HELP US FIGHT FOR FLORIDA'S BLACK BEARS!

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On December 28, 2025, Florida’s black bear hunt concluded amid widespread public opposition and serious concerns regarding transparency, oversight, and public accountability.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) authorized 172 bear kill permits for the hunt. On December 30, 2025, the agency reported that 52 bears were killed during the December 6-28 hunting period, stating that a final report would later provide detailed information regarding harvest locations and methods. However, due to the absence of physical check stations, an oversight mechanism employed during the 2015 bear hunt, there is no independent means to verify the accuracy of these reports. Without mandatory, in-person verification, the public will never know the true number of bears killed or whether reported kill locations and circumstances were truthful. The removal of this critical safeguard represents a fundamental breakdown in accountability and data integrity in wildlife management.

Further compounding these concerns is Florida’s movement toward authorizing the use of dogs to pursue bears. Beginning in 2026, hunters will be permitted to train dogs specifically for bear hunting. This practice, commonly known as bear hounding, is widely criticized by wildlife biologists and animal welfare experts for subjecting bears to prolonged pursuit, extreme stress, and physical exhaustion. Additional information on the impacts of dog hunting is available at our website: TheDogWars.com.

This issue is far from resolved. Additional calls to action will be forthcoming. Members of the public are also encouraged to stay engaged. Please sign and share our petition for updates and supporting efforts to halt future bear hunts: https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-florida-black-bear-trophy-hunt

HOW CAN YOU HELP?
 

1. Keeping signing and sharing our petition.
    

2. Follow us on social media for the latest updates. Stop The Bear Hunt