As the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission continues to analyze the state\u2019s first permitted bear hunt in a decade, the agency has started to release more data.<\/p>\n
A fact sheet posted Friday showed that all but six of the 172 permits purchased were by Florida residents, and nearly half of the 52 bears killed during the 23-day hunt that started Dec. 6 were female.<\/p>\n
None of the 24 female bears were reported to be lactating, which is a sign a female bear recently gave birth.<\/p>\n
The quota was said to be based on a formula that sought to reduce the number of females killed.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll bears harvested met the size requirements of the hunt,\u201d a release from the conservation commission stated. \u201cNo warnings or citations were issued for violations of bear hunting rules.\u201d<\/p>\n
The report states that a warning was issued for trespassing in a Wildlife Management Area.<\/p>\n
And while the permits were said to be non-transferable, the report notes that one bear was killed by a \u201cguest hunter.\u201d<\/p>\n
Conservation commission Executive Director Roger Young said on Wednesday that \u201cby all management measures, the hunt was a success.\u201d<\/p>\n
The hunt was held in four regions of the state where an estimated 3,609 bears lived.<\/p>\n
A bear killed in Collier County weighed 697.4 pounds.<\/p>\n
All but three of the bears were killed with a rifle. Two were killed with a shotgun. One death was attributed to a hunter with a bow.<\/p>\n
The permits were awarded through a lottery style draw that required $5 per entry. Animal rights groups encouraged supporters to apply to limit the number of bears killed.<\/p>\n
The fact sheet states that of the 163,459 applications received, they were submitted by 14,996 individuals.<\/p>\n