Tell Governor DeSantis: Stop The Bear Hunt!

On August 13 – in direct defiance of public opinion, science, and its own wildlife data – the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) voted to reinstate black bear hunting in Florida.

The decision reverses a decade-long ban enacted after Florida’s last bear hunt killed over 300 bears in just two days. Since the proposal’s inception, Sierra Club Florida has opposed the hunt as cruel, unnecessary, and ineffective, with FWC’s own research confirming that protecting and restoring habitat – not trophy hunting – is the proven way to support healthy bear populations.

By approving this proposal, the FWC has acted against the clear majority of public input, and violated its stated mission to protect wildlife through responsible, evidence-based management – and it’s now up to Governor DeSantis to put a stop to the hunt before it’s too late.

Take action today to tell Governor DeSantis to protect our wildlife, and shut down the bear hunt in Florida!

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Stop Florida’s proposed bear hunt!

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Dear Governor DeSantis

I strongly oppose the FWC’s approval of the black bear hunt in Florida.

Current peer-reviewed bear research data does not appear to support the proposition that the viability of Florida’s regional Black bear populations has reached a point where their habitats cannot sustain the existing number of bears on them. In fact, FWC’s bear research data shows some of the State’s Bear Management Units (BMU’s) are currently under-capacity for the number of bears they can support, and none of them have reached a point where they could be considered as being “over capacity” for viably sustaining their existing bear population.

Accordingly, conserving, restoring and increasing Florida’s regional bear habitats and expansion of dispersal/travel corridors for bears and other far-roaming wildlife should be the primary goal guiding FWC’s conservation of Black bears. Therefore, lacking peer/reviewed research data to substantiate an over-capacity of bears on any of FWC’s BMU’s there does not appear to be any scientific basis for authorizing a Black bear hunt in Florida.

Human-bear conflicts are primarily caused by human behavior—specifically, expanding development and urban sprawl into bear habitats. Approximately 300 bears are killed annually in vehicle collisions, a much greater concern than conflicts between bears and humans. The solution lies in public education and proactive measures to reduce human-bear interactions, not in sanctioning a hunt.

Trophy hunting has serious ethical and ecological implications, as it could disrupt bear social and reproductive structures and undermine public respect for wildlife. Instead of hunting, I urge the FWC to invest in non-lethal strategies such as habitat preservation, expansion of dispersal/travel corridors, education, and bear-safe practices to promote coexistence.

I respectfully ask that you direct FWC to shut down the bear hunt, and prioritize sustainable, science-based approaches to bear management.

Thank you,

Dear Governor DeSantis I strongly oppose the FWC’s approval of the black bear hunt in Florida. Current peer-reviewed bear research data does not appear to support the proposition that the viability of Florida’s regional Black bear populations has reached a point where their habitats cannot sustain the existing number of bears on them. In fact, FWC’s bear research data shows some of the State’s Bear Management Units (BMU’s) are currently under-capacity for the number of bears they can support, and none of them have reached a point where they could be considered as being “over capacity” for viably sustaining their existing bear population. Accordingly, conserving, restoring and increasing Florida’s regional bear habitats and expansion of dispersal/travel corridors for bears and other far-roaming wildlife should be the primary goal guiding FWC’s conservation of Black bears. Therefore, lacking peer/reviewed research data to substantiate an over-capacity of bears on any of FWC’s BMU’s there does not appear to be any scientific basis for authorizing a Black bear hunt in Florida. Human-bear conflicts are primarily caused by human behavior—specifically, expanding development and urban sprawl into bear habitats. Approximately 300 bears are killed annually in vehicle collisions, a much greater concern than conflicts between bears and humans. The solution lies in public education and proactive measures to reduce human-bear interactions, not in sanctioning a hunt. Trophy hunting has serious ethical and ecological implications, as it could disrupt bear social and reproductive structures and undermine public respect for wildlife. Instead of hunting, I urge the FWC to invest in non-lethal strategies such as habitat preservation, expansion of dispersal/travel corridors, education, and bear-safe practices to promote coexistence. I respectfully ask that you direct FWC to shut down the bear hunt, and prioritize sustainable, science-based approaches to bear management. Thank you,

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