Florida's first black bear hunt in 10 years has attracted a staggering 163,459 applications, but a sizable share may be from conservationists who want to save bears, not hunt them, the Orlando Sentinel reports. The state's wildlife agency, the Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), is issuing just 172 tags for the hunt—about a 1-in-1,000 shot for applicants. But conservation groups, led by the Sierra Club, encouraged thousands to flood the system, buying $5 lottery entries with no intention of actually hunting. For every tag claimed by an opponent, that's one less bear at risk, the groups said.
The campaign to "bag a tag, spare a bear" saw instructional videos for how to submit an application rack up more than 123,000 views, and activists estimate tens of thousands of applications came from their followers. One particularly committed conservationist entered at least 800 times. Outdoor Life estimates 23% or more of the applications may have come from one anti-hunting group alone. The overall influx generated more than $800,000 in permit fees for the state.
Applications were divided by region, with the most interest in the southwest zone—the site of Florida's first fatal bear attack in May, which likely fueled attention. Odds varied across the state, with the Tallahassee area offering the best chance at a tag. Hunters, meanwhile, aren't convinced the activists will lock up all the permits, especially in northern and panhandle zones, where traditional sportsmen still dominate. State officials say the hunt is needed to manage a booming bear population, now estimated at over 4,000. Conservationists, however, argue the hunt ignores public opposition and scientific advice.
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