Florida’s New Trophy Bear Hunt:
A Conservation Crisis in the Making
On August 13, 2025, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) rammed through a unanimous vote for a black bear hunt, despite only five commissioners present and overwhelming public opposition. The meeting was a scripted performance. Chairman Rodney Barreto dodged the bear issue with manatee “success” stories, ignoring their ongoing die-offs, and falsely suggested the public asked for a hunt. Here are a few of the new dangerous elements of this trophy hunt.
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The "Honor System": A Dangerous Loophole in Wildlife Management
Instead of enforcing proper oversight, the FWC is relying on an "honor system" for hunters to self-report their kills—no check stations, no verification, no consequences for false reporting. This approach is not only naive, it’s a direct threat to Florida’s bear population. Without physical check-ins or independent data collection, there’s no way to verify how many bears are killed, how many were mothers with cubs, or if hunters violated any rules. It invites abuse, undermines scientific monitoring, and erodes public trust. Real wildlife management doesn’t operate on blind faith, it demands accountability, structure, and transparency.
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The Cruelty of Hounding: Dogs vs. Bears
Among the most disturbing elements of the FWC's new hunt is the authorization of hounding, using packs of dogs to chase bears through the woods until they are cornered, treed, or physically attacked. This is not wildlife management; it is institutionalized animal cruelty. Hounding inflicts prolonged psychological and physical stress on both the bear and the dogs, often resulting in injury or death for one or both. Nursing mothers can be separated from their cubs, and young bears too small to escape can be mauled. This chaotic, violent practice has no place in modern wildlife policy and violates any reasonable standard of ethical treatment. Go to The Dog Wars website to learn more about this practice.
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Bows Over Bait: A Sadistic Ambush, Not Hunting
Adding to the brutality is the FWC's approval of hunting bears with bows and arrows over bait—a method that removes all elements of fair chase. Bears are lured into kill zones with piles of sweets and then ambushed at close range. Arrows frequently fail to kill instantly, leading to prolonged suffering and death from hemorrhage or infection. This method is not only inhumane, it strips away any notion of skill or sportsmanship and redefines “hunting” as mere execution. It’s a method designed to maximize kills, not manage wildlife populations responsibly.
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This fight is far from over. Stay tuned for calls to action.​​​​
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