For the first time in a decade, Floridians will be legally allowed to hunt black bears in the state. The move was unanimously approved by the state’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission this month, but not without opposition from some conservation and animal rights groups.

The proposed bear hunt in 2025 became a reality today. Hundreds of Floridians showed up at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s quarterly meeting in Havana, Florida on Wednesday, both for and against the hunt.

Opponents called the hunt cruel, unnecessary and an excuse for hunters to bag a trophy animal when the real issue is the encroaching human population in bear habitat as Florida continues to grow.