State Approves Black Bear Hunting

After a 20-year hiatus, black bear hunting will soon become legal in the state of Florida once more.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved a plan Wednesday that’s meant to provide more comprehensive management over the state’s growing black bear population. With run-ins between humans and bears becoming more frequent and sometimes violent, the commission opted to approve a staff plan that strengthens rules surrounding bears while opening the door for limited hunting.

“Our multipronged approach focuses on maintaining bear populations at healthy levels while ensuring public safety,” Commissioner Brian Yablonski was quoted in a media release about the decision as saying. “However, this is not something we can do on our own. There has to be an element of getting the community to police itself, since food attractants are the vast majority of the problem.”

In addition to allowing limited hunts, the plan calls for tighter regulations in regard to feeding bears and also greater regulations related to garbage – a major attractor for wild bears.

See Also:

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“We are taking a more aggressive approach to conflict bears in neighborhoods and will continue to partner with counties, municipalities and homeowner associations to reduce conflicts by securing bear attractants like garbage,” FWC Chairman Richard Corbett was quoted as saying. “Properly securing garbage and other attractants is the single most important action for reducing conflict situations with bears.”

Florida’s black bear population has grown in recent years, along with the number of complaints related to the creatures. The state has witnessed four recent bear attacks.

The state outlawed black bear hunts in 1994 when the population of bears in Florida dwindled from an estimated 11,000 at the turn of the 20th century to less than 500 in 1974. The black bear population is estimated to be above 3,000 at this time.

In 1990, the commission fielded 99 complaint calls. In 2014, that number rose to 6,312, down slightly from the 6,667 fielded in 2013, the agency noted.

It is unclear how soon limited hunts will be enacted, but they are viewed by the commission as a component of the overall management plan.

Residents who would like to comment on bear-related topics discussed at Wednesday’s meeting may do so online at MyFWC.com/Bear.

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Photo courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

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