Bear Hunting Season in Florida: Dates, Permits, Zones, and Rules
June 5, 2026
Florida’s black bear hunting season has returned after a decade-long pause, and the regulations that govern it are more structured than ever before. After a decade-long hiatus, Florida’s black bear hunting season is officially back, with new opportunities across 31 counties under updated regulations from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Whether you’re a Florida resident or an out-of-state hunter planning your first bear hunt in the Sunshine State, understanding the rules before you apply for a permit is essential.
This guide walks you through everything you need to know about bear hunting season in Florida — from the only legal species and current season dates to zones, legal methods, bag limits, and harvest reporting requirements. Always verify the most current rules at MyFWC.com/BearHunting before heading into the field, as permit numbers and season timing can change annually.
Bear Species You Can Hunt in Florida
Florida has only one huntable bear species: the Florida black bear (Ursus americanus floridanus). This is a subspecies of the American black bear and the only bear species native to the state. No other bear species exist in Florida’s wild, making species identification straightforward for hunters.
According to the FWC, black bears have expanded their range to over half the state, tripling the size of their habitat since 1992. The commission estimates there are about 4,000 black bears in Florida — a significant increase from just three decades ago, when there were only hundreds in the state. This population growth is the primary driver behind the FWC’s decision to reinstate regulated hunting as a management tool.
As one of the management tools included in the 2019 Florida Black Bear Management Plan, regulated hunting allows the FWC to start managing population growth rates in areas with the largest bear subpopulations. Balancing wildlife numbers with suitable habitat keeps populations healthy.
Key Insight: Florida black bears are not trophy animals in the traditional sense — the FWC frames the hunt as a science-based population management tool. Harvest objectives are set per zone to keep subpopulation growth rates sustainable.
Florida black bears typically have jet-black fur with a tan or cream-colored muzzle. Adult males generally weigh between 250 and 450 pounds, while females are considerably smaller. The FWC considers a cub to be self-sufficient if it is encountered as an orphan after August 1st and/or if the cub weighs over 30 lbs. Fall hunting seasons are typically scheduled to occur between August and January, so given the average birthdate for cubs is February 1st, a cub would be able to survive on its own if it was orphaned during the hunting season.
Bear Hunting Season Dates in Florida
The 2025 black bear hunting season in Florida ran from December 6 through December 28 — a 23-day season marking the state’s first managed bear season since 2015. The season was set during the December window to align with population management goals and cub self-sufficiency timelines.
The framework approved by commissioners establishes annual hunting seasons going forward. Future season timings and lengths will be selected on a yearly basis and could run anytime between October 1st and December 31st. This means the specific opening and closing dates for the 2026 season and beyond will be announced by the FWC ahead of each season — you should monitor the FWC’s official bear hunting page for annual updates.
| Season | Dates | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Season | December 6 – December 28, 2025 | 23 days | First season since 2015; 172 permits ultimately issued |
| 2026 Season and Beyond | Announced annually (Oct. 1 – Dec. 31 window) | Set annually by FWC | Private Lands Bear Harvest Program also active beginning 2026 |
Beginning January 1, 2026, the FWC created a Private Lands Bear Harvest Program to permit landowners to bear hunt on their properties. A landowner may apply for a Program permit to allow for the take of bear on a specified private property from October 1 through December 31. This extends hunting opportunity for qualifying private landowners beyond the standard public season window.
Important Note: Season dates are set annually by the FWC Commission and are not fixed from year to year. Always confirm the current season’s opening and closing dates at MyFWC.com before purchasing your license or making travel plans.
If you also hunt other species in Florida, you may find our guides on dove hunting season in Florida and turkey hunting season in Florida useful for planning a complete fall and winter hunting calendar.
Bear Hunting Licenses and Tags in Florida
Hunting bears in Florida requires more than a standard hunting license — you must also obtain a Bear Harvest Permit through a competitive lottery drawing. Here is what you need to know about the full licensing and permitting process.
Standard Hunting License: Before applying for a bear permit, you must hold a valid Florida hunting license. Florida residents and non-residents are both required to have a hunting license to pursue any game species in the state.
Bear Harvest Permit Application: The application fee is $5 per application. The Bear Harvest Permit and tag costs $100 for Florida residents and $300 for non-residents. Applicants must be 18 years old by October 1. You are allowed to apply as many times as you wish, with each application costing $5, which increases your odds in the random drawing.
- Application fee: $5 per entry (unlimited entries allowed)
- Resident permit and tag: $100
- Non-resident permit and tag: $300
- Minimum age: 18 years old by October 1
- Non-residents are limited to 10% of available permits
Only 10 percent of the available permits go to non-residents. This means the vast majority of permits are reserved for Florida residents, so out-of-state hunters should apply early and understand the odds are more competitive for them.
How to Get Your Permit: Successful applicants may print their permit online at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or at a license agent or tax collector’s office. Permits may also be downloaded and stored on the Fish|Hunt FL mobile app. Bear harvest tags will be mailed to the mailing address on the permit holder’s GoOutdoorsFlorida customer account.
Guest permits are not available for this permit type. However, one guest hunter is allowed per bear harvest permit holder if hunting without dogs, and up to nine guest hunters are allowed if hunting with dogs (allowed beginning in 2027).
Pro Tip: Apply for the bear permit lottery multiple times to improve your odds — each $5 application is a separate entry in the random drawing. There is no limit on how many times you can apply.
For context on how Florida’s licensing structure compares to neighboring states, see our overview of hunting laws in Virginia and hunting laws in Tennessee, both of which also manage black bear populations with regulated hunting programs.
Legal Methods and Weapons for Bear Hunting in Florida
Florida’s bear hunting regulations closely mirror the legal methods allowed for deer hunting in the state. Black bear hunters are allowed to use both archery gear and firearms — including rifles, pistols, shotguns, and muzzleloaders — and they have to follow specific rules around tagging and harvest reporting.
Legal Weapons for Bear Hunting:
- Rifles (centerfire)
- Pistols/handguns
- Shotguns
- Muzzleloaders
- Archery equipment (compound bows, recurve bows)
- Crossbows (where permitted under applicable season rules)
Always verify specific caliber minimums and draw-weight requirements with the FWC before your hunt. The FWC’s official rulebook should be consulted to confirm caliber and draw-weight regulations before hunting.
Baiting Rules: Traditional baiting is not permitted. However, game feeding stations intended for non-bear species may be used on private lands under certain conditions. Harvesting bears near these stations is legal, provided it complies with the state’s specific regulations. Always check the FWC’s official rulebook for clarification.
Dog-Assisted Hunting: Dog-assisted bear hunting will be phased in gradually: 2026 will feature a non-kill training season (tree and release only), with a full chase season on designated public lands beginning in 2027. For the 2025 inaugural season, dogs were not used for harvest purposes.
Common Mistake: Do not assume that all methods legal for deer hunting are automatically legal for bear hunting in every context. Baiting rules, dog use, and location-specific restrictions differ. Confirm your intended method with the FWC before the season opens.
Hunting Hours: Bear hunting follows standard Florida game hunting hours — from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Night hunting is not permitted for bears on public land.
Prohibited Methods: Fully automatic firearms are prohibited for all hunting in Florida. Spotlighting is illegal. You may not shoot from roads, vehicles, or vessels.
Hunters in other states with active black bear seasons may also find it helpful to review hunting laws in Montana and hunting laws in Idaho, where bear hunting has a longer established history and regulations offer useful comparison points.
Bag Limits and Harvest Reporting Requirements in Florida
Florida’s bear hunting regulations impose strict, conservative bag limits designed to protect the long-term viability of each bear subpopulation. Understanding both the harvest limits and the mandatory reporting process is critical — non-compliance can result in loss of hunting privileges and fines.
Bag Limit: The rules allow one bear per permit holder. Each Bear Harvest Permit authorizes the take of exactly one bear within the assigned Bear Hunting Zone. Once you harvest a bear, your season is over — you cannot transfer your permit to another hunter or apply it to a different zone.
Zone-Level Harvest Caps: Quotas are set per zone to control the harvest and maintain ecological balance. For the East Panhandle zone, which includes Franklin County, 68 bears could be harvested as part of the 2025 season structure. Each zone has its own cap set by the FWC based on population modeling for that Bear Management Unit.
The FWC set the number of permits available to equal the maximum number of female bears that could be removed without reducing the population in each Bear Management Unit. This is considered a conservative approach because it is highly unlikely that all bears harvested would be female and that hunters would have a 100% success rate.
Harvest Reporting Requirements: Permit holders are required to report their harvest at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or in the Fish|Hunt FL mobile app within 24 hours of harvest. This is a mandatory legal requirement, not optional. The FWC relies on technology to communicate and collect data during the hunt, and the FWC must be notified within 24 hours of the harvest for the bears to be tagged and transported.
- Report harvest within 24 hours via GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or the Fish|Hunt FL app
- Bear must be tagged before transport
- FWC staff will physically check all harvested bears
- Permits cannot be returned once issued
There were 52 bears harvested during the 2025 bear hunt, which is a hunter success rate very close to other states with similar hunt parameters. All harvested bears were physically checked by FWC staff and bear response contractors, providing valuable data that will influence future management strategies.
Important Note: Failure to report your harvest within 24 hours is a violation of FWC regulations. Keep the Fish|Hunt FL app installed and ready on your phone before you enter the field so you can report immediately after a successful hunt.
Bear Hunting Zones and Units in Florida
Florida’s bear hunting geography is organized through a two-tier system: seven Bear Management Units (BMUs) covering the entire state, and four active Bear Hunting Zones (BHZs) where regulated hunting is permitted. Not all BMUs are open to hunting — only those with the largest and most stable subpopulations are included.
The new rules established Bear Hunting Zones within four of the seven existing Bear Management Units. Through a random drawing, a total of 172 permits were issued across the East Panhandle, North, Central, and South BMUs, and each permit allowed the harvest of one bear within the assigned BHZ.
| Bear Hunting Zone (BHZ) | Bear Management Unit (BMU) | 2025 Permits Issued | General Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Panhandle | East Panhandle BMU | Approx. 68 | Northwest Florida panhandle counties |
| North | North BMU | Portion of 172 total | North-central Florida |
| Central | Central BMU | Portion of 172 total | Central Florida |
| South | South BMU | Portion of 172 total | South Florida |
Starting in December 2025, hunters had new opportunities across 31 counties under updated regulations from the FWC. The three BMUs not included in the hunting program — West Panhandle, Big Bend, and South Central — have smaller or less stable subpopulations that the FWC determined are not yet appropriate for regulated harvest.
The best scientifically valid population estimates are from 2015 and indicate there are approximately 4,050 bears statewide. The mean estimates for each Bear Management Unit include: 120 in the West Panhandle, 1,060 in the East Panhandle, 496 in the North, 30 in the Big Bend, 1,198 in the Central, 98 in the South Central, and 1,044 in the South.
Private Lands Program Zones: The property identified in the Private Lands Program enrollment application must be at least 5,000 contiguous acres, with no less than 50% of the identified acres being suitable bear habitat. Adjoining properties that form one contiguous piece of land that together satisfies the acreage requirement and have no less than 50% suitable bear habitat also qualify for Program enrollment.
For a private landowner to be enrolled in the program, it requires a minimum of 5,000 contiguous acres, at least 50% of the area in suitable bear habitat, a Bear Habitat Management Plan approved by a Certified Wildlife Biologist, and an annual survey between August 1 and December 31 showing at least 5 individual bears on 5,000 to 14,999 acres to receive 1 tag, 10 individual bears on 15,000 to 24,999 acres for 2 tags, and 15 individual bears on 25,000 acres or more for 3 tags.
Hunters interested in bear management across state lines may also want to review hunting laws in South Carolina and hunting laws in Arkansas, both of which manage black bear populations in the southeastern United States.
Tips for a Successful Bear Hunt in Florida
Florida’s bear hunt is highly competitive — a total of 172 permits were issued through a random drawing for the 2025 season, a 23-day run that marked the state’s first managed bear season since 2015. If you are fortunate enough to draw a permit, preparation and regulation awareness are what separate successful hunters from those who come home empty-handed.
1. Apply for the Lottery Early and Often
The permit lottery is the gateway to the season. Permits are distributed through a random drawing, and those 18 years and older can apply as many times as they want for $5 per application. Submit multiple applications to improve your odds, and make sure your GoOutdoorsFlorida.com account information — especially your mailing address — is current so your tag reaches you promptly if you are selected.
2. Know Your Zone Before You Apply
Each permit is zone-specific. You cannot hunt in a different BHZ than the one printed on your permit. Study the boundaries of all four Bear Hunting Zones before submitting your application so you can prioritize the zone where you have access to land, hunting partners, or local knowledge. The FWC tries to use easily discernable landmarks when setting up hunt zones. The northern end of the South BMU contains multiple public hunting lands, and the FWC does not want to exclude those areas given the lack of public hunting lands in this BMU.
3. Scout for Sign Well Before the Season
Florida black bears leave distinctive sign — claw marks on trees, overturned logs, scat containing berries and insects, and worn trails through palmetto scrub. Black bears have expanded their range to over half the state, so suitable habitat is more widespread than many hunters expect. Focus your pre-season scouting on areas with abundant food sources such as gallberry, saw palmetto berries, and acorns, which are peak bear foraging targets in the fall.
Pro Tip: Trail cameras are one of the most effective pre-season scouting tools for Florida black bears. Place cameras near water sources, natural funnels, and areas with fresh claw markings to pattern bear movement before the season opens.
4. Understand Harvest Reporting Before You Pull the Trigger
Harvest reporting is mandatory and time-sensitive. Permit holders are required to report their harvest at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or in the Fish|Hunt FL mobile app within 24 hours of harvest. Download the app and test it before the season opens. Cell coverage in some Florida WMAs and rural areas can be spotty — know your plan for reporting if you are in a low-signal area.
5. Follow All Protected Class Rules Strictly
FWC commissioners voted to adopt highly regulated hunting rules that included permit limits and protections for cubs and females with dependent young. Harvesting a sow with cubs or a cub itself is a serious violation. Before taking a shot, positively identify your target and confirm it is a legal animal. If you are uncertain, do not shoot.
6. Prepare for Field Processing Without a Check Station
There are no check stations for the current season structure. Instead, the FWC relies on technology to communicate and collect data during the hunt. This means you are responsible for properly caring for your harvest in the field. Bring the tools and knowledge needed to field dress and cool a large animal — Florida’s December temperatures can still be warm enough to spoil meat quickly if you are not prepared.
7. Stay Current on Rule Changes
The FWC plans to evaluate biological data and adapt season timing and permit numbers as needed, with future seasons possibly extending between October 1 and December 31 depending on population objectives. Regulations can and will evolve from year to year. Check MyFWC.com/BearHunting each season for updated zone boundaries, permit allocations, and any new restrictions before applying or heading afield.
If you hunt other game in Florida or surrounding states, explore our resources on hunting laws in Ohio, hunting laws in Minnesota, and hunting laws in Indiana for additional regulation guides. For Florida-specific hunting seasons beyond bears, our Florida wildlife law guides and seasonal breakdowns offer helpful context for planning your full hunting year.
Bear hunting in Florida is a tightly managed, permit-driven opportunity that rewards hunters who do their homework. The 2025 black bear hunt, rooted in sound scientific data, was a success, and Florida proudly joined the more than 30 states that manage black bears with regulated hunting. With the framework now established for annual seasons, preparation, compliance, and patience in the lottery process are your best tools for making the most of this renewed opportunity.