The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announced that applications for the 2026 regulated bear hunting season will open at 10 a.m. on September 11 and close at 11:59 p.m. on September 21. Applicants must be at least 18 years old by October 1 and may submit as many applications as they wish, paying a $5 filing fee plus handling charges for each submission.

Permit requirements and costs

To harvest a bear in one of the four designated Bear Harvest Zones between December 5 and December 27, hunters must hold a bear harvest permit in addition to a standard hunting license, unless an exemption applies. The commission set the permit price at $100 for Florida residents and $300 for non‑residents, before handling fees. No more than 10% of all permits issued will be allocated to non‑residents.

Four harvest zones across the state

The four Bear Harvest Zones are:

• North – Osceola Wildlife Management Area and portions of Hamilton, Suwannee, Columbia, Union, and Baker counties.
• East Panhandle – Apalachicola Wildlife Management Area and all or parts of Bay, Washington, Jackson, Calhoun, Gulf, Franklin, Liberty, Gadsden, Leon, Wakulla, and Jefferson counties.
• Central – Ocala Wildlife Management Area and all or parts of Sumter, Marion, Alachua, Bradford, Clay, Putnam, Lake, Orange, Seminole, Volusia, Flagler, and St. Johns counties.
• South – All or parts of Lee, Hendry, and Collier counties, excluding the Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area.

How to apply

Hunters can submit applications online at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com by logging into their account and selecting “Apply for Limited Entry/Quota Permits.” Paper applications may also be completed and turned in to a license agent or a Florida tax collector’s office. Additional guidance is available at MyFWC.com/License under the “Limited Entry and Quota Permits” section, and at MyFWC.com/BearHunting for general bear‑hunting information.

Background and controversy

The 2025 hunt marked Florida’s first bear harvest in a decade, resulting in 52 black bears killed. Animal‑advocacy groups, including Bear Warriors United, challenged the decision, arguing that the science did not yet confirm an overpopulation of bears. The 2015 hunt, by contrast, harvested 304 bears in two days after a study estimated the state’s black‑bear population at over 4,000.

FWC officials maintain that the hunt is a population‑management tool designed to keep the bear population healthy and thriving. They noted that in 2025 more than 160,000 applications were submitted, but only 172 permits were issued randomly, with wildlife advocates reportedly securing about 50 permits and leaving them unused as a protective measure.

What this means for hunters

For Florida hunters, the upcoming application window offers a chance to participate in a regulated harvest that supports wildlife management goals. The random‑draw system aims to ensure fairness while limiting the impact on the overall bear population. Residents and non‑residents alike are encouraged to review the application process early, as demand historically far exceeds the number of permits available.

For families and outdoor enthusiasts, the bear hunt represents a continuation of the state’s tradition of responsible wildlife stewardship, balancing conservation with the rights of lawful hunters.

Original reporting: WESH Orlando — read the source article.