Florida wildlife officials this week will hear a proposal to create an annual “limited-entry” black bear hunt, with a December hunting period the first in more than a decade.

Bear hunting has long been a controversial issue in Florida. Supporters say, in part, a hunt could help better manage bear populations as the animals interact with humans. They also point to a voter-approved ballot measure in November that enshrined hunting and fishing rights in the state Constitution.

Officials in Florida confirmed that a man and his dog found dead earlier this month were killed by a bear, a first for the state.

An man and his dog were mauled to death by a black bear in Jerome, Florida. The 89-year-old man's death marks the first fatality attributed to a black bear in state history.

Florida Wildlife officials recognize that residents may see more bears this time of year because most have come out of hibernation. “Black bears are not generally aggressive, but like any wild animal,

The male bear tested negative for rabies, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said May ... of 6,300 bear-related calls annually and has documented 42 prior incidents where wild black bears have made physical contact with people since ...

State wildlife officials will hear a proposal next week to create an annual black bear hunt. The proposed December hunt would be the first in over a decade.

Video from the scene showed law enforcement officers using both boats and helicopters to respond to the scene and potentially search for the animal.

Lab results have connected one of three black bears killed by wildlife officers in southwest Florida to a fatal attack on a man and his dog a day earlier, officials said Friday.

A woman canoeing on Lake Kissimmee on Tuesday, May 6, encountered an alligator, went into the water, and was killed, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. On March 3 ...

Florida wildlife authorities confirmed Friday that ... of 6,300 bear-related calls annually and has documented 42 prior incidents where wild black bears have made physical contact with people ...