A fence marks the line between Martha Dervish’s backyard and a plot of state owned, public land on the other side of it.  Dervish is worried that during the bear hunt, hunters could be right behind her home, firing their guns at black bears.

“We have little kids that just moved in next door.  They could be in their backyard and have people shooting. It’s very scary,” said Dervish.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission’s approved black bear hunt, set to begin October 24, allows people to hunt bears on certain public lands.  As of Sept. 2, FWC has sold nearly 2,000 bear hunting permits. On Wednesday, FWC commissioners approved a plan that would allow a totaly of 100 bears to be killed in the Central Florida Bear Management Unit, which includes the following counties:

  • Alachua
  • Bradford
  • Brevard
  • Clay
  • Flagler
  • Lake
  • Marion
  • Orange
  • Putnam
  • Seminole
  • St. Johns
  • Sumter
  • Volusia

Hunters will be allowed to kill a total of 40 bears in the East Panhandle BMU. In the North BMU, hunters will be allowed to kill a total of 100 bears, and in the South BMU hunters can kill a total of 80 bears -- 320 bears total from the four BMUs.

We’ve also learned hunting will only be allowed during the daytime.  But hunters will not have to wear reflective clothing required during deer hunting.

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FWC prohibits hunting in the area of public lands near Dervish’s home along the Markham Woods Road corridor in Lake Mary and Longwood.

But Dervish is worried that won’t stop hunters from going after bears she frequently sees near her home.

“Because we’ve had them shooting illegally for 22 years,” said Dervish.

But hunters may not have to go further than their own backyards. The FWC bear hunt also allows hunting on people’s private land.

“So you could theoretically hunt for bears on your own property, as long as you have a bear-hunting license, and as long as you don’t discharge your firearm negligently or recklessly.  And our homeowner’s association was a little concerned about that,” said attorney Gary Kaleita with the Lowndes Law Firm.

Kaleita lives in Wingfield North, a neighborhood known for frequent bear sightings.  He says the only way neighborhoods can prohibit bear hunting is to enact their own rules against it.

“I prepare covenants for developers, and we include in a lot of them prohibitions against the discharging of firearms in communities,” said Kaleita.

Dervish help start Speak Up Wekiva, an environmental group that’s now suing FWC to stop the bear hunt. She says if their effort fails, she won’t be staying in her home during the hunt.

“If they actually have it - I’m hoping we’ll stop it – I’m not going to be here,” said Dervish.

FWC says anyone caught bear hunting on prohibited public lands like this, or shooting onto someone else’s private land, could face felony charges.

FWC Bear Management Map for the Hunt