Florida wildlife officials say there is scientific research to back the state’s seven-day bear hunt. Their response comes less than a week after environmentalists filed a lawsuit against the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission alleging the hunt is unconstitutional.
“The commission validly adopted rules allowing for a limited bear hunt based on sound reasoning and with careful consideration of the issues involved, and we’re confident that the actions will prevail," said Diane Eggeman, division director of Hunting and Game Management.
Hunters will have access to bears in four areas where the bear population has recovered and the commission will keep daily tallies on the bears that have been hunted."
"We can close down the hunting season in that unit when its population is reached based on the daily tallies," Eggeman said.
Permits went on sale this morning and will be available up until midnight on October 23rd. The commission plans to allow hunting of 320 of the state’s estimated 3,000 bears.
Environmentalists maintain that the hunt is politically motivated.
The commission has not prepared a plan in case a judge rules the hunt unconstitutional.