Florida could be moving towards its first sanctioned bear hunt in nearly a decade, as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission directed officials to bring forward proposals for a possible hunt. The proposals are expected to be completed by a May commission meeting, giving staff members time to compile data from ongoing studies about bear populations and gather more public input.
Supporters of the hunt argue that it could help better manage bear populations and point to a recent constitutional amendment that enshrined hunting and fishing rights in the state. However, opponents believe that hunting doesn’t reduce human-bear interactions and call for the continued use of non-lethal options to address bear populations, along with more education about securing trash to prevent bears from being attracted to residential and commercial properties.
Critics of the hunt, such as Katrina Shadix from Bear Warriors United, argue that Florida has more of a “people problem” than a bear problem, as only one Floridian is harmed by bears each year compared to 600 people who are attacked by dogs in the state. On the other hand, hunt supporters like Bill George and Newton Cook believe that a limited and highly regulated hunt could help manage bear populations effectively.
The only approved bear hunt in recent decades occurred in October 2015 and was shut down after two days when the quota for a week was exceeded. The issue of bear hunting has long been controversial in Florida, and the upcoming proposals for a possible hunt are expected to generate further debate and discussion among stakeholders in the state.
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