Select Page

Stop the Florida Black Bear Hunt

Jul 31, 2025 | Carnivores, State Wildlife Commissions, State Wildlife Management

A mother black bear stands alert with her four cubs gathered around her, all looking directly at the camera in a forested setting. These vulnerable families could be at risk if Florida reopens its cruel and unnecessary black bear hunt.

Stop the Florida black bear hunt: The Florida Wildlife Commission needs to hear from you today.

A mother black bear stands alert with her four cubs gathered around her, all looking directly at the camera in a forested setting. These vulnerable families could be at risk if Florida reopens its cruel and unnecessary black bear hunt.

Stop the Black Bear Hunt: Florida’s Wildlife Deserve Protection, Not Exploitation

Florida’s wildlife agency is once again putting politics over science and public will—this time with devastating consequences for the state’s iconic black bears.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is preparing for a final vote on August 13 to reopen the trophy hunt on black bears. That’s right: despite overwhelming public opposition and the agency’s own shameful history with bear hunting, staff are now pushing a proposal that includes some of the most inhumane and reckless methods possible—like using packs of dogs to chase bears for miles (hounding) and piles of bait to lure them into shooting range.

This is not wildlife management. This is cruelty dressed up as conservation.

A Black Bear Hunt the Public Overwhelmingly Rejects

Floridians have made their position clear in more than 13,000 public comments, with 75% opposed to the hunt. Additionally, polling shows:

  • 81% oppose bear hunting altogether

  • 89% oppose hounding

  • 86% oppose baiting

The public hasn’t forgotten what happened last time. In 2015, FWC held a so-called “management hunt” that killed 304 bears in just two days, including many lactating mothers. Their cubs were left to suffer and die. It was a bloodbath—and a national embarrassment.

Now, FWC is poised to make it worse. The current plan doesn’t just allow inhumane tactics; it would also let hunters wait up to 24 hours before reporting kills—amplifying chaos, suffering, and the risk of cubs being orphaned again.

One of the most alarming parts of this proposal? It would hand sole authority over bear hunting quotas to the agency’s executive director, permanently removing Commission oversight and eliminating public input entirely.

FWC staff even admit that black bears are not overpopulated: “While we have enough suitable bear habitat to support our current bear population levels, if the four largest subpopulations continue to grow at current rates, we will not have enough habitat at some point in the future.”

This is a power grab that rigs the system in favor of politically motivated decision-making—and locks out the people bears actually need protection from: trophy hunters, industry groups, and the narrow interests lobbying behind closed doors.

This is a systemic failure of democracy. Wildlife decisions should be grounded in ecological science, ethics, and the values of all Floridians—not just the preferences of a vocal few.

The Commission Can Stop This Black Bear Hunt

The Commission still has a choice. They can stop this before more bears die needlessly. But they need to hear from you. Your voice is crucial. Tell the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to reject this proposal and protect Florida’s black bears from exploitation and cruelty.

➡️ TAKE ACTION: Submit your comment to the Commission now.

SAMPLE COMMENT

Subject: I Oppose the Proposed Black Bear Hunt

Dear Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission,

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed black bear hunt. The vast majority of Floridians—your constituents—have made it clear they do not support this kind of policy. According to your own data, over 80% of the public opposes bear hunting, and even more oppose inhumane practices like hounding and baiting.

This proposal does not reflect sound wildlife management or ecological science. It reflects a system captured by narrow interests that prioritize trophy hunting over conservation, ethics, and the values of everyday Floridians. Wildlife governance should serve the public good—not a small minority of people who want to kill bears for sport.

It is also deeply troubling that the plan would strip the Commission of oversight authority and hand permanent decision-making power to the Executive Director. That change would silence the public and remove crucial checks and balances from a system that is already struggling to earn public trust.

Please reject this proposal. Florida’s black bears deserve protection, not persecution.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your City or County]

Not a Florida resident? Your voice still matters. Florida’s iconic wildlife belongs to all of us—and so do the consequences of reckless management. As a visitor or potential tourist, you have a right to express concern over policies that promote cruelty and undermine Florida’s natural heritage. Tell the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission that trophy hunting, hounding, and baiting tarnish the state’s reputation and threaten the very wildlife many travel to see.

Submit a comment using the above link and let them know: Florida should be a destination for wildlife watching—not wildlife killing.

Then, take the following actions:

Together, we can hold decision-makers accountable and defend wildlife from policies that value killing over coexistence.

DEFEND DEMOCRACY. PROTECT WILDLIFE. DEMAND LEADERSHIP.