Bear hunting has long stirred controversy in Florida. FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto defended the agency’s move, saying “Hunting is a biologically sound method to slow population growth, resulting in a healthy and well-managed Florida black bear population for the future.”

A key point of contention is the actual number of bears in Florida and the effectiveness of the proposed hunting regulations.

At a December Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) meeting after receiving an update on the commission's bear management plan, board chair Rodney Barreto told staff to develop a bear hunting option for commissioners to consider.

A state plan to resume bear hunting after a decade-long hibernation has deepened the discord over whether a bear hunt is a good idea.

A bear hunt was already on the state's May agenda, but the first documented human killing on May 5 lit a fire under an already controversial issue.