Florida’s black bears once teetered on the brink of extinction. In the 1970s, their numbers had plummeted to as few as 300, driven down by habitat loss and unregulated hunting. Today, their population hovers around 4,000—a fragile success story that took decades to achieve. But with a proposed hunt looming in December, advocates fear that progress could be reversed, especially in the absence of sound science and public support.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has approved preliminary rules for a regulated hunt, planning to issue 187 permits across 31 counties. If approved by vote, the hunt would mark Florida’s first bear season since 2015—a year many wildlife advocates remember as a disaster. In just two days, 304 bears were killed, including 179 females, 21% of whom were still nursing cubs, according to The Washington Post.

Florida may allow the killing of 187 black bears this December.

Bear Hunts Framed as Management—But Are They?

State officials argue that hunting is a biologically sound population control method. Rodney Barreto, FWC chairman, called it “a win for all Floridians,” and said it would result in a healthier bear population. But critics point to the lack of updated data. A statewide bear population study isn’t due for completion until 2029, raising questions about whether the decision is rooted in science or politics.

Opponents, including biologists and conservation groups, argue that bears are being scapegoated for human encroachment. The increase in bear-human interactions, they say, has more to do with Florida’s exploding population—now over 23 million—and irresponsible waste management than with overpopulation of bears. In Seminole County, which previously led the state in bear-related incidents, bear-resistant trash cans reduced conflicts by 95%.

The state hasn’t completed a population study, due in 2029.

Feeding Stations and Bows: A Return to 2015?

New rules would allow the use of bows, dogs, and bait stations—methods that alarm many Floridians. While FWC claims the feeding stations will help hunters avoid killing lactating females, opponents argue it encourages lazy, unethical hunting practices that echo the controversial tactics of 2015.

In that year, the FWC issued nearly 4,000 permits—more than the estimated bear population. Checkpoint volunteers observed food-baited kills and nursing mothers being shot.

“What’s being planned now looks dangerously similar,” Samantha Gentrup, who volunteered at a checkpoint during the 2015 hunt, told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

The last hunt in 2015 killed 304 bears in two days.

Science vs. Sentiment

FWC staff maintain that a controlled hunt could reduce bear-related incidents. Yet there is little evidence that hunting bears in forests reduces neighborhood conflicts. Research cited by the Humane Society and others shows that coexistence measures like secure garbage bins and electric fencing around beehives are far more effective.

What’s more, bears regulate their own populations through a process called delayed implantation, which means they only reproduce when environmental conditions are favorable. Their slow reproductive rate makes them especially vulnerable to population shocks from overhunting.

Public Opposition Grows

Momentum is growing in the fight to halt the proposed hunt. Rallies in 13 Florida cities have drawn hundreds of demonstrators. At a May commission meeting in Ocala, 170 individuals signed up to speak, with the majority opposed to the hunt. One man called it “assassination, not conservation,” according to ClickOrlando.

Despite this, only one commissioner voted against the proposal. FWC has continued moving forward, bolstered by a 2024 constitutional amendment that designates hunting and fishing as the “preferred methods” of wildlife management. Critics, including the Humane Society, say the amendment is now being used as political cover to revive a trophy hunt that most Floridians oppose.

Bears reproduce slowly and can’t rebound from mass kills.

Conservation at a Crossroads

Vehicle collisions alone already kill an average of 300 bears annually. Adding sanctioned hunts to that toll could tip the balance. Without a complete and current population study, experts argue that any such decision is premature and potentially catastrophic for the species.

Habitat fragmentation continues to isolate bear populations, making genetic diversity harder to maintain. Wildlife corridors and protected areas—not rifles—are the tools that will ensure the Florida black bear survives another century.

Advocates are calling on state leaders to reconsider before the final vote in August. Until then, Florida’s black bears remain in the crosshairs—not because they pose a danger, but because they’ve become a symbol in a larger political battle between science-based conservation and outdated notions of wildlife control.

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