Private property with landowner permission in the East Panhandle, North, Central and South bear management units (BMUs) are open to bear hunting:

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2 Why did FWC re-establish bear hunting in Florida? The purpose of reinstating a bear hunting season is to stabilize expanding bear populations. This is just one part of FWC s overall approach to managing bears. Bear conservation in recent decades has been a success story, and now FWC s approach includes a means for managing bear population size. As other states have shown, hunting is the most effective and responsible method for managing the growth of bear populations. Where can I hunt bears? Private property with landowner permission in the East Panhandle, North, Central and South bear management units (BMUs) are open to bear hunting: East Panhandle BMU Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, Wakulla and Washington counties North BMU Baker, Columbia, Duval, Hamilton, Nassau, Suwannee and Union counties 2015 Guide to Bear Hunting in Florida 1

3 Central BMU Alachua, Bradford, Brevard, Clay, Flagler, Lake, Marion, Orange, Putnam, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter and Volusia counties South BMU Broward, Collier, Hendry, Lee, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach counties Guide to Bear Hunting in Florida

4 Public hunting lands The following wildlife management areas (WMAs) will have bear hunting opportunities in Please note that when hunting bears on WMAs, hunters are required to follow all regulations for the area in which they hunt. Methods of take allowed for hunting bear include archery equipment, firearms and ammunition as allowed for deer, unless otherwise designated on the list below (e.g., archery only or muzzleloading gun only ). East Panhandle BMU Wildlife Management Area Hunting Dates Method of Take Restrictions Apalachee Oct Rifles prohibited No Apalachicola Oct None No Apalachicola - Bradwell Unit Oct Archery only Yes Apalachicola River Oct None No Aucilla (excluding Pinhook still hunt area) Oct None No Aucilla - Pinhook still hunt area Oct Muzzleloading gun only Yes Beaverdam Creek Oct None No Big Bend - Hickory Mound Unit Oct None No Big Bend - Snipe Island Unit Oct Archery only No Big Bend - Snipe Island Unit Oct. 30 Muzzleloading gun only Yes Big Bend - Spring Creek Unit Oct None No Big Bend - Tide Swamp Unit Oct None No Box-R Oct Archery only Yes Chipola River (excluding Altha Tract) Oct None No Chipola River - Altha Tract Oct Archery only Yes Econfina Creek (excluding Fitzhugh Carter, Cat Creek and mobility-impaired areas) Oct None No Econfina Creek Fitzhugh Carter and Cat Creek areas Oct Archery only Yes Lower Econfina Oct Archery only No Middle Aucilla Oct Muzzleloading gun only Yes Ochlockonee River Oct , 30 Archery only No Pine Log Oct Archery only No Talquin Oct , 30 None No Tate s Hell Oct None No Tate s Hell - Womack Creek Unit Oct Archery only Yes Twin Rivers Oct Muzzleloading gun only Yes Tyndall Oct Contact Tyndall for details Wakulla Oct , 30 Archery only Yes Quota Permit Required Tyndall permit required 2015 Guide to Bear Hunting in Florida 3

5 North BMU Wildlife Management Area Hunting Dates Method of Take Restrictions Cary Oct , 30 Muzzleloading gun only Yes Cypress Creek Oct Muzzleloading gun only Yes Four Creeks Oct Muzzleloading gun only Yes Little River Oct Muzzleloading gun only Yes Osceola Oct None No Ralph E. Simmons Oct Muzzleloading gun only Yes Quota Permit Required Central BMU Wildlife Management Area Hunting Dates Method of Take Restrictions Bayard Oct Muzzleloading gun only Yes Belmore Oct Muzzleloading gun only Yes Lochloosa Oct Archery only No Lochloosa Oct. 30 Muzzleloading gun only No Etoniah Creek Oct , 30 Muzzleloading gun only Yes Jumper Creek Oct Muzzleloading gun only Yes Lake Monroe Oct None No Marshall Swamp Oct Archery only Yes Ocala (excluding Church Lake Unit) Oct None No Ocala - Church Lake Unit Oct None No Ocala - Church Lake Unit Oct. 30 Muzzleloading gun only Yes Raiford Oct Muzzleloading gun only Yes Rock Springs Run Oct , 30 Muzzleloading gun only Yes Seminole Forest (mobility-impaired hunt) Oct None Yes Seminole Forest Oct. 30 Muzzleloading gun only Yes Tiger Bay Oct None No Quota Permit Required South BMU Wildlife Management Area Hunting Dates Method of Take Restrictions Okaloacoochee Slough Oct None No Picayune Strand Oct None Yes Spirit-of-the-Wild Oct None No Quota Permit Required Guide to Bear Hunting in Florida

6 When can I hunt bears? The 2015 bear hunting season will last between two and seven days in each of the four BMUs that are open to bear hunting. The season begins on Saturday, Oct. 24, and permitted hunters are guaranteed the opportunity to hunt the first two days. However, starting on the second evening (Oct. 25), hunters must verify each day with the FWC to determine whether the harvest objective (number of bears killed by hunters) in any of the BMUs has been met. Updated information on BMU closures will be made available daily during the season around 9 p.m. Eastern Time. Hunters can learn of these possible closures after 9 p.m. by: Calling the Bear Hunting Hotline toll free at 844-FWC-BEAR Checking MyFWC.com/Hunting Following social media sites: Facebook.com/HGM.FWC Twitter.com/HuntFloridaFWC Also, an will be sent to those who have provided the FWC with an address, and texts will be sent to those who have provided a cell phone number, regarding any season closures to a BMU. Keep in mind that each BMU has its own harvest objective, so while one BMU may close, others may remain open. In any BMU where the harvest objective is not met, the hunt will continue through Oct. 30. Bear Management Unit (BMU) Potential harvest objective for 2015 season East Panhandle 40 North 100 Central 100 South 80 What license and permit do I need to be able to hunt bear? Hunters will need a hunting license and a special-use bear permit ($100 for residents; $300 for nonresidents). Youth, seniors and disabled persons who are interested in hunting bears will also need to buy the special-use bear permit. Only those who have a Florida lifetime hunting license purchased before July 1, 1998, are exempt from paying for the permit, but they still must have the permit to hunt bear. The bear permits go on sale Aug. 3, and the last day you can purchase one is Oct. 23. If you are hunting on a WMA, you also will need a management area permit (but it is not required on Apalachicola River WEA and Tyndall Air Force Base). And depending on the WMA and what other season may be overlapping the bear season, you may also need a quota permit, and/or an archery or muzzleloading gun permit. All licenses and permits can be purchased at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com, county tax collectors offices and most retail outlets that sell hunting and fishing supplies. Do I need to have my Hunter Safety certification to get a special-use bear permit? Hunters 16 years of age and older must have completed a state certified Hunter Safety course before they can buy a hunting license (and special-use bear permit) that allows them to hunt by themselves. Hunters born before June 1, 1975, are exempt from this Hunter Safety requirement. Hunters who opt to purchase their hunting license (and special-use bear permit) using the mentoring exemption must hunt with a supervisor 21 years of age or older who meets the Hunter Safety requirements Guide to Bear Hunting in Florida 5

7 What are the legal methods of take for bear? The same as that for taking deer: Bows and crossbows may be used. Bows must have minimum draw weights of 35 pounds. All arrows and bolts must be equipped with broadheads having at least two sharpened edges with minimum widths of 7/8 inch. Muzzleloaders Guns must be at least.40-caliber if firing a single bullet. Guns must be at least 20-gauge if firing multiple balls. Rifles, pistols and revolvers Must use centerfire rounds. No rimfire cartridges or full metal jacket ammunition is allowed. It is illegal to use semi-automatic rifles that have magazine capacities of more than 5 rounds. Shotguns No restrictions, however, it is highly recommended to use a slug or buck shot. It is illegal to use fully automatic firearms. Can I use bait or feed? The use of bait or feed for any wildlife is prohibited on WMAs. On private lands, feeding stations intended to feed game animals other than bears are allowed; however, it is illegal to intentionally feed bears if it creates a nuisance. In BMU s that are open to bear hunting, there are additional restrictions on what type of feed can be used in game feeding stations: No processed food products may be used. Processed food products are any food substance that has been modified by the addition of ingredients or by treatment to modify its chemical composition or form or to enhance its aroma or taste. This includes: food products enhanced by sugar, honey, syrups, oils, salts, spices, peanut butter, grease, meat, bones or blood; candies, pastries, gum and sugar blocks; and extracts of such products. This does not include scented sprays or aerosols and scent powders. Pelletized feeds, flavored corns or other grains and mineral or vitamin supplements specifically and exclusively produced or marketed for feeding deer, and commercially available feeds specifically and exclusively marketed for feeding swine (hogs), may be used. For a bear to be legally taken, the hunter AND bear must both be at least 100 yards away from any feeding station when feed is present. What are the shooting hours? The same as for most game animals a half-hour before sunrise until a half-hour after sunset Can you use dogs to hunt bears? No. However, you may use a leashed dog to blood trail and help find a bear that has been shot. Are there certain precautions I should take when hunting in bear country or when recovering a bear? It is strongly recommended to carry and be familiar with how to use bear spray when hunting in any area where bears may be present. In addition, you should have your gun or bow ready as you track and approach a wounded bear. Bears, whether injured or not, can be dangerous when approached so use extreme caution. Where are the best places to hunt bears? What habitats do they prefer? Bears prefer thick and overgrown forest habitats. The best places to hunt bears are where you see abundant foods such as gallberry patches, mature oak trees dropping acorns and other natural food sources. Locating a spot where you can see a fair distance despite the thick vegetation is a must Guide to Bear Hunting in Florida

8 When scouting for a good bear hunting area, what kinds of bear sign should I be looking for? Look for tracks, scat and tree markings to see if a bear is using the area. Adult bear tracks are fairly distinct because they are large. Front prints average 4 inches long by 4 inches wide, and hind prints average 6 inches long by 4 inches wide. Bears walk flat footed, so typically five toes are visible in their tracks. Bear scat is typically large (5-inch-wide pile), and depending on the time of year will contain acorn husks, seeds, fruit parts, insect remains and other vegetative materials. Bears will sometimes mark trees, usually between 4 and 6 feet high, by scratching and biting the bark Guide to Bear Hunting in Florida 7

9 What is the best way to set up on a bear? As with deer, hunting from tree stands and climbers work best. You also can choose to hunt from a ground blind, but bears have an even greater sense of smell than deer, so more attention should be placed on wind direction and covering your scent. Do I need to wear hunter orange, like I do when I m deer hunting? No, it is not required but always recommended when hunting. Florida law requires that 500 square inches of fluorescent orange be worn above the waistline only when deer hunting on public land. But, if you plan on hunting bear and deer at the same time while on public land, then you would need to wear hunter orange. What size and sex of bear are legal to take? You may take either sex, but the bear must weigh at least 100 pounds (live weight) and cannot be with any cubs (a cub is defined as a bear that is less than 100 pounds). It is best to observe a bear for a while before taking a shot, so that you can confidently estimate its size and obtain the best shot possible, if you determine it to be a legal bear to harvest and one that you would like to take. Taking your time also helps make sure that an adult female doesn t have any cubs with her, as cubs often don t show themselves right away. How can you tell if a bear is more than 100 pounds in size? Bears come in all shapes and sizes, so it s best to be on the safe side and wait for a bear that is clearly larger than 100 pounds. One indicator of a bear being mature is its ears are proportional to its head. All bears have the same size ears, so compare its ears to the size of its head. If you see a bear that appears to have big ears, then it is a small bear. Young Florida black bear Adult Florida black bear Adult bears are typically at least 3 feet high at the shoulder when on all fours. Try measuring the trees around your setup, so that when a bear approaches, you have something to compare it to and can better gauge the bear s size Guide to Bear Hunting in Florida

10 Where are a bear s vital organs located? Where should I concentrate my shot placement on a bear? Aim for the chest cavity that contains the bear s heart and lungs and is located just behind its front leg. To make a quick and humane kill, wait until the bear is within shooting range and positioned broadside. Put your sights on the center of its front leg and run the crosshairs up until you are aiming a third of the way up between its chest and back. That is where you want to place your bullet or arrow. Also, a bear s shoulder and leg bones can block its heart and lungs, so it s best to wait until its front leg closest to you is forward in stride when you take your shot. A bear s shoulder and leg bones protect its heart and lungs when the inside front leg is positioned back during stride. Bears have heavy bones, hides and fat layers. Broadside or quartering away shots are best for hunters when the bear is clearly visible and the vital area is presented. Wait to take the shot until the bear is clearly visible, and the front leg closest to you is forward in stride, exposing the heart and lungs. It is better to pass up a shot if you are unsure of being able to make a direct hit in the vital area Guide to Bear Hunting in Florida 9

11 What is the daily and season bag limit on bear? One bear per person for the season. Can I shoot a bear if it has ear tags and/or a collar around its neck? Yes. FWC has ear tagged and collared bears in different parts of the state for management and research purposes. Please return any ear tags or collars at the check station when you bring in your bear. After I have killed a bear and recovered it, what do I legally have to do now? You must check your bear at any of the established bear check stations within 12 hours of recovering it. These check stations are located so that no matter where you are hunting within the four open BMUs, you are no more than 30 miles from one. NOTE - The specific locations for each of these check stations will be made available before the hunt. Can I field dress the bear, or do I have to bring it to the check station whole? You may field dress your bear, but DO NOT: Remove evidence of sex Dismember or quarter the bear What type of information is going to be gathered on my bear at the check station? Weight Sex Chest girth Total length A tooth will be pulled to estimate the bear s age Hair will be pulled to collect DNA from the bear A bear tag will be affixed to your bear s hide And, you will be given a survey to fill out. Those hunters unsuccessful in harvesting a bear will be mailed a survey shortly after the season ends. How do you field dress a bear? Field dressing a bear is essentially the same as field dressing a deer. There is really no need to cut through the rib cage. If you do, dirt, leaves and other debris can get inside and could spoil part of the meat. Until you can get the carcass refrigerated, try to keep it out of direct sunlight and as cool as possible by putting bags of ice on top of it and inside the chest cavity. If you hang the carcass, do so by its front legs or head rather than its hind legs to prevent blood from draining into the chest cavity, which can spoil the meat. How do you skin and butcher a bear? You should skin your bear as soon as possible to allow the carcass to cool rapidly. As the diagram to the right depicts, lay the animal on its back and make your cuts, following the dashed lines. Next, begin to carefully remove the skin from the carcass. To do this, you will leave the paws connected to the skin by cutting through the ankle joints above each paw. Start with the rear paws, then the tail, and work the skin forward toward the head. You will also leave the head connected to the skin, so that when you are done, you are left with a headless and pawless carcass covered in layers of white fat Guide to Bear Hunting in Florida 10

12 Lay the skinned bear carcass out on a large table or suspend it from its hind legs about 3 feet from the ground using a deer hanging/cleaning station. Use a good knife to cut off the layers of fat. Bears have two types of fat: The outer layer is jelly-like, while the layer closer to the muscle is firmer, similar to beef tallow. Carefully shave off the fat in chunks, getting as close to the red muscle as possible. Discard the fat or put aside to later be made into bear lard or grease. Remove the fillets by sawing the sternum down the middle, then split the rib cage into two halves. The tenderloins or fillets are the muscles that run along the spine from the bottom of the rib cage to just before the hind legs. Leave as is if you want bear steaks, or you can cube into roughly 2 ½- by 2 ½-inch pieces, which is how you can process the rest of your bear meat. Peel the meat from the ribs by inserting your knife just under the rib meat on the outside of the animal s rib cage, making a generous incision. Run your knife along the flesh and the rib bones as you pull the meat back, peeling off the rib meat. Remove the meat from the front and back legs by holding out each limb, and use your knife to cut the meat, sinew and tendons away from shoulder and hip joints, and then saw off each limb at the exposed joint. Cut the meat away from each leg and cube. Strip and cube the remaining meat from the carcass, which will mostly be around the shoulders. Place cubes of meat in an airtight container or in plastic bags. Place in your refrigerator or freezer, or grind with spices and other meat (traditionally pork) to make ground meat for hamburgers or sausage. Am I allowed to sell any of the parts or hide of my harvested bear? No, the sale or purchase of bear meat or parts is prohibited, but you may keep or give away any of the parts, meat or hide. How can I best preserve my bear hide for future use? After you have skinned your bear, fold and roll up the hide so that the fur is on the outside and store in a freezer. Never place your hide in a plastic bag without some means of refrigeration because this will not allow heat transfer and can result in tissue and fur deterioration. Only salt the skin side of the hide if refrigeration is not possible and only after all fat has been removed. I m ready to try some bear meat. Where can I find some recipes on how to cook it? Bear meat should be treated with the same caution as pork because of the possibility of trichinosis. Trichinosis is a parasitic disease caused by eating raw or undercooked pork or wild game infected with the larvae of a roundworm species known as trichinella. Therefore, always cook bear meat to a minimum internal temperature of 160 degrees F. Deep-freezing, smoking, pickling and other methods of preserving and processing meat do NOT kill trichinella in bear meat. Therefore, you should ensure that the meat is thoroughly cooked. Bear meat is very fatty, so it s important to remove as much fat as possible. Oven and pot roasting is recommended for most cuts. In addition, the meat can be made into sausage and burgers. Most recipes for pork and venison also can be used for bear meat. If you grind your own meat, make sure the grinder is properly cleaned after each use. Several bear recipes can be found on the Internet, including a cookbook at bear_recipeguide.pdf Guide to Bear Hunting in Florida

13 Some parting words The recovery of the black bear in Florida is a conservation success story. Florida is fortunate to have sufficient bear populations in different parts of the state that are capable of supporting hunting, and it is important that hunting remain a viable tool used to manage this great resource and species. However, how hunters behave and how their conduct is perceived by others will impact the future of bear hunting in Florida. Here are some suggestions for good hunter conduct that can help keep hunting viewed in a positive light: Transport harvested animals discreetly - don t display them Be a credit to, and good representative of, the sporting community Be respectful to others who may not share your views on hunting As a hunter, please continue to do your part in helping build upon the overall support for hunting in Florida. Good luck, and be safe! 2015 Guide to Bear Hunting in Florida 12