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.
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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.
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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
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.
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For a deeper look at the 2025 statistics, click
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