Yes. Bear hunting season in Florida 2026 runs on a limited-entry permit system, and you cannot hunt a bear in the designated zones without a drawn permit. A bear harvest permit is required to harvest a bear in one of four selected Bear Harvest Zones during the Dec. 5-27 season, and hunters also need a hunting license unless exempt.
The application window has already closed, so this article focuses on what you can still do: claim a permit if you were drawn, understand the zones and rules, and plan for the next draw. Florida’s bear hunt is small, tightly managed, and nothing like a general-license season. Here is how it works.
Bear Hunting Season Dates in Florida 2026
The regulated season runs Dec. 5-27. That is a 23-day window, the same length as the 2025 hunt. Last year’s hunt was the first state-sanctioned bear hunt in Florida since 2015.
Private landowners in the new program get a longer window. The Private Lands Bear Harvest Program opens October 1 and concludes December 31.
| Hunt | Dates |
|---|---|
| Statewide Bear Harvest Zones | December 5 to December 27, 2026 |
| Private Lands Bear Harvest Program | October 1 to December 31, 2026 |
Bear Season by Weapon and Method in Florida: Archery, Muzzleloader and Firearm
Florida’s 2026 bear hunt is a single December season with one permit type, not separate archery, muzzleloader and firearm seasons. Your permit authorizes one bear in one zone, whatever legal method you use.
Check the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) bear hunting page and the area brochure for weapon specifics before you go, because the Wildlife Management Area (WMA) you hunt may add its own conditions. The FWC black bear page is the place to confirm them.
Spring Bear Season in Florida
Florida has no spring bear season in 2026. The only regulated bear hunting is the December statewide hunt and the October through December private lands program described above.
Bear Hunting Zones, Units and Management Areas in Florida
Hunting is spread across four Bear Harvest Zones: North, East Panhandle, Central, and South. Permit numbers differ by zone, so the zone you are drawn for matters.
- East Panhandle: 78 permits, including the Apalachicola Wildlife Management Area and parts of Bay, Washington, Jackson, Calhoun, Gulf, Franklin, Liberty, Gadsden, Leon, Wakulla, and Jefferson counties.
- North: 31 permits along the Florida-Georgia line, including Osceola WMA and parts of Hamilton, Suwannee, Columbia, Union, and Baker counties.
- Central: 21 permits, including the Ocala WMA and parts of Sumter, Marion, Alachua, Bradford, Clay, Putnam, Lake, Orange, Seminole, Volusia, Flagler, and St. Johns counties.
- South: 63 permits, covering parts of Lee, Hendry, and Collier counties but not Big Cypress WMA.
FWC publishes a map for each zone on its bear page, so check your exact boundary before you scout.
Bear Hunting License, Tag and Permit Requirements in Florida
You need two things: the bear harvest permit and a hunting license, unless you are exempt. FWC states that a hunting license is also required to hunt bears, unless exempt.
Permits cost money only if you are drawn. Only one nontransferable permit may be issued per person, and permits cost $100 for residents and $300 for nonresidents, plus handling fees.
Pro Tip: Because the permit is nontransferable, nobody can hand you theirs. If you were not drawn, your path is the next draw, not a private sale.
Bear Permit Draws and Lotteries in Florida
Permits are distributed by random drawing. The 2026 application period opened at 10 a.m. EDT Sept. 11 and ended at 11:59 p.m. Sept. 21.
Applicants had to be at least 18 years old by Oct. 1 and could apply as many times as they wanted for $5 per application, plus handling fees. You applied online through GoOutdoorsFlorida.com, or with a worksheet presented to a license agent or tax collector’s office.
Drawn hunters then had to claim and pay for the permit in set windows. Round 1 ran Sept. 25-Oct. 5, Round 2 Oct. 9-19, and Round 3 Oct. 23-Nov. 2. Unclaimed permits were redrawn between rounds.
Competition is heavy. The agency received 163,459 applications last year from 14,996 individuals. That volume is why multiple $5 entries per person are common.
Nonresident Bear Hunting in Florida
Nonresidents can apply, but their share is capped. No more than 10% of all permits issued go to nonresidents. A drawn nonresident pays $300 plus handling fees, three times the resident price.
You also need a Florida nonresident hunting license unless exempt. Plan your license purchase through the same FWC licensing system you used to apply.
Bear Bag Limit and Harvest Quota in Florida
The bag limit is one bear per permit. FWC is offering up to 215 permits in 2026: 193 open to the public draw and the rest reserved for large private landowners. That compares with 172 permits last year.
Hunters killed 52 bears during the 23-day hunt in December 2025. The permit count, not a kill tally, is what limits harvest.
| Zone | 2026 Permits |
|---|---|
| East Panhandle | 78 |
| South | 63 |
| North | 31 |
| Central | 21 |
| Private landowners (all zones) | 22 |
Baiting Rules for Bear Hunting in Florida
Treat bear baiting as off the table unless FWC says otherwise for your area. FWC does set one clear food rule: if you operate a game feeding station for other game species in areas with a bear hunting season, no processed food products may be used.
That rule lives in Florida Administrative Code Chapter 68A-12.002. If you hunt hogs or deer over feed near a bear zone, check it first.
Hunting Bears with Hounds in Florida
No. FWC states that the use of dogs for harvesting bears is not permitted for the 2026 season.
Some WMAs are marked as allowing bear dog training, which is a separate activity from hunting. Check the WMA hunt brochure for training season dates before you bring hounds anywhere.
Legal Weapons and Methods for Bear Hunting in Florida
The method rules sit in the FWC bear hunting rule set and the brochure for each WMA. The firm points for 2026 are that dogs are not allowed, processed food at feeding stations is prohibited, and you may take only one bear on your permit.
Read your permit paperwork and the zone’s WMA brochure end to end. Weapon restrictions can differ by area, and FWC enforces them.
Legal Bears and Protected Bears in Florida
Your permit authorizes the harvest of one bear in your designated zone. Taking a bear outside a Bear Harvest Zone, or without a permit, is not covered by the season.
On enrolled private property, the limits are tighter still. No individual may harvest a bear on property enrolled in the program except as provided for by the permits issued under it. Confirm the current rules on the FWC bear page for age, sex or cub restrictions before you hunt.
Youth and Special Bear Hunts in Florida
The 2026 draw is open to anyone at least 18 years old by Oct. 1, so there is no youth permit category in the general draw. The special opportunity this year is the Private Lands Bear Harvest Program.
Twenty-two permits go to private landowners who own at least 5,000 contiguous acres and have a bear management plan developed by a certified wildlife biologist. Enrollment also requires at least 4 approved conservation practices each year that affect at least 10% of the permitted land.
Any unused bear harvest tag must be returned to FWC no later than 14 days after the program permit expires. Applications for the 2026 private lands season have closed.
Where to Hunt Bear in Florida: Public and Private Land
Public land hunting happens inside the four zones, including named WMAs. Examples include Apalachicola WMA in the East Panhandle zone and Big Shoals, Cypress Creek, and Osceola WMAs in the North zone. Big Cypress WMA is excluded from the South zone.
Private land is a different path. You can hunt private property inside a zone with your drawn permit, with the landowner’s permission. Land enrolled in the private lands program is limited to the permits issued under it.
If you hunt other game while you wait for a bear permit, our guides to Florida rifle deer season and turkey hunting season in Florida cover the dates and rules.
Best Time to Hunt Bear in Florida
You do not get to choose much. The statewide season is fixed at Dec. 5-27, so your timing decision is which days inside that window you can scout and sit.
The three-week length means you do not have to commit to opening weekend. Landowners in the private program have the widest window, from October 1 through December 31.
Bear Hunting Hours, Sunday Hunting and Blaze Orange in Florida
Shooting hours, Sunday restrictions and any blaze orange requirement can vary by WMA and by the rules attached to your permit. Read the area brochure for the exact WMA you drew, since other game seasons may overlap in December.
When in doubt, wear hunter orange during overlapping firearm seasons. It costs little and protects you and other hunters sharing the same woods.
Tagging, Check-In and Reporting a Bear in Florida
Your permit is your authorization, and you must follow the harvest reporting steps printed with it. For the private lands program, unused tags go back to FWC within 14 days of permit expiration.
Biologists use harvested bears to gather data. The 2025 season let managers collect biological information from harvested bears and learn more about the population. Expect to follow FWC’s check-in instructions so that data gets collected.
Pro Tip: Keep your permit, license and zone map together in a waterproof sleeve. Officers will ask for them in the field.
Bear Hunting Season in Florida 2026: Frequently Asked Questions
When Is Florida Bear Season in 2026?
The statewide season is Dec. 5-27. Private lands permits run Oct. 1 through Dec. 31.
How Much Does a Florida Bear Permit Cost?
Permits cost $100 for residents and $300 for nonresidents, plus handling fees. Each draw entry cost $5.
Can You Still Apply for a 2026 Bear Permit?
The main application window closed Sept. 21, and the claim rounds ended Nov. 2. Watch the FWC bear page for the next draw.
Can You Use Dogs to Hunt Bears?
No. Dogs are not permitted for harvesting bears in the 2026 season.
Can Nonresidents Hunt Bears in Florida?
Yes, through the draw, but nonresidents can receive no more than 10% of all permits.
For other Florida game, see our pages on alligator hunting season in Florida, dove season and rabbit season.