The state of Florida is moving to overturn a 20-year-old Florida Black Bear hunting ban. Take action to keep them out of the cross-hairs and speak at an important meeting in Jacksonville next week.
Background:
Background:
![]() |
Photo by Carlton Ward, Jr. |
The Florida Black bear is one of the most beloved species in
the state. This subspecies of the American black bear once roamed every corner of
the state from Pensacola to the Florida Keys.
From a high population of 12,000 to
currently 3,000, the state’s largest mammal has been driven from most of its
habitat. To protect the bear, the state legislature banned its hunting in 1994. However, in 2012, the state lifted the bear’s “threatened”
status to open the door to hunting.
Take action!
1) Attend the meeting in Jacksonville.
Take action!
1) Attend the meeting in Jacksonville.
On Wednesday, February 4, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is holding a meeting in Jacksonville to consider reopening hunting of black bears.
We are asking all members to attend the meeting at 8:30 am at the Hyatt Regency, 225 E. Coastline Drive, Jacksonville, and speak up against allowing hunting of black bears; all meeting information can be found here.Without your help, Florida’s small black bear population could soon be hunted for sport. Send an email to alexis.horn@sierraclub.org if you're attending or want more info.
We are asking all members to attend the meeting at 8:30 am at the Hyatt Regency, 225 E. Coastline Drive, Jacksonville, and speak up against allowing hunting of black bears; all meeting information can be found here.Without your help, Florida’s small black bear population could soon be hunted for sport. Send an email to alexis.horn@sierraclub.org if you're attending or want more info.
2) Call the Fish and Wildlife Commissioners.
Call them at (850) 488-4676 and tell them to not allow hunting.
3.) Send comments to Commissioners via e-mail.
Send emails to: bearcomments@myfwc.com
4) Send comments to Commissioners via the on-line form.
Click on: http://myfwc.com/contact/fwc-staff/senior-staff/contact-commissioners/
Tell commissioners to keep the hunting ban (see detailed talking points below).
Call them at (850) 488-4676 and tell them to not allow hunting.
3.) Send comments to Commissioners via e-mail.
Send emails to: bearcomments@myfwc.com
4) Send comments to Commissioners via the on-line form.
Click on: http://myfwc.com/contact/fwc-staff/senior-staff/contact-commissioners/
Tell commissioners to keep the hunting ban (see detailed talking points below).
-----------------------------------------------------
Here's the Sierra Club’s position statement on the need to maintain the hunting ban:
The Sierra Club opposes hunting of Florida black bears and continues to support the current FWC
policy of capturing or euthanizing bears that pose a threat to public safety.
The Sierra Club supports rule 68A-4.009 FAC, Florida Black
Bear Conservation, which expressly states that “No person shall take, possess,
injure, shoot, wound, trap, collect, or sell Florida black bears or their parts
or to attempt to engage in such conduct except as authorized by the Commission
rule or by permit from the Commission” and will oppose any proposed changes to
the rule which includes hunting of black bears. Further, the Sierra Club
supports several aspects of the Florida black bear management plan as authored
by the Florida Wildlife Commission (FWC) which states the goal is to “Maintain
sustainable black bear populations in suitable habitats throughout Florida for
the benefit of the species and people.”
The FWC Florida
black bear management plan highlights the specific goal of reducing
human-bear conflicts, which the Sierra Club supports. We believe that there are
several ways we can reduce human-bear conflicts without the need for opening
Florida to hunting of black bears.
We support county level ordinances to require bear proofing
of waste and recycling receptacles and waste disposal systems and increased
enforcement of current laws, which prohibit the feeding of black bears in
Florida.
We support training
local law enforcement personnel in responsible bear management and enforcement
practices. This includes training and licensing Bear Response Program agents
including ranch managers regarding bear-smart behavior. If adequately trained,
local law enforcement could perform certain types of hazing which would also
alleviate human-bear conflicts.
We support
educating Floridians to have a better understanding of bears and bear
conservation measures. We support measures to educate Floridians about not
leaving people or pet food outdoors that can attract bears.
We support creating “bear smart communities” and meaningful
efforts to implement smart growth management policies to prevent urban/suburban
sprawl within black bear habitats. FWC
as the state’s wildlife agency has a responsibility to provide professional
comments to public land agencies, state transportation and local governments
during their planning decisions. Given the aggressive decisions by FWC to work
toward black bear population improvements and stabilization, it is more
important than ever that professional advice be provided when planning and
management decisions are being made.
Further, we
believe that FWC should continue to participate in the Florida Forever
Acquisition and Restoration Council ranking process and comment on transportation
projects. FWC should continue to
support and promote Florida Forever Conservation projects, which link habitat
corridors and do not isolate bear populations close to urban development.
It is through the aforementioned efforts and other
reasonable measures that we can alleviate the need for proposed changes to the
Florida Black Bear Conservation rule and take hunting of black bears off the
table.