The new rules will establish bear hunting zones within four of the seven existing bear management units. The FWC says in total, 187 permits will be issued across the East Panhandle, North, Central, and South BMUs. Each permit will allow the harvest of one bear within the assigned bear hunting zone.

Florida’s first black bear hunt in a decade is officially set to move forward after a unanimous vote by the state’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) on Wednesday morning, despite opposition from animal rights groups. The regulated hunt will take place over 23 days in December this year.