HAVANA — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission approved Florida’s first black bear hunt in a decade on Wednesday, Aug. 13.

Following months of deliberation and public outcry, the board gave the OK, citing that the hunt will provide access to the resource and help manage the state’s bear population.

"What is it? Is it population control, or is it bear-human conflicts? Or is it just a trophy hunt for people," said Adam Sugalski, Bear Defenders founder and animal rights activist.

According to FWC biologists, approximately 4,050 black bears remain in the state, with Northeast Florida designated as a core area. FWC staff also said that this population is stable and increasing.

It will be the first regulated hunt since 2015, when FWC Commissioners sanctioned a limited one to stabilize bear subpopulation numbers. The FWC reported that 304 bears were captured during that period.

Bears are considered a game species, with rules in place to regulate hunting; however, the approval comes with changes to how future hunts will be conducted.

The commission approved the following rules:

·       The establishment of hunting permit quotas for bear management units (BMU) annually by the executive director or designee. No permits will begiven to areas with 200 or fewer bears.

·       Special opportunity permits will be issued at random, while there will be an establishment of easily identifiable and geographically smaller bear hunting zones within BMUs.

·       The annual hunting season window will last from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, and hunters are required to tag the bears before transport and report them within 24 hours. Taken bears will also be used for data collection.

·       A phased-in approach for a Private Lands Harvest Program, which will go into effect in 2026.

Additionally, the taking of a bear at feeding stations on private lands is now permitted, as well as the use of dogs to hunt bears, which will take effect in 2027.

There is also a guest hunter limit—nine per permit with dogs, and one per permit without dogs.

This year, the hunting season will last a total of 23 days, from Dec. 6 to 28.

FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto said in a statement he was proud of the board’s decision. He said the hunt is conservative and will prioritize conservation.

Participating in a statewide protest on Aug. 9, the Jacksonville Bear Defenders group took a stand against the future vote just days before the meeting, hoping the hunt wouldn’t come to fruition.

"We were hoping they would at least change some of the rules, but they didn't," Sugalski said. "And it seemed like it just went through without a hitch."

Sugalski launched the Stop the Florida Bear Hunt campaign back in 2015, which made headlines as he said it successfully put a halt to any future hunts.

"[I'm] still wrapping my head around letting them use dogs and pulling check stations. It's like let them hunt. Let them self-report. It's OK, we trust them," Sugalski. "As an agency that's supposed to be into well-regulated scientific hunt, this seems completely backwards to what they're actually stating and what they're allowing at this point."

Sugalski, who was present at the crowded meeting, expressed concerns about the ethics involved in the decision. 

"They brought in people to speak, special speakers, during the public comment. If they had unlimited time, and they were pro-bear hunting. So, it's almost like they stacked the deck in the beginning."

Additionally, only five commissioners out of seven were present. FWC Commissioner Gary Nicklaus resigned the day before the vote.

With the addition of bear hunting, Sugalski said he fears animal cruelty.

"That was prosecuted in 2018, so what changed between now and then where it's ok to kill bears with dogs basically," he said. 

Although he said the vote is disappointing, the group will continue spreading awareness with a public campaign, as well as another protest on Black Friday.

 "We're still going to keep the pressure up and see what we can do.  We're definitely not giving up."