An appeals court judge denied a motion to stop Saturday's black bear hunt in Florida.

Chuck O'Neal with Speak Up Wekiva issued this statement Friday night:

"At 7:37 p.m. tonight, the First District Court of Appeal denied our request for emergency relief. Our request to go directly to the Florida Supreme Court was previously denied. Having exhausted all means of legal recourse, unfortunately for the state of Florida and its wildlife, the hunt of the Florida Black Bear will go forward."

Florida's first statewide black bear hunt in 21 years is set to begin Saturday morning, but that didn't stop hundreds of protesters from gathering across the Sunshine State to speak out against it.

With only hours until the beginning of the bear hunt, demonstrators gathered at Lake Eola Park on Friday weren't backing down.

"The people of Florida, so many of them, are just grief-stricken over this," said TV journalist and animal rights activist Jane Velez-Mitchell.

Bear Hunt News & Info

Over the last few years, bears have attacked three women in Seminole County and killed several people's pets. Some Seminole County residents say they are all for the statewide hunt because of those incidents.

In April 2014, a Longwood woman was attacked by a bear as she walked near Markham Road and Brackenhurst Place in Longwood — four months after another Longwood woman was attacked while walking her dogs in her neighborhood off Markham Woods Road.

In December 2014, a woman walking her dog along Sherbourne Circle in Heathrow was bitten on the arm by a bear.

Earlier this year, a Longwood family says a bear killed their dog behind their home on Glen Ethel Lane.

About two weeks ago, a bear killed a small dog and attacked its owner in a mobile home park in Orange City.

 But those against the bear hunt called it a cruel solution.

"If you've ever watched a bear get shot, it's not a pretty sight," said protester Bruce Sowden. "I'm just totally against this hunt."

Hunters stake out their hunting locations

“I don’t think it’s going to be as easy as everybody thinks it’s going to be," said Steve Owens, a bear hunter from Altoona. "They’re smart animals, every time I’ve ever seen one unless it’s in a neighborhood, if you’re out in the woods, he doesn’t really hang out that long."

That’s not stopping Steven Owens and his family from setting up a tree stand three miles off the road, to take their best shot. 

“I think they're I don’t want to say overpopulated but there’s several hundred that are killed each year on the road, why can’t they be harvested by hunters, the meat could be used," Owens continued.

Florida Fish and Wildlife officials said the black bear hunt is a good way to manage a rapidly increasing bear population.

"This hunt is going to be carefully regulated, and it's based on excellent science," said Diane Eggeman, director of hunting and game management for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "It's scientifically based.  It's a very conservative hunt."

In Central Florida, hunting is allowed in all counties except for Osceola. 

So far, more than 3,200 people have purchased bear-hunting permits. Less than 50 of the those hunters are from out of state. Hunters will have to check in at one of 33 bear check stations, including a popular one at Rock Springs Run in Sorrento.

“I believe everybody has their right whether they’re against it or for it," Owens said. "I see both sides. This will probably be the only time I’ll ever do it if I get one, just to say that I did it, try the meat and maybe a bearskin rug, something like that and that will be the only time if they continue it. Just want to do it one time."

Hunters said they will be back early Saturday morning before sunrise to make final hunting preparations.

Bear hunting at Rock Springs Run State Reserve begins at 5 a.m. Saturday.

The FWC approved the bear hunt after a 6–1 vote in June, calling it a response to a growing number of bear encounters.

Based on the cost of the permits, Florida Fish and Wildlife has brought in more than $320,000 since August.

In some areas of Florida, populations of black bears — listed as an "imperiled species" just 21 years ago — are judged to have doubled since 2002.