bear hunt

The hunt will take place in four regions of the state and use a lottery process for hunters to obtain permits.

Although the odds indicate regulators will approve the first black bear hunt in a decade in Florida, opponents will pull out all the rhetorical stops when the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) gathers this week in North Florida for a final vote.

The protests are timed to take place only days before the FWC is scheduled to vote August 13-14 on approving rules for a three-week bear hunt in December.

The proposed rules include a lottery-style permitting process, up to 187 bears being killed in four areas of the state and guidelines to encourage hunters to kill male bears.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's (FWC) voted 4-1 to move forward with the state's first bear hunt in a decade. The final decision will be made in August, with the hunt expected in December.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has given preliminary approval for a black bear hunt for December and into the future, which could eventually allow the use of up to six dogs to corner the bears and use of bowhunting.

“The only justification the FWC [Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission] has given for having the hunt is to offer an opportunity for trophy hunters to bag a bear,” the group Bear Defenders said in a statement announcing the protests.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Wednesday directed officials to bring forward proposals for a possible bear hunt. The proposals are expected to be completed by a May commission meeting, giving staff members time to compile data from ongoing studies about bear populations and gather more public input.

It will be 2019 before Florida holds another bear hunt.That’s how the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted Wednesday.The state agency…

Florida's controversial statewide bear hunt ended after the second day after a higher than expected number of bears had been killed with 295 bears...

Dozens of protesters gathered at Lummus Park in Miami Beach on Saturday in opposition to the statewide bear hunt set to take place Oct. 24-30. Organized…

It’s been 20 years since Florida’s last bear hunt, and environmentalists opposed to the hunt are seeking volunteers to monitor hunters, to make sure...