet.
From Dec. 6 through Dec. 28, hunters who received a permit will be able to harvest black bears on private property, with permission of the property owner, and in specified Bear Harvest Zones.
The FWC’s plan would issue permits for hunting within bear management units that have at least 200 bears. Activists believe education is a better approach to prevent negative interactions between bears and humans.
Katrina McAllister and her family traveled from Ocala to join several others at Lake Eola Park Saturday to speak out against the FWC’s new proposed black bear hunt.
Florida wildlife officials are holding more online meetings this week about the possibility of a return to bear hunting in the state.
Florida wildlife officials are holding the first in a series of online meetings about the possibility of a return to bear hunting in the state.
The executive director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said Wednesday the agency is trying to address concerns about increased human-bear conflicts in Franklin County.
