Florida Reports 52 Bears Harvested in First Black Bear Hunt in a Decade

Florida wildlife officials have released the first official results from the state’s controversial 2025 black bear hunt, revealing that 52 black bears were harvested during the three-week season, a fraction of the potential count and a flashpoint for ongoing wildlife management debate.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), which authorized the hunt earlier this year, said the results reflect a “highly regulated” approach rooted in scientific management and conservation planning. In a statement Tuesday, FWC Executive Director Roger Young called the season a success.

172 Permits, Four Management Zones, and New Regulatory Oversight

Unlike the widely criticized 2015 bear hunt, where more than 3,700 permits were sold, and 304 bears were killed in just two days, the 2025 hunt was limited in scope and entry.

Permits were distributed via a random drawing across four designated Bear Hunting Zones in the East Panhandle, North, Central and South regions. Officials issued 172 permits, with each allowed to harvest one bear, and the overall harvest totaled 52 bears, about 30% of permitted kills.

FWC staff and bear response contractors physically inspected every harvested bear, officials said, and biological data from the inspections will help inform future management strategies. A full harvest report is expected in the coming months.

Balancing Conservation with Hunting Management

Along with Young, FWC’s Chief Conservation Officer George Warthen emphasized that regulated hunting is a tool within broader wildlife conservation efforts.

FWC’s Division of Law Enforcement also participated heavily in the hunt, focusing on safety and education for participants. Colonel Alberto Maza, director of the division, said officers maintained a strong presence throughout the season.

Criticism, Legal Battles & Ongoing Opposition

Not all Floridians are celebrating the results. Conservation groups and opponents of the hunt criticized the FWC’s decision to reinstate bear hunting and questioned the need for lethal methods instead of non-lethal conflict reduction tools.

In some parts of the state, opponents even obtained permits themselves in an effort to ensure they were not used to kill bears. According to reporting from the Suncoast News service, opponents said they secured about 40 permits and in some cases offered them to hunters with the condition they not be used, highlighting the depth of the controversy.

Animal advocacy groups have filed a lawsuit challenging the hunt’s approval, arguing that outdated data was used in the regulatory process and that the science did not support the limited hunt. That case remains pending in Leon County circuit court, media reports show.

Critics have also pointed to broader concerns about human-bear conflicts in Florida, whether habitat loss and garbage-attractants are better addressed through preventive measures such as bear-proof containers and public education initiatives highlighted in FWC’s 2019 Black Bear Management Plan.

Where Florida’s Black Bear Population Stands

FWC estimates Florida’s black bear population at roughly 4,000 animals statewide. Although limited hunting remains a controversial management tool, agency officials maintain that the 2025 hunt’s conservative permit count and regulated zones helped keep impacts minimal while providing data and management insight going forward.

As conservationists and wildlife officials continue to debate the merits of regulated hunting versus non-lethal conflict solutions, the 2025 bear hunt appears likely to remain a flashpoint in Florida’s wildlife conversation for months to come.