ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida wildlife officials have held the first in a series of online meetings about the possibility of a return to bear hunting in the state.
On Thursday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission received input from anyone who wanted to provide feedback on a potential bear hunt.
Bear hunting has long been a controversial issue in Florida, but calls have increased for wildlife officials to approve the first hunt in a decade.
Supporters say, in part, a hunt could help better manage bear populations as the animals interact with humans and point to a voter-approved ballot measure in November that enshrined hunting and fishing rights in the state Constitution.
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Opponents have argued that hunting doesn’t reduce human-bear interactions and say the state should use non-lethal options to address bear populations. They say unsecured trash continues to be a lure for bears on residential and commercial properties.
People who live in neighborhoods near Markham Woods Road had mixed reactions to a possible hunt.
Marcia Vanalstyne said opening up hunting of black bears may be needed to decrease encounters with humans.
“They’re getting comfortable with us and that’s where it’s getting dangerous for people,” Valalstyne said. “You’ve got children, your pets, and they’re going go after smaller things first.”
Saundra Santana said she would rather see the state continue non-lethal options for bear management.
“I don’t think killing them is something that should be done. Just relocate them,” she said.
The last hunt, held in October 2015, was projected to last up to a week. Instead, it was called off after two days as the bear death count quickly reached 304.
Commission officials at the time acknowledged being caught off guard by the success of the hunters.
The state estimated Florida had more than 4,000 bears in 2015, and the population is known to be growing. Meanwhile, the agency receives more than 6,000 calls a year about bears.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) held a virtual public meeting Thursday night to gather input on a potential bear hunt in the state, the first in nearly a decade.
As the agency deliberates, opinions among residents remain divided. Some see the hunt as a necessary measure for public safety, while others argue for coexistence with the state’s growing black bear population.
News 6 spoke with residents near Markham Woods Road in Longwood, where bear encounters are a common occurrence.
Jack Mackin, who has lived in the area for years, recalled a close encounter with a bear near his home.
“It came right up against me,” Mackin said. “I just stood there and watched it go behind the houses. That was a pretty scary time.”
Despite his experience, Mackin opposes a bear hunt.
“I prefer to let the bears roam. Let them be,” he said.
Other residents, like Joshua Jones, expressed concern about the increasing number of bears in the area.
“This was probably a month ago,” Jones said. “They broke into our screened-in enclosure. I heard something out there, took a look, and there was a 400-pound bear staring at me 10 feet away.”
Jones supports a bear hunt, saying it would help protect families in the community.
“There are just too many of them,” he said. “I’ve had personal encounters where it’s concerning to walk up to a 400-pound bear.”
However, Luke Cory and Alex McGilloway, who also live in the area, believe humans should adapt to the presence of bears rather than remove them.
“They are here because we built in their area,” Cory said.
McGilloway, who chose to live near the Wekiva Preserve, agrees.
“I know they are around,” she said. “We have a lot of sightings, so I don’t necessarily want to run into one, but I would expect it.”