ORLANDO, Fla. \u2014\u00a0Florida\u2019s wildlife officials are pushing ahead with plans for a statewide black bear hunt later this year, but not everyone is on board.<\/p>\n
Bear Warriors United, a conservation group, has filed for an injunction and has filed a lawsuit to try to stop the hunt before it even starts.<\/p>\n
What You Need To Know<\/p>\n
Conservation group Bear Warriors United has filed a lawsuit and injunction to stop the hunt
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Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission plans to move forward with a statewide bear hunt later this year
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A court hearing is scheduled for the week of Nov. 17 to determine whether the hunt can proceed
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FWC estimates there are 4,000 to 4,500 bears statewide, but opponents dispute that figure<\/p>\n
Leon County Circuit Judge Angela Dempsey plans to hear the case the week of Nov. 17 but could put it off until Nov. 24-25 to decide if the hunt goes forward or gets put on hold.<\/p>\n
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in August approved a proposal to allow 187 bears to be removed<\/a> from the state in four designated “bear harvest zones<\/a>.” Hunters had to\u00a0apply for a bear harvest permit through the commission\u2019s online licensing system and pay a nonrefundable fee of $5. A total of 172 permits statewide were made available through a random lottery system, and the recipients of those permits had to pay $100 for them.<\/p>\n Hendrick Gouws, who hunts with a bow, said he supports the hunt because he thinks some bears are too used to people and that hunting will help keep them in check.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the bear hunt will accomplish removing the bears that are desensitized by humans,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n