Officials make controversial decision amid surge in bear population: 'I implore you to not allow the slaughter' – The Cool Down

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The final vote will reportedly not take place until later this summer.
Photo Credit: iStock
In an attempt to manage the animal’s local population, wildlife officials in Florida have given the green light for the first black bear hunt in the state in 10 years.  
During its May 2025 meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted 4-1 in favor of approving a black bear hunt, according to the Associated Press. This will be the state’s first such hunt since 2015, when hunters killed more than 300 bears in just two days.
From three options to manage the population, the commission selected what Central Florida Public Media called “the more comprehensive Alternative 2.” This included the approval of bear hunting permits and permit quotas, the establishment of bear hunting zones, the length and timing of the hunt, and tagging, reporting, harvest, and processing requirements. Hunters will also be allowed the use of dogs to aid in the hunting of the bears.
The AP reported that the final vote on the hunt will be held in August. If approved, the hunt will then take place in December with permits for 187 bears to be killed. 
According to an FWC report, “Balancing species population growth with suitable habitat helps to maintain a healthy population, and hunting is an important and effective tool that is used to manage wildlife populations across the world.”
The FWC estimates that there are over 4,000 black bears living in Florida. As a factor in needing to manage their population, the commission says that “adult male black bears usually live within a 60 square mile area.” This large habitat size, combined with increased human development, opens the door to human-wildlife interactions, with bear and human homes more regularly overlapping.
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In early May, an 89-year-old man and his dog were killed by a black bear in Southwest Florida — reportedly the first time in the state’s recorded history that a person is known to have been attacked and killed by a bear. This case has increased the public’s awareness of the animal’s presence in the area, potentially playing a role in the FWC’s decision.
It’s worth noting that human-wildlife encounters — often linked to the effects of human activity and construction pushing further and further into wild spaces — are typically dangerous for both people and animals. In this most recent situation, not just one but three black bears were killed in response to the man’s death, as officials sought to identify the bear directly responsible. The Naples Daily News noted that the practice is termed “lethal removal.”
Leslie Carlile, an opponent of the bear hunt, admonished the FWC’s decision. “I implore you to not allow the slaughter of these majestic animals we have in Florida,” said Carlile, per the AP, which reported that 170 people signed up to speak at the commission meeting, for and against the proposal. “Trophy hunting is pure evil in my opinion.”
Janet Osborne said, “The problem is the overpopulation of people.”
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Despite public blowback, Morgan Richardson, the FWC’s director of hunting and game management, remained confident in the regulations that have been put in place ahead of the proposed hunt. “This is a very conservative harvest,” Richardson told NBC 6 South Florida.
As the final vote will reportedly not take place till later this summer, residents may still have time to express opinions to officials. Meanwhile, addressing the root cause may be prudent. Supporting initiatives to protect wild spaces as dedicated black bear habitats, for example, or looking into local policies regulating “sprawl” could help reduce the human-wildlife interactions that can endanger both people and animals, threatening communities and ecosystems.
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