TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Sierra Club Florida, Speak Up for Wildlife, and a growing coalition of organizations released an expert-reviewed fact sheet detailing nine major problems with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) proposed black bear hunt. The document outlines how the rules rely on outdated science, reward wealthy landowners, and mislead the public under the guise of “wildlife management.”
The proposal – set for a vote at the FWC’s August 13-14 meeting in Havana – would bring back the use of hounds to chase bears, a practice prosecuted as animal cruelty by Florida’s former Attorney General. It also permits baiting and archery - methods most Floridians consider inhumane. In the FWC’s own survey, three out of four Floridians said no to a bear hunt.
Starting in 2026, the rules would also create a separate trophy-style hunt for wealthy landowners with 5,000+ acres – allowing them to bypass the public lottery, use dogs and bait, and hand-pick who gets to kill bears – turning public wildlife into luxury trophy hunts for profit. The plan is being sold as “access,” but in reality, it privatizes the hunt for the politically connected.
Another key concern: the new rules would give FWC staff permanent authority to approve bear hunts, removing future decisions from public oversight or Commission vote.
“The FWC’s bear hunt plan is barreling ahead with no evidence of need. It creates a new system with reverse-engineered science and no public accountability,” said Chuck O’Neal of Speak Up for Wildlife. “Our fact sheet lays out exactly why this hunt is bad for bears and bad for everyday Floridians who deserve an FWC that responsibly manages wildlife.”
“This isn’t hunters vs. environmentalists. It’s ethical, science-minded Floridians who care about protecting our bears vs. trophy-hunting special interests who scorn public opinion and rig the system for their personal gain,” said Kris Cunningham, Sierra Club Florida Executive Committee Chair. “Trophy hunting has no place in our wildlife spaces in Florida.”
We emphatically call on Governor DeSantis and the Commissioners to stop the hunt.
Floridians are urged to:
- Join us at the FWC meeting in Havana, FL (near Tallahassee) on August 13-14
- Join the statewide protest on August 9th
- Call Governor DeSantis: (850) 488-7146
- Message the FWC Commissioners
- Be respectful to the commissioners and hunting advocates
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