Florida bear hunting: Limited permit applications open Sept. 11
FLORIDA - Hunters looking to participate in Florida's upcoming bear hunting season can submit permit applications starting Sept. 11, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
This will mark Florida’s second regulated bear hunt in nearly a decade, following the state's 2025 season.
Florida bear permit details
What we know:
Application submissions for the 2026 bear harvest open at 10 a.m. on Sept. 11 and close at 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 21.
FWC says hunters must be at least 18 years old by Oct. 1 to qualify.
Each application entry costs $5 plus handling fees, and individuals may submit multiple entries. FWC says the state distributes permits through a random drawing, with nonresidents limited to receiving 10% of the total issued permits.
Hunt rules and locations
Dig deeper:
A bear harvest permit and a valid hunting license are required to hunt bears in four designated zones from Dec. 5–27.
According to FWC, selected hunters must pay $100 for resident permits or $300 for nonresident permits, plus additional handling fees. The agency says each hunter can receive only one non-transferable permit.
For more information, visit here.
How to submit applications
What you can do:
Applicants can apply online at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com by logging into their account and selecting "Apply for Limited Entry/Quota Permits". Individuals may also submit a completed worksheet to any Florida tax collector's office or license agent.
For a deeper look at the 2025 statistics, click here.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which detailed application deadlines, fees, and hunting zone guidelines.