Fifty-five Florida black bears will be targeted in Lee and Collier counties later this year after state fish and wildlife commissioners voted to hold another hunt.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation, or FWC, commissioners voted 5-0 Aug. 13 in favor of the hunt, which will take place between Dec. 6 and Dec. 27.
But the hunt didn't pass without controversy.
Some public speakers said commissioners directed the staff (instead of the other way around) to develop the hunt, and that any idea for a hunt should have come from biologists and animal management experts.
"This is not run and gun," said FWC commission chair Rodney Barreto. "Look at our professional staff. Here is 100 years of professional staff time and we didn't direct staff to go do a bear hunt, you came to us with this oppoturnity."
His comments were met by boos from the crowd, which was divided between bear advocates and hunters dressed in camouflage and bright orange.
George Warthen, the chief conservation officer for FWC, said the idea came from a commissioner during a December 2024 meeting.
Public comment lasted a few hours as 168 people signed up to speak.
Each person was limited to one minute, commissioners said, in order to be fair to all participants.
Florida's history with black bear hunts
This is the first black bear hunt since 2015, when nearly 300 bears were killed on the first two days of a week-long season.
FWC commissioners called an early halt to that hunt after suffering a public black-eye across national and even international media.
More: FWC hunting coordinator, chief conservation officer talk about upcoming bear hunt
"There are several baiting cases under investigation and we have some undersized bears," said Diane Eggeman, then director of FWC's hunting and game management division. "There are issues with hunting out of season and without a permit."
Some cubs and undersized bears were killed, and some people hunted without a permit, FWC representatives said after the hunt.
FWC in 2015 sold 3,778 bear hunting permits, generating $376,900, which was used for bear management and research, FWC officials said.
Black bears were listed and protected by FWC as recently as 2012, after overhunting and habitat loss caused FWC to close hunting after the 1994 season.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: In the crosshairs. Florida black bear hunt approved, set for December
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