Find papers discussed in completed episodes here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1EytbWQ1NieajqUTuBUjhaEe_AOzTzaJ7?usp=sharing

Submit your public comment about the potential Florida Bear Hunt by emailing: BEARCOMMENTS@myFWC.com

BHAxADC Small Game Hunt - Upper Hillsborough WMA:RSVP here: https://www.backcountryhunters.org/small_game_hunt_with_fl_bha_upper_hillsborough_wma

In this episode, we dive deep into wildlife science on the Florida Black Bear. This is a controversial and timely topic as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has requested that a bear hunt proposal be presented at an upcoming commission meeting. This request followed a 5 year update on the Florida Bear Management Plan which showed increasing population and range trends.

Following the 2015 Florida Bear hunt, anti-hunting groups have cited the lack of sound science to get the hunt shut down until more data is available. At the December 2024 commission meeting, both sides of the argument were asking for the commission to make decisions based on the science, so what does the science say?

In this episode we discuss a paper titled “Change in Black bear Range and Distribution in Florida using Two Decadal Datasets from 2001-2020”. This paper written by lead author, Brian Scheick, the program manager of the Florida Bear management program is a comprehensive look at all sources of available data, including vehicle collisions, public sightings, reports, as well as structured scientific data collection.

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