Florida officials approve black bear hunt proposal

15 MINUTES. ALL RIGHT, CAM, SEE YOU THEN. BREAKING NEWS. THE BEAR HUNT IS RETURNING TO FLORIDA. YEAH, WE BROKE THE NEWS AT NOON. STATE WILDLIFE LEADERS BRINGING THE HUNT BACK LATER THIS YEAR AFTER A VERY HEATED DEBATE ON WHETHER IT’S EVEN NECESSARY. WESH TWO MICHELLE MEREDITH LIVE IN SEMINOLE COUNTY NOW, WHICH HAS SEEN ITS SHARE OF CLOSE ENCOUNTERS. AS WE KNOW, MICHELLE. WELL, THIS VOTE WAS VERY CONTROVERSIAL. ACCORDING TO A POLL, 80% OF FLORIDIANS SAID THEY DID NOT WANT A BEAR HUNT, BUT STATE OFFICIALS THOUGHT OTHERWISE, SAYING THAT THE BEAR POPULATION HAD JUST GOTTEN TOO BIG AND TOO MANY ENCOUNTERS BETWEEN BEARS AND PEOPLE. WELL, TODAY THERE WAS AN ENCOUNTER OF A DIFFERENT KIND. THE PROPOSAL FOR THIS HUNT IS UNETHICAL AND UNPOPULAR. THE IDEA TO ALLOW TECHNIQUES SUCH AS HOUNDING OR BAITING ARE PARTICULARLY BARBARIC. CLOSE TO 200 PEOPLE CAME TO THE CAPITOL TO PRESENT THEIR CASE BEFORE THE FWC. BEAR ADVOCATES SAID NOT ONLY ARE THEY AGAINST FLORIDA ALLOWING ANOTHER BEAR HUNT, A BEAR HUNT EQUALS TROPHY HUNTING. TROPHY HUNTING IS NOT CONSERVATION. IT IS KILLING FOR FUN. BUT THEY’RE ALSO AGAINST ALLOWING HUNTERS TO DO THINGS THEY COULDN’T DO TEN YEARS AGO, LIKE ALLOWING HUNTERS TO BRING BEARS TO THEM BY BAITING THEM WITH FOOD, ALLOWING DOGS TO CHASE THE BEARS, AND FINALLY ALLOWING HUNTERS THE OPTION TO KILL WITH A BOW AND ARROW. THE IMAGERY OF A RON DESANTIS BEAR HUNT IS NOT GOING TO BE A HARVEST. IT’S GOING TO BE THE LIFELESS BODIES OF BLACK BEARS HANGING UPSIDE DOWN WITH THEIR TONGUES HANGING OUT AND BLOOD POURING OUT OF THEIR MOUTHS. IT’S GOING TO BE THE 42 POUND CUB STUFFED INTO A WHITE IGLOO COOLER WITH JUST ITS PAWS AND FACE STICKING OUT. BUT FOLKS, FOR THE HUNT LAID OUT THEIR CASE AS WELL. AND I’M HERE BECAUSE I’M TELLING YOU, THE BEARS ARE CAUSING US PROBLEMS. WE’RE GOING TO SOLVE THEM IF YOU CAN’T. SO WE STAND OUR GROUND HERE IN GADSDEN COUNTY. AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. LET US HUNT THEM WITH DOGS LIKE WE ALWAYS HAVE FOR THE LAST 200 YEARS. IT’S OUR FAMILY’S TRADITION, AND IT’S. WE DEMAND TO KEEP OUR FLORIDA CRACKER HUNTING HERITAGE. AFTER A LONG THREE HOURS, THE FWC MADE THEIR VOTE QUICK. THE BEAR HUNT IS ON SCHEDULED TO START LATE THIS YEAR. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE AYE. OKAY, SO IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, RIGHT? GOT IT. ANYBODY? ANYBODY SURPRISED? NO. SO THE BEAR HUNT IS ON THE BOOKS FOR MOST T

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has approved a proposal permitting the hunting of black bears. This is the first event of its kind since 2015, when 304 bears were harvested in two days. The commission’s chief conservation officer said the proposed hunt is a method to manage the bear population. Opponents argue that killing bears for sport will not reduce human-bear interactions and suggest expanding non-lethal options, such as bear-proof trash containers, to prevent bears from being drawn to homes and businesses.The hunt would last three weeks in December and include a lottery-style permitting process. It would also allow the use of dogs to hunt bears, harvesting near game feeding stations, and a special program for large private landowners. The proposed zones for the hunt include parts of Marion, Lake, Flagler, Volusia, Seminole, Sumter and Brevard counties in Central Florida.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has approved a proposal permitting the hunting of black bears.

This is the first event of its kind since 2015, when 304 bears were harvested in two days.

The commission’s chief conservation officer said the proposed hunt is a method to manage the bear population.

Opponents argue that killing bears for sport will not reduce human-bear interactions and suggest expanding non-lethal options, such as bear-proof trash containers, to prevent bears from being drawn to homes and businesses.

The hunt would last three weeks in December and include a lottery-style permitting process.

It would also allow the use of dogs to hunt bears, harvesting near game feeding stations, and a special program for large private landowners.

The proposed zones for the hunt include parts of Marion, Lake, Flagler, Volusia, Seminole, Sumter and Brevard counties in Central Florida.