Florida Bear Hunt 2025: Over 163,000 Applications Filed for Just 172 Tags

Florida’s first bear hunting season in a decade has drawn an overwhelming response, with more than 163,000 applications submitted for just 172 available permits. Conservation groups and hunting advocates are clashing as the December season approaches. 1-in-1,000 Odds for Florida Bear Hunters The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) confirmed that by the September 22 deadline, it had received 163,000+ applications and collected $817,000 in fees for the upcoming December 6–28 bear hunting season. With only 172 tags available, applicants face odds of roughly 1 in 1,000 of securing a permit. Each tag allows the harvest of one black bear, and winners must pay $100 for residents or $300 for non-residents to claim their permit. Successful applicants will be notified and must confirm by October 6, after which unclaimed tags will be reassigned. Conservationists Push Back with “Bag a Tag, Spare a Bear” Opposition groups, including the Sierra Club and Bear Warriors United, have mobilized thousands of anti-hunt advocates to apply for tags in an effort to keep them out of hunters’ hands. The Sierra Club’s “Bag a Tag, Spare a Bear” campaign reportedly activated at least 27,000 opponents, many of whom purchased multiple applications. According to Sierra Club director Susannah Randolph, opponents—primarily women—submitted between one and five applications each. Collectively, they spent an estimated $185,000, accounting for about 23% of all submissions. Meanwhile, Bear Warriors United has filed a lawsuit in Leon County Circuit Court seeking to block the hunt, arguing that the FWC violated its charter and the Florida constitution when approving the season. Florida Bear Population and Hunt Zones Florida is home to an estimated 4,000 black bears. The species was removed from the state’s threatened list in 2012, and a short hunt was held in 2015. Hunters have since lobbied for a return to annual bear seasons. The 2025 hunt quota of 172 bears will be spread across four harvest zones in 31 counties: - East Panhandle Zone: 68 tags, nearly 29,000 applications. - North Florida Zone: 31 tags, 34,120 applications. - Central Florida Zone: 18 tags, 49,649 applications. - South Florida Zone: 55 tags, 50,000+ applications. What Comes Next The FWC says it will evaluate the number of unused permits and hunter success rates after the December hunt to determine quotas for 2026. For now, the Florida bear hunt 2025 remains one of the most hotly contested wildlife management issues in the state, pitting hunters eager for opportunity against conservationists determined to protect the black bear population.