Florida’s black bear hunt returns: science, politics and a once–threatened species
Rule Changes
A decade after a chaotic 2015 season, Florida revives black bear hunting amid legal battles, lethal‑force laws, and a debate over what ‘science‑based’ wildlife management really means.
A decade after a chaotic 2015 season, Florida revives black bear hunting amid legal battles, lethal‑force laws, and a debate over what ‘science‑based’ wildlife management really means.
Florida launched a state-sanctioned black bear hunt on December 6, 2025—the first since 2015—allowing 172 lottery-selected permit holders to kill one bear each across four hunting zones, but only 52 bears were harvested by season's end on December 28, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) data released December 29. The limited take came despite over 163,000 applications, including activist efforts to secure and idle permits, and followed a failed lawsuit by Bear Warriors United, with 75% of 13,000 public comments opposing the hunt.
Supporters hailed the 'conservative' results as science-based management for a population estimated at over 4,000 bears amid rising human encounters, including Florida’s first fatal attack in May 2025, while opponents decried politics and outdated data, vowing continued challenges including permit buyouts that reportedly spared dozens of bears. FWC called the hunt a success comparable to other states, with biological data now under analysis to inform potential 2026 seasons.
FWC reported 52 black bears killed out of 172 permits during the December 6–28 season across four zones, a success rate similar to other states and well under the 2015 total of 304.[2][3]
≈4,000
Estimated Florida black bear population
FWC estimates the once-threatened Florida black bear has rebounded from fewer than 500 animals in the 1970s to just over 4,000 today, underpinning the rationale that the population can sustain limited hunting.[2]
304
Bears killed in 2015 hunt
The 2015 bear hunt, Florida’s first in two decades, was planned for seven days but was halted after two days when 295–304 bears were killed—near the state’s target of 320—and became a cautionary symbol for opponents.
172
2025 bear permits issued
From 163,459 applications, the FWC issued 172 permits for the December 6–28, 2025 hunt—down from an originally proposed 187—each allowing the harvest of one bear in four designated zones.
75%
Public comments opposing hunt
Roughly three-quarters of the 13,000+ public comments FWC received on the hunt opposed reopening bear hunting, highlighting a sharp divide between agency policy and public sentiment.
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Circuit Judge, Second Judicial Circuit (Leon County, FL) (Denied injunction seeking to halt 2025 hunt; underlying case continues)
Roger Young
Executive Director, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (Praised 2025 hunt as success rooted in science)
Michael Orlando
Bear Program Coordinator, FWC (Key scientific voice defending the use and validity of older population data)
Jason Shoaf
Republican State Representative, HB 87 Sponsor (Led legislative push to loosen rules on killing bears in ‘self‑defense’)
Eric Hellgren
Chair, UF/IFAS Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation (Independent scientist generally supportive of regulated hunt)
Organizations Involved
FL
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)
Government Body
Status: Released 2025 harvest data; analyzing for future hunts
The FWC is the constitutional agency responsible for managing Florida’s fish, wildlife and habitats, including setting hunting seasons and quotas for the state’s black bear population.
BE
Bear Warriors United
Nonprofit Advocacy Group
Status: Claims permit buyouts contributed to low 2025 harvest
Bear Warriors United is a Florida‑based wildlife and environmental nonprofit dedicated to protecting black bears and other native fauna through advocacy, litigation and public education.
SI
Sierra Club Florida
Environmental NGO
Status: Leading opponent of hunt; encouraged permit ‘blocking’ strategy
The Florida chapter of the Sierra Club is a statewide environmental advocacy organization that has been vocal against reopening bear hunting, arguing for non‑lethal conflict prevention and habitat protection.
FL
Florida Wildlife Federation
Nonprofit Conservation Group
Status: Advocating for more transparent, data‑driven bear management; critical of hunt process
The Florida Wildlife Federation (FWF) is a statewide conservation organization that often supports regulated hunting but has pressed FWC for stronger scientific justification and transparency around the 2025 bear hunt.
SA
Safari Club International
Hunting Advocacy Group
Status: Intervenor in lawsuit supporting hunt
Safari Club International (SCI) is a global organization that promotes trophy hunting and hunting‑based conservation, often intervening in litigation to defend hunting rights.
FWC announced 52 black bears were harvested out of 172 permits during the December 6–28 season, calling it a success with a hunter success rate comparable to other states; biological data collection ongoing for future management.
First Florida bear hunt in a decade begins
Hunt
The 23‑day 2025 bear season opens, allowing 172 lottery‑selected hunters to take one bear each across four zones. National coverage highlights both the strong demand for permits and the unusual tactic of opponents who hold dozens of unused permits or are paid not to hunt.
Judge refuses to halt hunt; permits remain valid
Court Ruling
Leon County Circuit Judge Angela Dempsey denies Bear Warriors United’s request for a temporary injunction, citing a lack of “substantial likelihood of success on the merits.” She notes that the 2015 hunt was found constitutional and that the 2025 framework is more conservative in quotas and timing.
Conservation group seeks injunction; hunters’ group intervenes
Legal Action
Bear Warriors United files a motion for temporary injunction to halt the December hunt, arguing it would cause “needless destruction” of Florida’s black bears. Judge Angela Dempsey allows Safari Club International to intervene in support of the hunt.
FWC reports over 160,000 applications for 2025 hunt
Indicator
FWC announces it has received 163,459 applications at $5 each for the December bear hunt, far exceeding the 172 permits to be issued. Activists reveal they submitted tens of thousands of entries to obtain permits they will not use, aiming to spare bears.
Bear Warriors United sues to block hunt
Legal Action
Bear Warriors United files a 15‑page lawsuit in Leon County circuit court arguing that FWC’s hunt rule violates state law, contradicts the 2019 Bear Management Plan, and relies on “obsolete” 2014–15 population estimates instead of current, peer‑reviewed science.
Final hunt rules adopted amid accusations of ‘barbaric’ practices
Regulatory Decision
FWC unanimously adopts final rules for a Dec. 6–28, 2025 bear hunt, capping permits at 187, later reduced to 172. The rules allow baiting and, starting in 2027, hunting with dogs on large private properties. Wildlife groups denounce the decision as “barbaric” and warn it’s based on outdated population estimates.
FWC gives preliminary approval for December 2025 bear hunt
Regulatory Decision
At a meeting in Ocala, the FWC votes 4–1 to preliminarily approve a December 2025 bear hunt lasting up to 23 days, authorizing up to 187 permits across four bear management units and allowing methods including bait, archery, and eventually hunting with hounds.
First confirmed fatal black bear attack in Florida
Incident
Eighty‑nine‑year‑old Robert Markel and his dog are killed near Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area in what FWC later confirms as the first fatal black bear attack in Florida history, highlighting rising human‑bear encounters.
DeSantis signs HB 87, allowing residents to shoot threatening bears
Legislation
Governor Ron DeSantis signs HB 87, granting residents legal immunity if they shoot bears they reasonably perceive as threats to people, pets or property, so long as they report the shooting within 24 hours and do not keep any part of the carcass. Environmental groups warn the law will encourage unnecessary bear killings and undermines FWC’s authority.
FWC updates Bear Management Plan without reopening hunting
Policy
FWC adopts an updated Black Bear Management Plan that emphasizes conflict‑prevention measures and notes that while future population control may be needed, the plan itself does not reopen bear hunting—fueling later claims that the 2025 hunt contradicts FWC’s own guidance.
First bear hunt in two decades begins, then ends abruptly
Hunt
FWC launches a limited black bear hunt expected to last up to seven days, after issuing more than 3,200 permits. It halts the season after two days when 295–304 bears are killed, including many females, sparking public backlash and a de facto moratorium on further hunts.
Florida black bear delisted from state threatened species list
Policy
FWC removes the Florida black bear from the state’s threatened species list, citing recovery from a low of a few hundred animals in the 1970s to thousands statewide, and adopts the first Black Bear Management Plan creating seven bear management units.
Scenarios
1
Annual Hunts Become the New Normal, Quotas Expand Gradually
Discussed by: FWC leadership, pro-hunting groups such as Safari Club International and Backcountry Hunters & Anglers
Under this scenario, the 2025 hunt proceeds without major incidents, with relatively few bears taken and limited public blowback beyond already‑mobilized opponents. FWC publishes post‑season data showing that the harvest stayed under quota and had negligible impact on overall bear numbers. Officials use those findings—and testimony like that from biologist Michael Orlando and UF scientist Eric Hellgren—to justify setting similar or slightly expanded quotas in subsequent years, embedding bear hunting as a routine management tool between October and December. Over time, opposition remains vocal but fails to secure legal or legislative change, and HB 87 remains on the books, increasing overall bear mortality from both hunting and private defensive shootings.
2
Courts Rein in FWC’s Authority and Force a New Scientific Review
Discussed by: Environmental groups (Bear Warriors United, Sierra Club Florida, Florida Wildlife Federation), legal analysts
Opponents continue litigating Bear Warriors United’s case on the merits, potentially joined by additional plaintiffs challenging both the hunt rule and HB 87 as violating FWC’s constitutional authority and the state’s duty to protect native wildlife. They argue that relying on decade‑old population data violates statutory and constitutional obligations for ‘sound’ science‑based management, pointing to FWC’s own 2019 plan language and to other federal cases where courts vacated delisting or hunting decisions over flawed science. A future ruling could restrict or void FWC’s ability to schedule hunts without updated statewide census data, forcing the agency to pause or greatly scale back bear hunting until new mark‑recapture studies are completed around 2030.
3
Political Backlash Produces a Compromise: Smaller Hunts, Bigger Non‑Lethal Investment
Discussed by: Moderate conservation groups (Florida Wildlife Federation), some legislators citing New Jersey’s mixed model
If the 2025 hunt triggers national outrage—perhaps through images of dead females or high harvest numbers—Florida politicians could seek a face‑saving middle path. Drawing from examples like New Jersey’s oscillation between hunt bans and reinstatements combined with trash‑management and non‑lethal strategies, lawmakers might pressure FWC to cut future quotas, ban baiting and hounds, and pair any limited hunt with mandated funding for BearWise initiatives, wildlife crossings, and incentives for bear‑proof trash cans. This scenario leaves hunting in place symbolically for pro‑hunt constituencies, but shifts more resources toward coexistence measures demanded by urban and suburban residents.
4
A High‑Profile Incident Triggers a Ballot Campaign to Curb Bear Killing
Discussed by: Animal‑rights organizations; some national media drawing parallels to wolf and grizzly fights
A dramatic event—such as a mistaken shooting of a person under HB 87, a viral video of a collared or ‘celebrity’ bear killed near a neighborhood, or hunter conflict inside a popular recreation area—could catalyze broader public anger. Activists could pursue a constitutional amendment, similar to other wildlife‑related ballot measures, either to limit FWC’s authority to authorize trophy hunts or to constrain the circumstances under which bears can be killed in self‑defense. They would point to national fights over Yellowstone grizzly hunts and Great Lakes gray wolf delisting as evidence that courts and voters have reined in aggressive state wildlife policies before. Success would depend on whether they can overcome Florida’s existing pro‑hunting constitutional language and the state’s conservative political tilt.
Historical Context
New Jersey’s Repeated Suspension and Reinstatement of Black Bear Hunts
2003–2023 (multiple cycles)
What Happened
New Jersey revived black bear hunting in 2003 after a 30‑year hiatus, then suspended and reinstated hunts multiple times under different governors. Democrat Phil Murphy campaigned on ending the hunt and in 2018 used executive authority to bar hunting on state lands; later, amid rising reported bear incidents, his administration approved emergency rules and a new Comprehensive Black Bear Management Plan in 2022 that reinstated regulated hunts with restrictions on cubs and baiting.
Outcome
Short Term
Bear hunts resumed with new limits and a stated blend of lethal and non‑lethal strategies, despite continuing protests and litigation threats from animal‑rights advocates.
Long Term
New Jersey’s experience shows that bear policy can swing with political leadership and public pressure, but tends to settle into a hybrid model: periodic hunts justified as safety measures, tempered by tighter rules and investments in non‑lethal conflict reduction.
Why It's Relevant Today
Florida’s fight mirrors New Jersey’s, suggesting that even after a high‑profile suspension (Florida’s post‑2015 moratorium), hunting can return under a new political coalition, and that future administrations might again reverse course or modify the balance between lethal and non‑lethal management.
Yellowstone Grizzly Bear Delisting and Blocked Trophy Hunts
2007–2018
What Happened
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service twice removed Endangered Species Act protections from grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, arguing that populations had recovered, enabling Wyoming and Idaho to schedule limited trophy hunts. In 2018, days before the first hunts were to begin, a federal judge issued a restraining order and later a ruling restoring protections, finding the delisting decision unlawful and citing concerns over connectivity, climate‑driven food changes, and cumulative human impacts.
Outcome
Short Term
Planned state hunts were canceled, and grizzlies remained under federal protection despite pressure from western states to assume control and authorize hunting.
Long Term
The case underscored that courts can significantly constrain state wildlife agencies when judges deem the underlying science or legal analysis inadequate, reshaping management and delaying hunting even for seemingly recovered populations.
Why It's Relevant Today
Opponents of Florida’s bear hunt point to these grizzly cases as proof that judges may later find FWC’s reliance on older data and its handling of cumulative risk inconsistent with legal standards, even if emergency injunctions fail at first instance.
Gray Wolf Delisting and Rapid Re‑Listing After Litigation
2011–2022
What Happened
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has repeatedly attempted to delist gray wolves, allowing states to authorize hunts, only to see courts vacate those rules. In the Great Lakes region, for example, a federal court in 2022 struck down a nationwide delisting decision, holding that FWS misapplied the Endangered Species Act by focusing on recovered subpopulations while ignoring struggling ones.
Outcome
Short Term
State wolf hunts in some regions were halted or scaled back, and wolves were restored to federal protection in many areas.
Long Term
The ongoing legal whiplash has driven calls for clearer, more defensible science and has fueled polarized politics over predator management, with lawsuits now expected as a routine check on aggressive state hunting policies.
Why It's Relevant Today
Florida’s black bear is a state‑managed species, not federally listed, but the wolf saga illustrates how advocates can use courts to challenge perceived overreach in predator management, and how agencies that push legal and scientific boundaries risk years of litigation and unstable policy.
