Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)

Rule Changes

As of May 2026: Released 2025 harvest data; analyzing for future hunts

Florida launched a state-sanctioned black bear hunt on December 6, 2025, the first since 2015. The state allowed 172 lottery-selected permit holders to kill one bear each across four hunting zones. Only 52 bears were harvested by season's end on December 28, per FWC data released December 29.

Updated May 10