Florida’s last bear trophy hunt was an unmitigated disaster, yet Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) is gearing up for another.

Florida’s 2015 bear hunt was widely condemned, and the state was forced to end it early after its quota of 320 bears was nearly met in just two days. In the eastern Panhandle nearly triple the state’s quota of bears for that region were killed.

These numbers don’t even account for the orphaned bear cubs that were left to die without their mothers, or the injured bears abandoned in the forest, or the illegally killed undersized bears that went unreported. Unbelievably, despite this horrific debacle, Gov. DeSantis’ Fish and Wildlife Commission is proposing another black bear hunt.

The FWC is holding a virtual public meeting this Thursday, and we need to demonstrate overwhelming public opposition to this hunt to commissioners. It's time for Floridians to speak out in a unified voice and make clear to Gov. DeSantis and his wildlife commission that our state's treasured wildlife, including the iconic black bear, must be protected for future generations.

Email the Fish and Wildlife Commission and urge them to call off the proposed Florida black bear hunt. You can customize the letter below (optional).