Full Breakdown
Florida's 2025 Black Bear Hunting Season: Permit Applications Open Soon
9/10/2025, 12:31:19 PM
Overview of the Bear Hunting Season
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has announced that applications for bear harvest permits for the 2025 regulated bear hunting season will open on September 12, 2025, at 10 a.m. and will remain open until September 22, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. This marks the first bear hunting season in Florida in over a decade, with the hunting period scheduled from December 6 to December 28, 2025, across four designated Bear Harvest Zones.
Permit Application Details
To participate in the bear hunt, applicants must be at least 18 years old by October 1, 2025. Each application costs $5, plus handling fees, and there is no limit on the number of applications a person can submit. However, only one nontransferable permit will be issued per individual. The permit fees are set at $100 for Florida residents and $300 for nonresidents, with no more than 10% of permits allocated to nonresidents. Permits will be distributed through a random drawing process.
Applications can be submitted online at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or by completing a worksheet and presenting it to a license agent or Florida tax collector’s office.
Background and Context
The decision to reopen bear hunting follows a significant increase in Florida's black bear population, which has risen to over 4,000 from just several hundred in the 1970s. The last bear hunting season occurred in 2015, after which hunting was suspended due to concerns about population sustainability. The FWC's approval of the 2025 season was made unanimously during an August meeting, reflecting a shift in wildlife management strategy.
Criticism and Opposition
Despite the FWC's approval, the bear hunting season has faced opposition from various conservation groups. Critics argue that the hunt could negatively impact the recovering bear population and limit public input on wildlife management decisions. Some organizations have expressed concerns that the hunting season may not adequately address the ecological balance and the welfare of the bear population.
Official Statements
The FWC has emphasized that the regulated bear hunting season is a necessary measure to manage the growing bear population effectively. They assert that the hunt will be conducted under strict regulations to ensure sustainability and safety.
What's Next
As the application period approaches, hunters are encouraged to prepare their applications and familiarize themselves with the rules and regulations governing the bear hunting season. The FWC will continue to monitor the bear population and assess the impact of the hunting season on wildlife management in Florida.
Verbatim Quotes
- “No more than 10% of all permits issued will be to nonresidents.” — Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
