Hunters, activists prepare as lottery opens for controversial Florida black bear hunt

At 10 a.m. Friday, Lance Van Dina was ready. The Sunrise resident opened the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission website and bought 30 tickets in the lottery to hunt a Florida black bear.

Applications are now open through Sept. 21 to participate in the second consecutive year of the controversial hunt. The season will run from Dec. 5 to Dec. 28.

Last year’s season was the first since 2015 and sparked widespread backlash from animal rights organizations. Now, it returns with more permits and new rules around private land use…

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