In August 2025, Florida's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) made the despicable decision to reopen black bear hunting in the state, despite Florida’s own data showing that protecting bears and restoring their habitats is the most effective way to maintain a healthy population.
The Commission’s vote to reinstate the hunt—when the overwhelming majority of public comments opposed it—makes it clear that the people charged with safeguarding Florida’s wildlife are more concerned with appeasing trophy hunters than upholding their mission of responsible, evidence-based management.
After the decision was announced, Florida residents took to social media to share their love for these gentle animals, who are sometimes spotted in rural areas: mothers leading their cubs quietly through the woods, shy bears scurrying away at the sight of people, or a curious youngster sneaking a pumpkin off a porch in the fall. These rare encounters bring joy to communities and show that black bears are widely seen as a positive presence in the state—not as a threat that requires lethal management strategies.
Bear hunting in Florida was banned for a decade following the 2015 hunt, when over 300 bears were killed in just two days. Then, sadly, in 2025, the state resumed its annual bear hunt, putting Florida’s black bears at risk once again. In the first year of the renewed hunt, activists across the state and around the country banded together to secure as many hunting permits as possible to save bears from slaughter, and in the end, despite 172 permits being issued, only 52 bears were killed.
But the deaths of these 52 bears were still far too many. This is cruelty, not conservation. We must do everything in our power to protect bears from this renewed threat of extreme violence and work to stop the hunt from going forward year after year.
Please join Species Unite in calling on Governor Ron DeSantis to shut down Florida’s bear hunt by signing the attached letter.
You can also take your support a step further by entering Florida’s bear hunting permit lottery—keeping those permits out of the hands of would-be killers.
Although you do not need to be a Florida resident, or even a U.S. resident, to enter the lottery, no more than 10% of permits may be issued to non-residents, and the cost of a hunting license is significantly lower for Floridians, so please make sure to share this information with everyone you can in the Sunshine State.
The 2026 statewide bear hunt runs December 5–27, while the permit application period is September 11–21.
How to enter the bear tag lottery:
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Buy a Florida hunting license for $17 (FREE if you are 65+) ($151.50 for out-of-staters) at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or your local tax collector’s office.
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At the top of the page, you will see an image of a hand holding a phone that says Recreational Licenses & Permits. Click on “Go to Site.”
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On the left-hand side of the page, you will see a box that says Welcome to Go Outdoors Florida. Either log in or create an account.
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Fill out the personal information form to create your account.
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Once your account is created, you will be taken to a page with an image of a red fish at the top. Click on that photo where it says “Click Here to Get a License!”
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Scroll down until you see Recreational Licenses and select Hunting.
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If you are a Florida resident, select Type 165, Hunting – 1 Year ($17.00). For non-residents, select Type 27 ($151.50).
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Check the box to defer the certification requirement.
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Add to cart and check out.
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Apply for a bear tag as many times as you want, for $5 per application, between September 11-21, 2026.
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Applicants are selected through a random drawing. Drawing results will be posted to customer accounts at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com. Successful applicants can claim their permits during one of three claim windows: September 25–October 5, October 9–19, or October 23–November 2.
Selected applicants will be eligible to purchase their permit by the applicable claim deadline. Permit costs:
Florida residents: $100
Non-residents: $300
Together, we can stop this cruelty and ensure Florida’s black bears are protected, not persecuted.
