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Associated PressJune 22, 2016

Florida wildlife officials have voted against holding a black bear hunt this year at their quarterly meeting. After nearly seven hours of comments Wednesday from staff and the public, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted 4-3 against a 2016 hunt. They also voted to have staff gather more information so that they could […]

Guest AuthorJune 19, 2016

On June 22, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will discuss whether to open another Florida black bear hunt. It was a bad idea last year, and it’s a bad idea this year, especially now that a group of knowledgeable Florida scientists has sent a detailed letter to the state’s wildlife agency. They make […]

Jim RosicaJune 16, 2016

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission staff will recommend another black bear hunt for later this year, according to a memo released Thursday. The memo, included in agenda material for the FWC meeting in Eastpoint next Wednesday and Thursday, says “the staff recommendation is to continue to use hunting to slow the growth of bear populations.” That’s […]

Melissa RossJune 11, 2016

As the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission debates whether to hold another bear hunt later this year, activists opposed to the practice say they’ll stage a statewide protest to urge the FWC to vote the idea down. Commissioners approved the controversial hunt last year, the first in the state in more than two decades. […]

Scott PowersApril 6, 2016

State redistricting has transformed west Orange County’s Senate district from a longstanding African American-dominated base to a broader, still Democratic-leaning base where environmental operative Chuck O’Neal sees a route to Tallahassee. Apopka resident O’Neal, who has been active on issues ranging from protection of springs and estuaries to opposition to Florida’s bear hunt and oil […]

Scott PowersMarch 24, 2016

There now are an estimated 4,350 bears in Florida with dramatic increases in some areas of the state, wildlife officials said Thursday. That number, included in a new state bear census, led the officials to describe the population as abundant, robust and growing. That Florida black bear census reflects the state’s population before last fall’s controversial […]

Jim RosicaDecember 29, 2015

The head of the Florida House of Representatives’ Democrats has filed legislation to protect the state’s black bears in the wake of a contentious state hunt. State Rep. Mark Pafford of West Palm Beach submitted the bill (HB 1055) on Tuesday. Pafford leads the chamber’s 39 Democrats. His bill, the “Florida Black Bear Habitat Restoration Act,” would find […]

Associated PressOctober 25, 2015

Florida wildlife officials closed two regions after the first day of bear hunting after the areas met the limit on the number of bears allowed to be killed during the first statewide hunt in more than 20 years. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission closed the east Panhandle and central Florida region after 99 […]

Associated PressOctober 24, 2015

Wildlife officials are investigating after a bear attacked a man outside Eastpoint motel. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation officials say Charles Griffin was walking near the Sportsman’s Lodge Motel and Marina on Friday night when he encountered a bear. He was released after being treated for nonlife-threatening injuries. Wildlife officials are conducting trapping efforts. The […]

Associated PressOctober 23, 2015

Hunters for the first time in more than 20 years will trudge through Florida woods on Saturday to legally kill black bears, a contentious wildlife management action that has activists taking to the streets in protest. Florida wildlife officials have sold more than 3,200 permits to hunters from all over, including 1970s rocker Ted Nugent […]

Tag: bear hunt

Florida wildlife officials vote against 2016 bear hunt

Kate MacFall: Florida black bear hunt — bad idea last year; bad idea this year

FWC staff will recommend another bear hunt for this year

Florida’s bear hunt foes gear up for new round of protests

Chuck O’Neal brings environmental issues, more to Democrats’ SD 11 race

Florida’s bear population now 4,350, abundant, robust and growing, officials say

Mark Pafford files black bear legislation

Officials lean toward shutting down controversial bear hunt

Bear attacks man on eve of controversial hunt

Amid protests, bear hunting season opens in Florida