The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will host a series of virtual public meetings in April to gather feedback on proposed regulations for highly regulated black bear hunting in Florida.
These meetings are a continuation of the FWC’s efforts to engage with stakeholders and the public regarding bear management. In March, the FWC collected comments on potential hunting season options, which have been used to develop the current proposals.
READ: Florida Considers Bear Hunt After Decade-Long Hiatus
The virtual meetings will provide Florida residents with an opportunity to directly share their thoughts with the FWC before the proposals are presented to Commissioners at the May meeting.
Meeting Schedule:
- April 2 from 12-3 p.m. EDT: Virtual meeting via Zoom
- April 3 from 5-8 p.m. EDT: Virtual meeting via Zoom
- April 5 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. EDT: Virtual meeting via Zoom
The content covered in each meeting will be identical, so attending multiple meetings is not necessary.
The decision to hold these meetings follows a December 2024 Commission meeting where the FWC’s Bear Management Program provided a 5-year update on the 2019 Florida Black Bear Management Plan. Commissioners then directed staff to develop and propose options for a potential bear hunt.
READ: US Marshals: Bear Attack Hoax Leads To Tennessee Murder Suspect’s Arrest In South Carolina
The FWC encourages all interested Florida residents to participate in the virtual meetings and provide their valuable input.
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