FWC advances black bear hunt proposal amid protests and attacks – WTVX

Now
92
Thu
90
Fri
88
by Skyler Shepard

TOPICS:
OCALA, Fla. (CBS12) — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is moving forward with proposed amendments to black bear hunting rules, despite public protests and recent bear attacks.
The amendments, approved for advertisement in the Florida Administrative Register, aim to reinstate regulated bear hunting during the 2025–2026 season. The decision, made at the Commission’s May 2025 meeting in Ocala, has sparked both support and backlash, particularly after a series of black bear attacks.
The proposed rules will be discussed at a final hearing during the FWC’s August 2025 meeting. If adopted, hunting will be permitted in Bear Management Units with the largest bear subpopulations to manage population growth and maintain ecological balance.
"Hunting is a biologically sound method to slow population growth, resulting in a healthy and well-managed Florida black bear population for the future," said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto.
Public protests erupted on May 18 in cities including Palm Beach Gardens, Ocala, Jacksonville, Miami, and Tallahassee. Organized by Bear Defenders, the protests criticized the FWC’s proposal as "unscientific" and premature, noting that the agency's next comprehensive bear population study won't be completed until 2028–2029.

"Their numbers have not come back since the last bear hunt in 2015," a protester told CBS12 News.
The debate over bear management has intensified following two recent attacks. In Gulf Breeze, a man was hospitalized after being attacked by a black bear outside his home. In early May, 89-year-old Robert Markel was killed by a black bear near his home in Jerome, marking Florida's first fatal black bear attack. DNA evidence confirmed the bear's involvement, and FWC officials euthanized three adult male bears in the area as part of the investigation.
See also: Quack-tastic rescue: Firefighters rescue dangling duck from tree in Jensen Beach
While some argue these incidents highlight the need for population control, others caution against using isolated tragedies to justify broad hunting policies. Experts suggest that human-bear conflicts are more effectively addressed through public education, secure trash storage, and habitat management.
The FWC maintains that hunting is just one tool in a broader bear management strategy and that conflict prevention efforts will continue regardless of the final decision. For more information on the proposed rules, visit MyFWC.com/BearHunting. To learn how to coexist with black bears, visit BearWise.org.
Find more ways to stay up to date with your latest local news. Sign up for our newsletter to get the day's top headlines delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the biggest stories and can't miss video.

source