Florida's 2025 Black Bear Hunt Sparks Controversy Amid Population Management Efforts
Between December 6 and 28, 2025, 52 black bears were killed in Florida during a three-week hunting event described by state officials as a conservation measure. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reported that the hunt aimed to manage a bear population that has grown from a few hundred in the 1970s to more than 4,000 today. To ensure a conservative approach, 172 single-take hunting permits were issued across four of the seven bear-management zones. The use of bait and archery was allowed under the 2025 plan, while dogs were not approved but are planned to be phased in for future hunts.
Wildlife groups vehemently opposed the hunt, calling it a heartbreaking and bloody spectacle and criticizing the decision as flawed. Many advocates argue that the policy is based on questionable science and describes it as a war on bears. Further opposition is reflected in a Humane World for Animals poll, which found that 81% of Florida residents oppose bear hunting in general, with even higher opposition to the use of bait and dogs.
This controversy is not new to Florida; the 2015 bear hunt resulted in about 300 bears killed in just 48 hours but was halted amid animal welfare concerns. Authorities plan to release a full harvest report detailing locations and methods used in the 2025 hunt to provide further transparency.
