Hunters are applauding a move to allow bear hunting in Florida. The state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has moved closer to approving a one-week hunting season in fall.
It will be the first time in more than 20 years that black bears can be hunted in Florida.Chuck Echenique represents hunters on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation commission’s black bear technical advisory group. He says there’s a lot of interest in a bear hunt.
“And there are definitely going to be people from out of state who want to come to Florida to harvest a bear, so I’ve been fielding phone calls for months on this", said Echenique. "And it will continue, I think, to grow in popularity.”
Echenique says he understands why some people are opposed to the hunt because they don’t think the bears should be killed. But he says, it will help control the bear population. The commission will take a final vote on the bear hunt in June.