Photo: agus fitriyanto / iStock / Getty Images
FLORIDA - Florida’s first black bear hunt in nearly ten years has ended, marking a rare and closely watched wildlife management event that resulted in the deaths of 52 bears statewide.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed that the hunt ran from December 6th through December 28th and allowed a limited number of licensed hunters to harvest one bear each in designated regions.
A total of 172 permits were issued through a random lottery that drew more than 160,000 applicants, reflecting intense public interest despite the hunt’s narrow scope.
State wildlife officials said the hunt was designed to be highly controlled and based on population data indicating Florida’s black bear population has rebounded to more than 4,000 animals after decades of conservation efforts.
Bears were harvested in four management zones, and each reported kill was verified by officials.
Data collected from the hunt will be used to guide future wildlife management decisions.
The hunt drew strong opposition from animal welfare advocates and environmental groups, who argued that killing bears was unnecessary and raised concerns about reporting methods and oversight.
Some opponents applied for permits with the stated intention of not using them, a strategy aimed at reducing the total number of bears taken.
Legal challenges were filed ahead of the season seeking to block the hunt, but a Leon County judge declined to halt it, allowing the event to proceed as scheduled.
Officials emphasized that this year’s hunt was far more limited than the 2015 season, which ended early after more than 300 bears were killed.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission plans to release a comprehensive post season report detailing harvest data and biological findings in the coming months.
