LAKELAND, Fla. — On Wednesday, staff from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission presented an updated report on the Florida Black Bear Management Plan that was last released to the public in 2019. 

Commissioners in September had requested an update on bear management over the past five years.

Staff discussed the history of bear management, the plan’s objectives for the future, while tackling four focus areas: population, habitat, human-bear conflicts and education/outreach. 

It’s been almost 10 years since a weeklong bear hunt took place in the state of Florida, and commissioners said they want to bring forward a proposal for a bear hunt they will unveil in May 2025.

The request for a proposal comes despite staff making the recommendation that no action is needed after updating the public on its bear management plan.

While FWC commissioners didn't say yes to a bear hunt, they didn't say no either.

Discussions about a bear hunt have caused concern among Central Florida environmentalists and hunters, who voiced their opinions at Wednesday’s commission meeting in Lakeland. 

What You Need To Know

  • FWC staff provided an updated report of the Florida Bear Management Plan for the first time since 2019

  • The plan has been updated every five years since its initial approval in 2012

  • Its goal is to provide up-to-date information and data about the black bear population management options

  • The plan prompted a discussion about implementing a possible bear hunt, which was last approved in Florida in 2015

Chuck O’Neal, president of the environmental organization Speak Up Wekiva, said he fears the Florida black bear population has not fully recovered since the 2015 bear hunt.

He also warned of an even bigger decline in the species’ population because of annual vehicle collisions.

“There's definitely a correlation between the two," O'Neal said. "The more miles driven on the road, the more bears are killed every year.” 

He also said he believes the recently passed hunting and fishing amendment makes the possibility of another bear hunt down the line even more of a “gut punch.”

FWC Bear Management Coordinator Michael Orlando said during the presentation that “almost 300 bears are killed by vehicles yearly, and on average, one person per year is injured by a bear.” 

However, others argued that a controlled bear hunt could be a responsible way to reduce overcrowding of black bears, helping to limit any additional harm to humans.

One public speaker said, “This is not about wiping out bears. It’s about maintaining a balanced population in high-density areas where non-lethal methods alone may not be enough.”

Orlando explained that black bears occupy more than half of what he calls “the bear range” — areas where you would expect to find black bears. 

Over 30 years ago, in 1993, their occupation was only 17%. That number jumped to 51% in 2020.

“Now bears occupy more than half of their usual range,” Orlando explained.