Frank Loftus/Humane World for Animals

Stop the reopening of the Florida Bear Hunt!

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is set to discuss reopening the bear hunt at their May 21 meeting, and we need your comments before May 16. This is a critical opportunity to make your voice heard and tell the Commission that Florida’s bears deserve protection, not exploitation.

The proposal includes cruel hunting methods, like using hounds to chase and bait to lure bears. Floridians overwhelmingly oppose these practices, with 81% opposing bear hunting and even higher percentages rejecting inhumane methods like hounding (89%) and baiting (86%). We cannot allow the FWC to make a decision that would bring back the destructive bear hunts of the past. The last hunt killed 304 bears in just two days, including many nursing mothers whose cubs were left to suffer.

This time, the overkill could be even worse because of hounding and baiting. Adding to the mayhem, hunters can wait to call in their bear kills by 24 hours.

TAKE ACTION

Please take a moment to send a message to the Commission and urge them to protect Florida’s bears by rejecting the proposed bear hunt, using the form below.

This action alert is for U.S. residents.

Your Message

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FWC

FL FWC

Dear Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission,

As a Florida resident who cares deeply about our wildlife, I am writing to urge you to reject the proposed reopening of the Florida bear hunt. This proposal would allow inhumane hunting practices, including hounding and baiting, both of which are overwhelmingly opposed by Floridians. Recent polling shows that 81% of Floridians oppose bear hunting altogether, and an even greater majority, 89%, oppose the use of hounds to chase bears and 86% oppose baiting. 

The last time a bear hunt was held in Florida, 304 bears were killed in just two days, including many lactating females whose cubs were left orphaned. This time it will be worse. Florida bears are naïve and not used to being hunted. Allowing the use of hounds and bait, combined with a 24-hour time lag to report kills will result in quota overruns—worse than in 2015. We cannot let this happen. These hunts are not supported by supermajorities of Florida voters. This hunt represents only a small faction of hunters. Protecting our wildlife and ensuring the future of Florida’s bear population is a responsibility we all share. 

Furthermore, the best available science shows that hunting bears will do nothing to alleviate or prevent human-bear conflicts or increase public safety.  

I respectfully ask that you take the public’s overwhelming opposition into account and vote against reopening the bear hunt.

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