At a Glance
- 52 bears were killed in Florida’s first black bear hunt in a decade.
- The hunt was limited to 172 permits drawn from more than 160,000 applicants.
- At least 48 permits went to opponents who never used them.
- Why it matters: The event raises questions about wildlife management and transparency in a state where black bears have rebounded from near extinction.
Florida’s 2025 black bear hunt, the first in ten years, ended with a kill count that sparked debate over its necessity and the hunt’s transparency. The event was tightly controlled, awarding only 172 permits through a lottery that drew over 160,000 applicants, but critics say many permits were bought by opponents who never hunted.
The Hunt
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) allowed each permit holder to kill one bear as part of the state’s wildlife management strategy. The hunt started on Dec. 6 and concluded on Sunday, yielding a total of 52 bears.
Roger Young, executive director of the FWC, praised the effort:
Roger Young stated:
> “The 2025 black bear hunt, rooted in sound scientific data, was a success.”
The black bear population, once just a few hundred in the 1970s, has grown to an estimate of over 4,000. The hunt’s success, according to Young, reflects sound science and effective management.
- Permits issued: 172
- Applicants: 160,000+
- Bears killed: 52
- Population estimate: 4,000+
Controversy
The Sierra Club’s Florida chapter criticized the hunt, arguing that it was unnecessary and poorly managed. Susannah Randolph highlighted transparency concerns:
Susannah Randolph said:
> “They have designed it so that they don’t actually know the numbers, and they have been dodging the media.”
She added:
> “So that is super fishy right off the bat.”
The lack of check-in stations and reliance on hunters self-reporting kills via the FWC’s hunting app has led to doubts about the accuracy of the reported figures.
A comparison with the 2015 hunt shows stark differences:
| 2015 Hunt | 2025 Hunt | |
|---|---|---|
| Permits issued | 3,700 | 172 |
| Bears killed | 304 | 52 |
| Female bears with cubs killed | 38 | 0 |
In 2015, at least 38 female bears with cubs were killed, potentially affecting future bear numbers. The 2025 hunt saw no reports of female bears with cubs being killed.
The San Diego Humane Society noted that a one-month-old cub, found during the 2015 hunt, was the youngest bear the organization had ever cared for.
Key Takeaways
- 52 bears were killed in a tightly controlled hunt that used only 172 permits.
- Transparency issues and the role of opponents buying unused permits fuel criticism.
- Compared to 2015, the 2025 hunt saw far fewer permits and kills, with no reported female bears with cubs taken.
The hunt’s outcome highlights ongoing tensions between wildlife management goals and conservation concerns in Florida.
