ORLANDO, Fla. – Bear harvest permit applications for this year’s season are set to open this week, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
On Aug. 13, FWC officials unanimously voted to approve a bear hunting season in Florida, which will take place over 23 days in December.
[VIDEO: Florida bear hunt approved after months of debate]
Officials said hunters can submit applications for the 2025 regulated bear hunting season starting at 10 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 12, through 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 22.
A permit is required to harvest a bear in one of the four selected Bear Harvest Zones from Dec. 6 through Dec. 28.
In addition, a valid hunting license is required unless the hunter is exempt, according to the FWC.
Mark Barton, the legislation and conservation chair for the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers Florida chapter, tells News 6 he plans to apply for one of the permits when the application process begins.
“And, you know, if I am one of the lucky ones that gets drawn, I would definitely try to harvest a bear,” said Barton.
Our team spoke with Barton about the rules and regulations FWC approved after months of debate.
“They’ve really considered all of the concerns that, you know, both sides of the argument have had,” said Barton. “What they’ve put together really kind of addresses, you know, all of those things that needed to be thought about.”
Barton mentioned regulations that will skew the harvest towards more male bears, such as scheduling the hunt during December when more females are already in dens hibernating. He said feeding stations will also give hunters who are granted one of the 187 permits to take their time and get a good look at the bears in front of them.
In the 2015 “derby style” hunt in Florida, more than 300 bears were culled within two days. The rules for this year will result in a limited number of permits being issued in areas with the largest bear populations. Only 18 permits will be granted in the Central Florida region.
“We have never seen a game species decline after it’s been adopted as a game species. We’ve only seen them flourish, and there’s no reason for us to expect that it’s going to be any different for the Florida black bear,” said Barton.
News 6 also spoke with Chuck O’Neal, the president of Speak Up Wekiva, a group that is adamantly against the hunt.
O’Neal says they are encouraging people to buy permits to acquire as many as possible.
“We’re entering the lottery in large numbers, larger than I think anyone is expecting, and we are going to secure a good percentage of those tags,” said O’Neal. “This is our last resort, and we’re going to use every effort to save as many bears as possible.”
FWC estimates there are around 4,000 black bears in Florida. While the commission believes the population is at a level to support a hunt, O’Neal disagrees. He also does not believe a hunt will diminish the number of human and bear interactions.
“The problems with bears in neighborhoods are 98% taken care of by proper trash management,” said O’Neal. “The people of Florida don’t want this.”
[RELATED VIDEO: Conservation group sues Florida over bear hunt plan, says it limits public input]
How to apply for a permit
Officials said that applicants must be at least 18 years old by Oct. 1 to apply.
There is no limit on the number of applications a person can submit, but each application costs $5 plus handling fees.
Permits will be distributed by random drawing. Only one nontransferable permit may be issued per person.
If chosen, permit fees are $100 for residents and $300 for nonresidents, plus handling fees.
No more than 10% of all permits issued will be allocated to nonresidents, officials said.
Hunters can apply online at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com by logging into their account and selecting “Apply for Limited Entry/Quota Permits.”
Alternatively, applicants can complete an application worksheet and submit it to a license agent or Florida tax collector’s office.
For more details on how to apply, visit MyFWC.com/License and click on “Limited Entry and Quota Permits.”
Additional information about bear hunting in Florida is available at MyFWC.com/BearHunting.