The application window for bear hunting in Florida opened Friday, with local hunters and opponents taking action. “I put in for our central region here, because I know it best, and that’s where I’m going to try and dram my tag for,” said Will Crebs, a local hunter.He was referring to the special permits that will be doled out for December’s bear hunt, the first in a decade. Crebs was inside a Lake County gun store and in less than a minute, applied on his phone for a chance to land a permit to hunt bears. A lottery system is being used to determine who gets one permit, good for one bear. The avid outdoorsman says he’s never shot a bear, but is hoping to join the hunt with his son to harvest the meat. Crebs is also the host of the “Under Pressure Outdoors” podcast and has been pushing for the hunt, believing it will help keep the population in check.He added, “We had a bear hunt in 2015. Bears were still a game species. They need to be managed as a game species, and now we’re back to where we should be, following the science and having a good bear hunt.” Licensed hunters who want to apply for one of the 187 permits can click on the GoOutdoorsFlorida.com website and pay $5 per lottery chance.The application window is from now until midnight on Sept. 22. The Central Bear Management Unit, which includes most of our viewing area, including the Seminole forest near Rock Springs Run State Reserve, will be allotted just 18 bear hunting permits. That’s because the bear population growth rate is so low here, just 2.2% per year. A.W. Peterson Gun Shop in Mt. Dora is owned by former republican state Sen. Carey Baker. He says the last hunt was poorly organized, but this time better managed, and should withstand any legal challenges.Baker said, “They (Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission) have the legal authority and now with the Constitutional right to hunt, there’s no stopping it.””If they don’t stop it, we’ll stop it for them,” vowed Speak Up Wekiva attorney Chuck O’Neal during an interview with WESH 2 news. Along with other bear hunt opponents, he hopes to spare as many as possible. Florida Wildlife Advocates will be hosting Facebook live streams each night at six to instruct people on how to get a license, apply for a permit, and, if they get one, destroy it. O’Neal added, “They (FWC Commissioners) made this decision, and this is our last recourse: to buy up as many of these tags as possible and sit on them. They don’t like it, but to hell with them! We’re doing it anyhow.” The bear hunt is scheduled from Dec. 6-28. Money collected from application and permit sales will go into the State Game Trust Fund and will be used for wildlife conservation.

Florida, USA —

The application window for bear hunting in Florida opened Friday, with local hunters and opponents taking action.

“I put in for our central region here, because I know it best, and that’s where I’m going to try and dram my tag for,” said Will Crebs, a local hunter.

He was referring to the special permits that will be doled out for December’s bear hunt, the first in a decade.

Crebs was inside a Lake County gun store and in less than a minute, applied on his phone for a chance to land a permit to hunt bears. A lottery system is being used to determine who gets one permit, good for one bear.

The avid outdoorsman says he’s never shot a bear, but is hoping to join the hunt with his son to harvest the meat.

Crebs is also the host of the “Under Pressure Outdoors” podcast and has been pushing for the hunt, believing it will help keep the population in check.

He added, “We had a bear hunt in 2015. Bears were still a game species. They need to be managed as a game species, and now we’re back to where we should be, following the science and having a good bear hunt.”

Licensed hunters who want to apply for one of the 187 permits can click on the GoOutdoorsFlorida.com website and pay $5 per lottery chance.

The application window is from now until midnight on Sept. 22.

The Central Bear Management Unit, which includes most of our viewing area, including the Seminole forest near Rock Springs Run State Reserve, will be allotted just 18 bear hunting permits. That’s because the bear population growth rate is so low here, just 2.2% per year.

A.W. Peterson Gun Shop in Mt. Dora is owned by former republican state Sen. Carey Baker.

He says the last hunt was poorly organized, but this time better managed, and should withstand any legal challenges.

Baker said, “They (Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission) have the legal authority and now with the Constitutional right to hunt, there’s no stopping it.”

“If they don’t stop it, we’ll stop it for them,” vowed Speak Up Wekiva attorney Chuck O’Neal during an interview with WESH 2 news.

Along with other bear hunt opponents, he hopes to spare as many as possible. Florida Wildlife Advocates will be hosting Facebook live streams each night at six to instruct people on how to get a license, apply for a permit, and, if they get one, destroy it.

O’Neal added, “They (FWC Commissioners) made this decision, and this is our last recourse: to buy up as many of these tags as possible and sit on them. They don’t like it, but to hell with them! We’re doing it anyhow.”

The bear hunt is scheduled from Dec. 6-28. Money collected from application and permit sales will go into the State Game Trust Fund and will be used for wildlife conservation.