After being banned for more than two decades, you may soon be able to go bear hunting in Florida again.
In the wake of several bear attacks, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said they are putting it on the agenda for the board’s February 4 meeting. If the commission approves the measure, bear hunting could be legal in Florida as early as the fall. But, the commission said there would be a short season and strict quotas.
Several of the bear attacks have been in Seminole County. Residents in Sanford to Heathrow have complained of bears wreaking havoc in neighborhoods.
One woman reported that a bear killied her fish and chickens. Another attack involved Jeanne Barber, who was bitten on the arm as she walked her dog near her home in the Coventry neighborhood of Heathrow. In another case, a Longwood family's pet rabbits were eaten by a bear.
FWC officials recently caught the largest black bear on record, also in Longwood. The bear weighed a whopping 740 pounds and was put down.
Not everyone is pleased by the idea of legalizing bear hunting once again. Environmental groups are gearing up to oppose the measure, saying allowing bear hunting in wilder areas of the state won’t stem the problem of roaming bears in suburban areas.
News 13 spoke with one environmental advocate, Marjorie Holt, from the Sierra Club of Central Florida. Holt said that the Commission should remember that protecting bears and biodiversity is important. If one system collapses, she pointed out, others may follow suit.
“While it sounds like fun for many hunters, [it] probably will not take care of the nuisance bears," said Holt. "The nuisance bears have been habituated to development and residence homes, that are actually infringing upon bear habitat. So, it is important that we learn to live with them."