Florida wildlife agency approves black bear hunting, despite protests
By Barbara Liston
ORLANDO, Fla. (Reuters) - Florida’s wildlife agency on Wednesday approved a black bear hunt in October, which it called a bear management tool, despite strong public opposition.
Dozens of people spoke for almost five hours at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission meeting in Sarasota, and commissioners said about 75 percent were opposed to the hunt.
Still, only one of the six commissioners present voted against the hunt, which will take place from Oct. 24 through Oct. 30.
Each hunter who purchases a $100-$300 permit will be allowed to kill one bear, leading to total kills of about 320 bears out of an estimated 3,150 population.
The wildlife agency in 2012 removed the Florida black bear from the state’s list of threatened species. An ongoing census indicates the bear population has risen 30 and 50 percent in two forest areas since 2002, according to wildlife service executive director Nick Wiley.
Of 41 states where black bears are found, 32 allow them to be hunted, according to the wildlife agency. The Florida black bear is a sub-species.
Florida Governor Rick Scott has signaled he would not overturn a pro-hunt vote by commissioners, who are political appointees.
Firearms and bows can be used. No unleashed dogs or bait is allowed under the rules.
By the commission’s lunch break, more than 100,000 people had signed various petitions on Change.org against the hunt.
“Keep your grubby mitts and guns off the black bear. What don’t you hear about our cries?” asked Carol Abarbanell of Englewood.
The commission proposed the hunt in January following four highly publicized cases since 2012 of bears injuring homeowners in subdivisions built in their habitat. The animals are lured by the smell of human food and garbage.
Acknowledging opponents' arguments, the commission has said there is no scientific evidence a hunt will resolve human-bear conflicts.
Laura Bevan, eastern director of the Humane Society of the United States said the only motive for the decision was "a trophy hunt."
Any October killings will do far less to reduce bear-human conflicts than universal use of bear-proof garbage cans, she said.
Several hunters who spoke said opponents were driven by emotion.
“We get these Bambi mentalities and we get a problem,” said Newton Cook, a board member for The Future of Florida Hunting.
“When you take man out of the equation in a wilderness, you start having problems because the bears are going to get overpopulated."
(Editing by David Adams and Lisa Lambert)
