Will bear hunting in Florida be a reality in the future?    At the December 2024 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) commission meeting the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) staff gave an update on black bear management in Florida. After concluding that the bear population continues to grow and expand its range steadily, we convinced the commission to entertain the idea of reinstating a bear hunt quota in Florida. A bear hunt has not occurred since 2015, after ...

The following comment was submitted 4-17-2023 to the USFWS regarding its proposed Southwest Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Area:   To: United States Fish & Wildlife Service From: Florida Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers   To whom it may concern, Thank you for the opportunity to provide public comment on the proposed Southwest Florida fish and wildlife conservation area. My name is Richard Martinez and I am the current chair of the Florida Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and ...