FWC reveals Florida's black bear hunt results following controversy

52 Bears Killed in State-Sanctioned Hunt, 120 Fewer Than Permitted

The bear population in Florida is estimated at around 4,050. The 2025 hunt was the first since in a decade. The state shut down the last hunt in 2015 at the end of its second day after nearly 300 bears had been killed. The 2025 rules gave hunters the green light to kill bears at game feeding stations, using food to bait the animals. The rules allow hunters to use dogs to assist them in the hunt beginning in 2027. The post 52 Bears Killed in Stat…

Hunters kill 52 black bears during Florida’s bear hunt, its first in a decade

Florida's black bear hunt, the first one since 2015, brought in a harvest of 52 bears across four of the state's bear management zones.

Florida Says First Hunt Since 2015 Killed 52 Bears

Fifty-two bears were killed during Florida's first black bear hunt in a decade , state wildlife officials said Tuesday. The bear hunt, which started Dec. 6 and ended on Sunday, had been restricted to 172 permit holders who had won their vouchers through a random lottery involving more than 160,000...

BREAKING NEWS: Florida hunt ends with 52 bears killed

TALLAHASSEE — Florida’s first black bear hunt in a decade resulted in 52 bears killed, less than one-third of the potential number.

State issued 172 Florida black bear permits but not all were used

Florida's 2025 black bear hunt results in 52 bears harvested

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported that 52 bears were harvested during the 2025 black bear hunting season, the first since 2015.