FWC gives approval for black bear hunt in December

By Carson Zorn, Elyse Chengery

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    HAVANA, Florida (WBBH) — On Wednesday afternoon, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted to approve a black bear hunt that will take place in December 2025.

At this week’s FWC meeting, commissioners voted in favor of amendments to bear hunting rules in the state, which will take effect during the 2025 hunting season, leading to a regulated black bear hunt in December.

The new rules will establish Bear Hunting Zones in four of the seven pre-existing Bear Management Units. These zones will be in the East Panhandle, and in the North, Central, and South Bear Management Units in the state.

187 hunting permits will be issued to these zones, with each permit allowing for the harvest of one bear within the approved zone. Permits will be distributed through a lottery system, and those 18 years and older can apply for a permit as many times as they want, with a $5 fee per application.

The FWC said that the hunt will prioritize conservation, due to the limited number of permits being issued to only the areas of the state with the largest bear populations. The approval of the hunt is an effort to address population concerns regarding black bears in Florida.

This will be Florida’s first black bear hunt since October 2015. The controversial decision comes despite protests from animal-rights advocates.

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