As of December 6, 2025, Florida’s new bear hunting season just began, and reports from the first day and weekend mention a high number of kills, with some sources noting more than a 100 bears already killed by hunters expecting to near its quota in some regions by Sunday.
Early Saturday morning, hunters arrived armed with rifles and crossbows. Animal advocates paint the hunt as cruel, unnecessary and an excuse for hunters to take home a trophy animal. Animal advocates say the real issue stems from over development of natural forests where bears and other wildlife have been crowded out, but should have the right to live and raise their young.
The hunt continues, but the high initial kill numbers suggest the hunt could end sooner than the planned seven days.
The state issued 172 permits through a lottery system. Each permit entitles the hunter to kill one bear during the hunting period. Groups against the hunt purchased entries into the lottery system; at least 44 non-hunter permits were reportedly chosen.
Bear Warriors United are closely monitoring the hunt:
We have over one thousand volunteers monitoring the four hunting zones with thousands of trail cams set up in both public and private lands. Bear advocates who got tags will also be in the woods to document and provide the oversight that FWC should be providing.
On Friday afternoon, Bear Warriors United paid $2,000 to the first bear hunter to forfeit his unused bear tag to the FWC and chose not to kill a Florida black bear during bear “hunt.”
To cover all parties involved, Bear Warriors United required the hunter to meet at the post office, so volunteers could witness the hunter cut up his tag with scissors, place the tag in the FWC’s pre-addressed envelope and hand it to the postmaster to mail back to the FWC. Bear Warriors United then transferred the money to the hunter electronically.
The hunters in their club discussed the bear kills, and they have decided to purchase bear-proof deer feeders with the $2,000. Most hunters want to kill bears because they destroy deer feeders and eat the corn. With the installation of the bear proof deer feeders on the hunt club property, more bear lives will be spared.
The hunter also gave us an invitation to visit his panhandle property anytime to watch bears.
The animal advocacy program has been arranging payment for bear tag forfeiture with 37 other hunters who have reached out wanting to take the deal.
Saving bear lives….one tag at a time.
Hunting supporters say the season addresses overpopulation concerns in specific areas. In the alleged “overpopulated” bear areas are not based on scientific statistics, but seemingly arbitrary figures; the head of the United Waterfowl of Florida organization stated:
When an area gets overpopulated, the male bear kills the cub.
Contrary to the “need” to control the bear population in certain areas, the statements are nothing less than vague when the FWC states:
While we have enough suitable bear habitat to support our current bear population levels, if the four largest subpopulations continue to grow at current rates, we will not have enough habitat at some point in the future.
Check here for more information from Florida Wildlife Commission.
Congratulations to the bears who are living because a compassionate person purchased a hunting license they deemed improper and inhumane.
Follow the National Pet Rescue on Facebook for the latest animal related news.
