Frank Loftus/Humane World for Animals

Stop the reopening of the Florida Bear Hunt!

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is preparing for a final vote on reopening the bear trophy hunt at their August 13 meeting, and we need your comments before July 4. This is your last chance to speak up 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—81% oppose bear hunting altogether, with even higher percentages rejecting inhumane methods like hounding (89%) and baiting (86%). We cannot allow the FWC to 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 consequences could be even worse. Hounding and baiting would make the hunt even more reckless, and hunters would have the ability to wait up to 24 hours to call in their kills—adding to the chaos and suffering. Furthermore, the proposed hunt grants the FWC’s executive director sole, ongoing authority to set bear hunting quotas—bypassing both the Commission and any opportunity for public input—creating an end-run around public accountability and opening the door to politically motivated decisions that don’t reflect science or public values.

TAKE ACTION

Please take a moment to submit your comment to the Commission and urge them to reject the proposed bear hunt. Use the form below to make your voice heard and help protect Florida’s wildlife.

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 deeply values 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, such as 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 hounding 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, leaving their cubs orphaned. This time, the situation could be even worse. We cannot allow this to happen again.  

Furthermore, granting the FWC’s executive director sole, ongoing authority to set bear hunting quotas—bypassing both the Commission and any opportunity for public input—would create an end-run around public accountability. Protecting our wildlife and ensuring the future of Florida’s bear population is a responsibility we all share. 

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

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