Commissioners of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) have voted to approve amendments to bear hunting rules, which will take effect during the 2025 hunting season.
The new rules establish Bear Hunting Zones within four of the seven existing Bear Management Units; 187 permits will be issued in total across the East Panhandle, North, Central and South BMUs, and each permit will allow the harvest of one bear within the assigned BHZ. Permits will be distributed through a random drawing, and you must be 18 or older to apply. Each application is $5.
“I am proud that Florida is joining the majority of states that manage black bears with regulated hunting,” said Rodney Barreto, Chairman of the FWC.“The components of the hunt are conservative and prioritize conservation, with a limited number of permits only being issued in the areas of the state with the largest bear populations.”
For more information on regulated bear hunting, including answers to frequently asked questions, visit MyFWC.com/BearHunting. Tips to reduce conflicts and general information about bears are available at MyFWC.com/Bear and BearWise.org.