Florida will permit hunters to kill black bears for the first time in ten years after state officials approved new rules on Wednesday that opponents argue will effectively allow trophy hunting.
In a unanimous decision, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission authorized an initial hunt lasting three weeks this December, followed by annual hunting seasons from October through December.
Supporters contend that regulated hunting is now necessary to control the state’s native black bear population, which has recovered after once being considered threatened. Reports of bears entering residential areas and rummaging through trash have increased in some regions.
Critics argue that bears pose minimal risk to humans and that habitat loss from overdevelopment is the real issue. They also say the rules will promote trophy hunting. Under the regulations, hunters may use chase dogs, bait stations, and bows and arrows—methods opponents consider inhumane.
The 2025 hunt, set for December 6 to December 28, will allow up to 187 bears to be taken.
In May, the state recorded its first known fatal bear attack when an 89-year-old man and his dog were killed in a wooded area of Collier County in Southwest Florida. Wildlife officials euthanized three bears in the vicinity within a day of the incident.
An estimated 4,050 black bears currently live in Florida, primarily in the state’s southwest, central, and northern regions. In the 1970s, the species was nearly extinct in the state.
