JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Next week, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission will be discussing how - and if - it should reimplement a black bear hunt this year.
FWC released an initial proposal on how to carry one out last month, which would allow for up to 187 bear kills in December. If allowed, it would be the first time a bear hunt has been allowed in Florida in ten years.
As a result, bear activists across the state are planning to protest in across the state this weekend, including in Jacksonville.
The proposal is sparking a huge debate among locals, considering there were recently two black bear sightings in our area, and a deadly bear attack in Collier County.
In the previous hunt held in 2015, hunters were given a limit of 320 bears total. However, the hunt had to be stopped because hunters killed 304 bears in just two days.
This year, the proposal is for a three-week hunt where hunters would only be allowed to hunt in designated Bear Hunting Zones. Permits will also be awarded through a lottery system, rather than being sold without restriction like they were in 2015.
FWC started discussing bringing back a bear hunt in December 2024, well before the state’s first-ever deadly bear attack earlier this month that killed an 89-year-old.
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Supporters say a hunt could help better manage bear populations in residential areas. They also point to a voter-approved ballot measure in November that enshrined hunting and fishing rights in the state Constitution.
“It’s bad for the state’s image," said Adam Sugalski, executive director of the nonprofit One Protest.
The protests this weekend are part of his nonprofit’s Bear Defenders campaign. He says bear hunting in Florida is not necessary.
“People aren’t really eating bears, we don’t need fur rugs -It’s trophy hunting. And bears are highly intelligent animals, some studies even place them as almost smart as great apes,” said Sugalski. “And they’re already having enough problems with overdevelopment in Florida."
A vote will be held next week on whether to go forward with the proposed hunt. If approved, staff will be tasked with working out the full details before a final vote would be taken in August.
The Jacksonville protest this weekend will be held on Park Street in Riverside on Saturday from 11 am to 1 pm.
St. Augustine will have a separate one at the same time on Cathedral Place.
For information, locations, and times for each protest, click here.
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