The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission directed staff to move forward with a proposal for another bear hunt in the state of Florida.
At a meeting in December in Lakeland, commissioners said the proposal could be ready as early as May.
Staff would gather input from the public.
Mike Orlando, the FWC’s Bear Management Program Coordinator, updated the commission on the state’s bear management plan .
It highlighted recent bear management and research efforts.
Orlando said FWC received more than 6,000 calls annually related to bears.
“Calls may range from a positive interaction like someone seeing their first bear in the forest to a negative interaction that requires some FWC action,” said Orlando.
Researchers estimate more than 4,000 bears live in the state of Florida. State wildlife officials say an increasing population of both bears and people may lead to more opportunities for conflict.
Orlando said the state is split into 7 Bear Management Units. Most bears are located in Central Florida, South Florida and portions of the Panhandle.