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Black bear hunting permits now on sale in Florida
Now on sale: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is selling special-use permits for the upcoming black bear hunt. Permits will be available until Oct. 23 — the day before the week-long hunt. (FILE)
ORLANDO --
For the first time in 21 years, black bear hunting in Florida will be legal, and permits are now on sale.
Permits to participate in the week-long black bear hunt officially went on sale Monday and will be available to purchase until Oct. 23.
The permits will be available to purchase at licensed vendors, like Walmart, DICK's Sporting Goods or Sports Authority. Permits may also be purchased at local tax collector's offices or online atwww.gooutdoorsflorida.com.
The special-use permits will cost $100 for Florida residents and $300 for non-residents.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in June approved the week-long hunt with a 6-1 vote. The hunt takes place Oct. 24-30, but it might not last a full seven days if the bear harvest goal is met.
Fish and Widlife officials estimate there are about 1,300 bears in the Central Region. Hunters will likely be allowed to harvest about 100 during the upcoming season.
The harvesting limit will be one bear per person per season.
Wildlife officials said they won't limit the number of permits sold, but there will be a harvest quota, which will limit the number of bears that can be harvested during the season.
The bear hunt is in response to the growing number of bear encounters, particularly in Central Florida. In some areas of the state, populations of black bears — listed as an "imperiled species" just 21 years ago — are judged to have doubled since 2002.
While permits are now available for purchase, controversy remains. Some opponents of the hunt are still fighting to try to stop it. One group, Speak Up Wekiva, has filed a lawsuit against the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission claiming it violated the state’s constitution by lifting the ban on the hunt.
Fish and Wildlife officials countered that by stating the bear population across the state has exploded in recent years to more than 3,000 bears statewide.
The bear hunt will take place in four of the seven Bear Management Units throughout the state.
Central Florida is included in the Central Region. Osceola Ocounty, however, is included in another region where hunting is not permitted.
Green and Brown areas show where the bears largely inhabit. The areas with the largest number of bear encounters are the East Panhandle and Central Bear Management Units. To take a closer look at bear encounters where you live, go to the FWC website.
Human-bear conflicts in Florida
Florida Fish and Wildlife officials said a bear threatening a human is rare.
From 1980 to 2012, only 1 percent of bear encounters involved a bear threatening a human. Most of the encounters involving seeing a bear in the area, in a yard or in a tree (38 percent), or seeing a bear rummaging in the garbage (31 percent).
According to FWC, Lake, Marion, Seminole and Volusia counties make up the majority of the calls regarding black bear sightings. The Ocala National Forest, a major bear habitat, spreads out into most of those counties, although Seminole County isn't included in the Ocala National Forest.
(Source: FWC)
how do you feel about this?
Now on sale: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is selling special-use permits for the upcoming black bear hunt. Permits will be available until Oct. 23 — the day before the week-long hunt. (FILE)
ORLANDO --
For the first time in 21 years, black bear hunting in Florida will be legal, and permits are now on sale.
Permits to participate in the week-long black bear hunt officially went on sale Monday and will be available to purchase until Oct. 23.
The permits will be available to purchase at licensed vendors, like Walmart, DICK's Sporting Goods or Sports Authority. Permits may also be purchased at local tax collector's offices or online atwww.gooutdoorsflorida.com.
The special-use permits will cost $100 for Florida residents and $300 for non-residents.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in June approved the week-long hunt with a 6-1 vote. The hunt takes place Oct. 24-30, but it might not last a full seven days if the bear harvest goal is met.
Fish and Widlife officials estimate there are about 1,300 bears in the Central Region. Hunters will likely be allowed to harvest about 100 during the upcoming season.
The harvesting limit will be one bear per person per season.
Wildlife officials said they won't limit the number of permits sold, but there will be a harvest quota, which will limit the number of bears that can be harvested during the season.
The bear hunt is in response to the growing number of bear encounters, particularly in Central Florida. In some areas of the state, populations of black bears — listed as an "imperiled species" just 21 years ago — are judged to have doubled since 2002.
While permits are now available for purchase, controversy remains. Some opponents of the hunt are still fighting to try to stop it. One group, Speak Up Wekiva, has filed a lawsuit against the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission claiming it violated the state’s constitution by lifting the ban on the hunt.
Fish and Wildlife officials countered that by stating the bear population across the state has exploded in recent years to more than 3,000 bears statewide.
The bear hunt will take place in four of the seven Bear Management Units throughout the state.
Central Florida is included in the Central Region. Osceola Ocounty, however, is included in another region where hunting is not permitted.
Green and Brown areas show where the bears largely inhabit. The areas with the largest number of bear encounters are the East Panhandle and Central Bear Management Units. To take a closer look at bear encounters where you live, go to the FWC website.
Human-bear conflicts in Florida
Florida Fish and Wildlife officials said a bear threatening a human is rare.
From 1980 to 2012, only 1 percent of bear encounters involved a bear threatening a human. Most of the encounters involving seeing a bear in the area, in a yard or in a tree (38 percent), or seeing a bear rummaging in the garbage (31 percent).
According to FWC, Lake, Marion, Seminole and Volusia counties make up the majority of the calls regarding black bear sightings. The Ocala National Forest, a major bear habitat, spreads out into most of those counties, although Seminole County isn't included in the Ocala National Forest.
(Source: FWC)
how do you feel about this?
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