COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — Florida is one step closer to bringing back black bear hunting after state wildlife officials advanced a controversial motion that would allow hunters to legally shoot and kill bears in certain areas.
On Wednesday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) voted to move forward with the plan, which is aimed at managing the ecosystem and the state's growing bear population. The proposals are expected to be brought back before the Commission at its August meeting for a final hearing. If approved, it could open hunting this December.
WATCH AS COLLIER COUNTY RESIDENTS REACT TO THE IDEA OF BEAR HUNTING COMING BACK:
The last time bear hunting was permitted in Florida was in 2015.
In rural areas like Copeland, where black bears frequently roam, people say encounters have become more common and more aggressive.
“I don’t care. We need to protect our people out here, ourselves, and we should have the right to defend ourselves against any bears that attack us,” said Copeland resident Wayne Mansueto. “I’ve had a few charge at me."
Mansueto says he regularly sees bears walking through town during the day and believes their behavior is changing. He supports the idea of bear hunting coming back.
“These bears, I don’t know what’s wrong with them,” he said. “They used to— you’d yell at them, they’d run. Now they stand their ground. They come at you. Something’s going on with these bears," Mansueto added.
The debate over bear hunting reignited after Florida reported its first deadly bear attack earlier this month, which happened in Collier County's remote community of Jerome. An elderly man was killed and DNA evidence confirmed that a black bear had the man's remains inside it.
Still, not everyone supports reopening a hunting season.
At FWC’s meeting in Ocala, dozens of people spoke out against the measure, urging the agency to prioritize coexistence over killing.
“So I don’t think it’s fair to have an outright killing of the species,” said McClaud Robinson, who supports a more limited approach. “As I said before, we’re growing as a people and we’re going to butt heads with them because we need more land to grow. But it’s their land too."
Under the preliminary proposal, FWC would establish a 23-day bear hunting season for licensed permit holders, potentially starting as early as December. The plan could allow hunting with dogs and near feeding stations.
A final vote, detailing hunting zones and harvest quotas, is expected in August.
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