Bear hunters in Florida paid $2K to opt out of killing

NOW. THEY’VE MARCHED AT THE STATE CAPITOL. THEY’VE FILED LAWSUITS TO TRY AND STOP FLORIDA’S FIRST BEAR HUNT IN A DECADE. BUT AS WESH TWO MICHELLE MEREDITH REPORTS, ONE GROUP IS TRYING A NEW APPROACH WITH A BUYOUT. THE WORLD SEES US AS OPPOSITE SIDES, ACTUALLY COLLABORATING. BEAR WARRIORS CALL IT BLUNT THE HUNT, AND IN SHORT, THEY PAY HUNTERS $2,000 TO CUT UP THEIR STATE ISSUED TAG THAT ALLOWS THEM TO LEGALLY KILL BEARS THROUGH MOST OF DECEMBER. THE RESPONSE SAYS KATRINA HAS BEEN MIND BLOWING. THIS WHOLE EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN THE BEST IN HUMANITY AND THE WORST IN HUMANITY. USING MONEY DONATED TO BEAR WARRIORS, THEY SENT AN EMAIL TO THE 172 HUNTERS WHO GOT A BEAR TAG THROUGH A STATE LOTTERY. KATRINA SAYS 37 RESPONDED, AND FOR AT LEAST FIVE, IT WAS AN OFFER THEY COULD NOT REFUSE TO KEEP THE HUNTERS IDENTITY A SECRET. THEY MEET AT A POST OFFICE AN HOUR FROM THEIR HOME, WHERE THEY CUT UP THE TAG, THEN MAIL IT BACK TO THE STATE. THIS ISN’T REAL POPULAR WITH A LOT OF HUNTERS, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY’RE NOT GETTING HARASSED AND THEY DON’T SUFFER ANY BLOWBACK. KATRINA SAYS SOME OF THE HUNTERS HAVE EVEN TOLD HER WHAT THEY’RE GOING TO DO WITH THE $2,000. ONE SAID HE’S GOING TO BUY HIS GIRLFRIEND A NEW TRANSMISSION FOR HER CAR BECAUSE SHE’S UBERING TO WORK. ANOTHER SAID HE’S GOING TO USE IT TO BUY HIS FAMILY CHRISTMAS PRESENTS. AND THEN THERE’S THE HUNTER, WHO TOLD HER, KEEP YOUR MONEY AND DONATED $1,000 TO BEAR WARRIORS. BUT KATRINA SAYS ONE MADE HER AN OFFER. SHE REFUSED. 150,000. AND THAT’S MY NUMBER. IN THE END, KATRINA SAYS IT’S A WIN WIN. THE HUNTERS WIN, THE DONORS WIN BECAUSE IT’S TAX DEDUCTIBLE. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE BEARS WIN. IT’S ONE LESS HUNTER WHO’S PART OF FLORIDA’S CONTROVERSIAL BEAR HUNT. MICHELLE MEREDITH WESH TWO NEWS. JUST THIS AFTERNOON, BEAR WARRIORS SAY THEY SECURED ANOTHER TAG IN. THE HUNTER MADE

Bear advocates have tried just about everything to stop Florida’s legal bear hunt that began earlier this month. They have filed lawsuits and marched at the capital – but their new approach is more like a buyout. Bear Warriors United calls it “Blunt the Hunt.” They offer hunters $2,000 to cut up their state-issued tags that allow them to hunt bears in Florida through Dec. 28. Katrina Shadix, representing Bear Warriors United, said the response has been mind blowing.”The world sees us as opposite sides collaborating,” Shadix said. Using funds donated to Bear Warriors United, the organization sent emails to the 172 hunters who received a bear tag through a state lottery. Shadix said 37 hunters responded, and for at least five, it was an offer they could not refuse. To maintain the hunters’ anonymity, they meet at a post office an hour from their home, cut the tag, and mail it back to the state of Florida.”This isn’t real popular with a lot of hunters, so we want to make sure they’re not getting harassed or suffer any blowback,” Shadix said.Some hunters shared their plans for the $2,000 with Shadix. One hunter intends to buy his girlfriend a transmission for her car, because she’s been Ubering to work. Another plans to use the money for Christmas presents for his family. One hunter even told Shadix to keep the money and donated $1,000 to Bear Warriors United.However, Shadix says she got an offer she refused when one hunter told her, “I want $150,000, and that’s my number.”In the end, Shadix said it’s a win-win situation. The hunters win, the donors win because it’s tax-deductible, and most importantly, the bears win with one less hunter participating in Florida’s controversial bear hunt.

Bear advocates have tried just about everything to stop Florida’s legal bear hunt that began earlier this month.

They have filed lawsuits and marched at the capital – but their new approach is more like a buyout.

Bear Warriors United calls it “Blunt the Hunt.” They offer hunters $2,000 to cut up their state-issued tags that allow them to hunt bears in Florida through Dec. 28.

Katrina Shadix, representing Bear Warriors United, said the response has been mind blowing.

“The world sees us as opposite sides collaborating,” Shadix said.

Using funds donated to Bear Warriors United, the organization sent emails to the 172 hunters who received a bear tag through a state lottery.

Shadix said 37 hunters responded, and for at least five, it was an offer they could not refuse. To maintain the hunters’ anonymity, they meet at a post office an hour from their home, cut the tag, and mail it back to the state of Florida.

“This isn’t real popular with a lot of hunters, so we want to make sure they’re not getting harassed or suffer any blowback,” Shadix said.

Some hunters shared their plans for the $2,000 with Shadix. One hunter intends to buy his girlfriend a transmission for her car, because she’s been Ubering to work. Another plans to use the money for Christmas presents for his family. One hunter even told Shadix to keep the money and donated $1,000 to Bear Warriors United.

However, Shadix says she got an offer she refused when one hunter told her, “I want $150,000, and that’s my number.”

In the end, Shadix said it’s a win-win situation. The hunters win, the donors win because it’s tax-deductible, and most importantly, the bears win with one less hunter participating in Florida’s controversial bear hunt.