Florida Flooded With 160,000 Applications For Controversial Bear Hunt, First In A Decade

Florida is about to host its first bear hunt in a decade, and the response has been absolutely wild.

Over 160,000 people threw their hats in the ring for a tiny handful of permits, just 172. That means the odds are slimmer than finding a needle in a haystack.

This hunt, scheduled for December, is stirring up a lot of excitement… and a fair share of controversy.

Florida’s black bear population sits around 4,000 strong, and the state says hunting is one of the ways to manage their numbers.

Still, the idea of sending hunters after these powerful animals has sparked heated debate. Some people argue that the hunt isn’t necessary at all, pointing out that fatal bear attacks in Florida are extremely rare.

Only one has been documented in recent memory, when an elderly man and his dog were injured several months ago.

Others say that as humans spread into bear habitats, interactions are becoming more common, and management tools are needed.

This year’s hunt is very different from the one ten years ago, which caused chaos and ended early.

Back then, more than 300 bears lost their lives in just two days, including 38 females with cubs, which meant many baby bears likely perished too.

Learning from that, wildlife officials have added strict rules for this year. No cubs, no moms with cubs, and permits will be awarded randomly through a lottery instead of first-come-first-served.

Even with these rules in place, animal advocates are finding creative ways to protect bears.

Groups like Speak Up Wekiva and Speak Up for Wildlife encouraged supporters to apply for permits with no intention of using them.

By filling the lottery with “safe” applications, they hope to save lives without breaking the system. It’s a clever tactic, and the number of unused permits could be a game-changer for bear survival.

Chuck O’Neal, president and founder of the two groups, shared in a YouTube video:

“This is all about saving bears. We don’t believe that bears should be hunted in the state of Florida.”

For those who win a permit, the hunt runs from December 6 to December 28. Florida residents pay $100, while nonresidents pay $300.

Hunters can use traditional methods like firearms or bows, and on private property, they can even set up bait feeding stations.

Landowners with at least 5,000 acres can run their own “bear harvest programs” under state guidelines.

The state is also keeping an eye on the bigger picture. Future hunts may last from October through December, and new rules could allow hunters to use multiple dogs to track bears.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) hopes to carefully balance population management with conservation, learning from each year’s hunt to ensure a sustainable approach.

So this December, all eyes will be on Florida’s forests and fields as hunters, bears, and wildlife advocates navigate this delicate balance.

For many, it’s more than a hunt; it’s a conversation about coexistence, conservation, and the tough choices that come with living alongside wild animals.