TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Floridians hoping to hunt bears during the state’s 2026 regulated season will soon be able to apply for a limited bear harvest permit.
Bear harvest permit applications open at 10 a.m. EDT on Sept. 11 and can be submitted through Sept. 21 at 11:59 p.m. A bear harvest permit is required to harvest a bear in one of four selected Bear Harvest Zones from Dec. 5-27. A hunting license is also required to hunt bears, unless exempt.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old by Oct. 1 to apply. Applications cost $5 each, plus handling fees, and applicants may apply as many times as they want. Permits will be distributed by random drawing.
Only one nontransferable permit may be issued per person. Permits will cost $100 for residents and $300 for nonresidents, plus handling fees. No more than 10% of all permits issued will be to nonresidents.
Hunters can submit online applications at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com by logging into their account and choosing “Apply for Limited Entry/Quota Permits,” or they can complete an application worksheet and present it to a license agent or a Florida tax collector’s office.
More information on how to apply is available at MyFWC.com/License by clicking on “Limited Entry and Quota Permits.” Details about bear hunting in Florida are available at MyFWC.com/BearHunting.