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Florida’s December bear hunt draws 100K applications
Florida hunters have just hours left to apply for permits in the state’s upcoming black bear hunt, a controversial season scheduled for December that has drawn more than 100,000 applications.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Florida hunters have just hours left to apply for permits in the state’s upcoming black bear hunt, a controversial season scheduled for December that has drawn more than 100,000 applications.
What we know:
Florida’s upcoming black bear hunt, set for December, has drawn more than 100,000 applications with only 172 permits available statewide. Applicants paid $5 to enter the lottery, which allows each winner to harvest one bear. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission scaled back the number of permits from 187, with 18 allotted for Central Florida.
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What we don't know:
It remains unclear whether legal challenges from conservation groups will halt or delay the hunt. Questions also persist about how effective the hunt will be in managing bear populations, and how the state will balance conservation needs with hunter demand.
The backstory:
Florida black bears have long been at the center of debate between wildlife managers and conservationists. The last sanctioned bear hunt in 2015 drew widespread criticism and legal battles. Officials cite overpopulation and habitat conflicts, while opponents argue that vehicle collisions, deforestation and poaching already put the species under strain.
What they're saying:
Supporters argue the hunt is needed to manage the state’s bear population.
"The situation is at hand. I mean, there’s no way to stop it unless we're hunting. Trapping can only go so far," said hunter Riley Ferguson, who supports the bear harvest as an ecosystem management tool. "When there’s an overpopulation of animals … it’s going to take a toll on the vegetation, because there’s going to be too many mouths to feed."
But critics, including activists and conservation groups, say the hunt will worsen pressures on the species,
"A trophy hunt is not going to help the bears. It’s going to push them toward extinction faster than they are already going," countered Katrina Shadix, director of Bear Warriors United, who has filed suit to block the hunt.
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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, hunter Riley Ferguson, and Katrina Shadix, director of Bear Warriors United.