The recent conclusion of Florida’s first bear hunt in a decade marks an important milestone for science-based wildlife management in the Sunshine State and conservation writ large. This win for conservation was made possible through the leadership of the staff and Commissioners with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the dedication of hunting advocates throughout the state and nationwide.
Despite misleading campaigns from anti-hunting groups, the 52 bears legally harvested during this year’s season represent a successful beginning of active management of black bears in Florida. The hunt marked a significant step forward toward the FWC’s long-term population management goals that will ultimately help to slow population growth in targeted areas despite the overall harvest falling short of the allocated tag total. It also reaffirmed the FWC’s commitment to letting sound science, not emotion, drive wildlife policy.
Activists tried to use Florida courts to stop the hunt. SCI responded swiftly to help defend the FWC’s decisions, based on the recommendations of Florida’s wildlife science officials. SCI’s arguments and those of the FWC ultimately prevailed in court, defeating a proposed injunction and allowing the hunt to move forward as planned. If the detractors had gotten their way, Florida would have lost a proven wildlife management tool. Regulated black bear hunting would have been shut down, populations would continue to expand unchecked, and human-bear conflict would have continued to rise.
The 2025 Florida black bear hunt shows that science-based wildlife management can withstand pressure campaigns and misinformation. The FWC followed the data and delivered a safe, highly regulated hunt that prioritized conservation, public safety, and transparency.
In addition to our legal work, SCI proudly supported the FWC through our local chapter leaders, state advocacy team, and Foundation biologist and large carnivore specialist. Collectively, the team helped rally our members from across Florida’s seven SCI chapters to vocally support the hunt, provided multiple in-person testimonies to the FWC, and served as a constant resource for local and national media who wanted to understand why a hunt was a necessary wildlife management tool. As we repeatedly explained, regulated hunting is the only way to manage an abundant bear population. That is not advocacy—it is science and science drives wildlife policy. In approving the hunt, Florida joined every other state with a sizable black bear population in relying on regulated hunting as a proven, science-based management approach.
SCI applauds the FWC for standing firm in the face of opposition and remains committed to supporting Florida’s bear management program in the coming years, as the FWC works to promote the health and sustainability of Florida’s black bear population for generations to come. This year’s bear hunt has been a massive first step towards protecting the Freedom to Hunt in Florida and ensuring that science-based conservation prevails over emotional sentiment in wildlife management.
– W. Laird Hamberlin
W. Laird Hamberlin serves as the CEO of Safari Club International and Safari Club International Foundation.