During yesterday’s Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) public meeting, officials confirmed their intent to move forward with a trophy bear hunt in December 2025, despite acknowledging that Florida’s black bear population has not increased since 2015.
While Commissioner Chair Rodney Barreto initially requested multiple bear hunt proposals for the May 2025 meeting, FWC officials have now stated that they do not need approval for the hunt itself; it is already an authorized management tool. Instead, they are using the May meeting to propose rule changes that will expand hunting methods, making the 2025 hunt even more extreme and cruel than the 2015 hunt.
Proposed Rule Changes Include:
Baiting stations to lure bears into easy kills.
Archery weapons, increasing the likelihood of prolonged suffering.
Permitting out-of-state hunters and children to participate.
Authorizing packs of hunting dogs to chase bears into trees (starting in 2027).
Allowing up to nine guest hunters to fire at a single bear, even if only one holds a permit.
These proposals are not based on science, conservation, or public safety. They serve only to appease special interests at the expense of Florida’s wildlife and the overwhelming majority of Floridians who oppose the bear hunt.
HOW YOU CAN HELP STOP THIS HUNT:
Attend the virtual meeting TODAY, 4/3/25, from 5-8 pm, and Saturday, 4/5/25, from 9 am-12 pm.
Important: Please fill out this form and share it with others.
Join us at the RALLY FOR THE FLORIDA BLACK BEARS EVENT on the Northeast Lawn of Lake Eola Park in Downtown Orlando on May 4 from 12 pm to 2 pm.
CALL & EMAIL GOVERNOR DESANTIS AND TELL HIM TO STOP THE PROPOSED FLORIDA BLACK BEAR HUNT.
Phone: (850)-717-9337
Email: GovernorRon.Desantis@eog.myflorida.com
CALL THE FWC AND TELL THEM YOU OPPOSE THE FLORIDA BLACK BEAR HUNT: Phone: (850) 488-4676
Save the dates below and make travel arrangements to attend and speak on behalf of the Florida black bears at the upcoming FWC Commission Meetings on May 21-22, 2025.
Email the FWC Commissioners and submit comments to the designated Bear Comments email. All emails will become part of the public record, so please ensure your message is respectful.
You may simply state: "I OPPOSE ANY FUTURE FLORIDA BEAR HUNTS."
Alternatively, you can provide a detailed message expressing your concerns.
Suggested Email Subject Line
"I OPPOSE BEAR HUNTING IN FLORIDA"
Bear Comments Email: BearComments@MyFWC.com
Contact the FWC Commissioners directly (emails formatted for easy copy & paste are below). Copy and paste into the BCC section of your email.
Rodney.Barreto@myfwc.com, Steven.Hudson@myfwc.com, Preston.Farrior@myfwc.com, Sonya.Rood@myfwc.com, Albert.Maury@myfwc.com, Gary.Nicklaus@myfwc.com, Gary.Lester@myfwc.com
Thank you for taking action!