Florida Fish & Wildlife to vote on hunting Florida Black Bears...

[Teresa]

I will eat all of the above, except squirrel, rattlesnake, turtle AND bear...

What does bear taste like?

 

[John G]

Trash management would not have stopped a single one of the recent bear attacks. The facts are the facts and it is high time that we manage the resource that we are stewards of. A selective bear harvest is good for the human population as well as the bear population.
Furthermore, the Alaqua Animal Refuge is spewing garbage info because the bear hunting proposal being reviewed puts the greater panhandle area to receive the fewest bear tags. The closest area to Walton County that would see a bear hunt will be the northern reaches of Bay/Calhoun county and the Appalachicola National Forest. Eglin area isn't even to be mentioned in the proposal.
The bulk of the bear hunting is to be done in Ocala National Forest(Central Florida) and Big Cypress(South Florida).

You are right about Alaqua.

No clue, just looking for more PR.

They like to also cherry pick the animals they rescue.

(Now they did great with saving that horse a while back, but in general, they don't help when one finds a lost dog...)

 

[Teresa]

Alaqua is an excellent animal shelter.. We're very fortunate to have such an incredible refuge in our area. We've spent time there with the animals, as well as the volunteers and staff. A unique and hard working shelter which I'm so thankful for... More growth and news coming soon about Alaqua.

 

[Chanticleer Eatery]

This is why I am concerned. People are trying to impact the vote of the bear hunts do not even understand the usefulness of the resource.

Bear, Deer, Pig, Turkey, Dove, Quail, Squirrel, Duck(s), Turtle, Rattlesnake, Alligator are all excellent eating that Florida has to offer.

That is why I weighed in on the topic. Prior to operating restaurants we managed youth camps in Maine and in Illinois. My Master's is in Recreation Mgmt and tourism with a concentration in outdoor studies. In Maine we not only operated the camp but also managed many acres of land under conservation - that you could hunt on! (gasp). Again, I am not against hunting - I just don't believe this will fix the problem. I am a country girl at heart - grew up raising my own beef & pork and believe in knowing and acknowledging where our food comes from!

The bears that are the issue will more than likely not be culled during this hunt. I can't imagine anyone will be hunting between our property and 30A! We need to become better stewards and manage our garbage better in areas where there are bears. We created this problem by making it too easy for them. Just like kiddos if you leave cookies sitting out on the counter and never give them a reason not to eat them all they will! Same with garbage, it is a heck of a lot easier for bears to dumpster dive and hang out on the beach than act like bears should act.

I feel like this 'hunt' has been pushed by trophy hunters. Most people, even locals don't realize we have bears, much less a bear problem. I will be the first to admit I don't know everything about all the ins and outs of this topic - it just doesn't sit well with me and I have lots and lots of experience with the local bear population!

This topic needs to be fully discussed and well thought out before allowing a hunt. If there are truly problem bears that cannot be relocated, well - I guess hard decisions should be made, but to just go on a mass hunt and hope for the best doesn't seem reasonable. Deal with the problems, don't use the problems as an excuse to get out of your house with the .308! Just because you can shoot it and perhaps eat it doesn't mean you necessarily should. That is what partly got our turkey, bear, panthers, red wolf and many other species in trouble here in our amazing state of Florida!

 

[Low Brow]

That is why I weighed in on the topic. Prior to operating restaurants we managed youth camps in Maine and in Illinois. My Master's is in Recreation Mgmt and tourism with a concentration in outdoor studies. In Maine we not only operated the camp but also managed many acres of land under conservation - that you could hunt on! (gasp). Again, I am not against hunting - I just don't believe this will fix the problem. I am a country girl at heart - grew up raising my own beef & pork and believe in knowing and acknowledging where our food comes from!

The bears that are the issue will more than likely not be culled during this hunt. I can't imagine anyone will be hunting between our property and 30A! We need to become better stewards and manage our garbage better in areas where there are bears. We created this problem by making it too easy for them. Just like kiddos if you leave cookies sitting out on the counter and never give them a reason not to eat them all they will! Same with garbage, it is a heck of a lot easier for bears to dumpster dive and hang out on the beach than act like bears should act.

I feel like this 'hunt' has been pushed by trophy hunters. Most people, even locals don't realize we have bears, much less a bear problem. I will be the first to admit I don't know everything about all the ins and outs of this topic - it just doesn't sit well with me and I have lots and lots of experience with the local bear population!

This topic needs to be fully discussed and well thought out before allowing a hunt. If there are truly problem bears that cannot be relocated, well - I guess hard decisions should be made, but to just go on a mass hunt and hope for the best doesn't seem reasonable. Deal with the problems, don't use the problems as an excuse to get out of your house with the .308! Just because you can shoot it and perhaps eat it doesn't mean you necessarily should. That is what partly got our turkey, bear, panthers, red wolf and many other species in trouble here in our amazing state of Florida!

Read my first post.

This hunt has NOTHING to do with the bears of 30A.

It has all to do with the Ocala, Big Cypress, and Appalachicola Bears. The Eglin BMU which is what group the 30A bears would fall under will not be hunted, atleast in the proposals I have read. Point Washington and Eglin have both been excluded and are not going to be included in the proposed bear hunt schedule.

The topic has been discussed for many years. You are just late to the party. That is why I encourage everyone to listen to the discussion or even attend the meeting. The agenda is being pushed by state biologists. But what do they know? I guess my point would be, hardly is this a mass hunt with no thought behind it....

 

[Low Brow]

I can't imagine anyone will be hunting between our property and 30A!

There is allot of hunting that happens within a stones throw of 30A. Maybe not between your property and 30A but on the other side of the road.....

 

[Teresa]

Read my first post.

This hunt has NOTHING to do with the bears of 30A.

It has all to do with the Ocala, Big Cypress, and Appalachicola Bears. The Eglin BMU which is what group the 30A bears would fall under will not be hunted, atleast in the proposals I have read. Point Washington and Eglin have both been excluded and are not going to be included in the proposed bear hunt schedule.

The topic has been discussed for many years. You are just late to the party. That is why I encourage everyone to listen to the discussion or even attend the meeting. The agenda is being pushed by state biologists. But what do they know? I guess my point would be, hardly is this a mass hunt with no thought behind it....

I get it. Kind of like gator hunting. Which I can understand is needed under certain circumstances. But I certainly didn't like it when a licensed hunter was given permission to kill a targeted gator in our neck of the woods in Point Washington - because he was "too big". Then a horrible photo of the dead gator ends up on the front page of the Destin Log - strung up - huge - dead. Makes me sick.

 

[Low Brow]

I get it. Kind of like gator hunting. Which I can understand is needed under certain circumstances. But I certainly didn't like it when a licensed hunter was given permission to kill a targeted gator in our neck of the woods in Point Washington - because he was "too big". Then a horrible photo of the dead gator ends up on the front page of the Destin Log - strung up - huge - dead. Makes me sick.

I would be interested in the details of the alligator you are talking about. If it is the 2013 gator, you can blame the Destin Log for poor reporting of info, certainly not facts, and you would likely be less upset with the hunt.

I understand the ugly side of hunting and it's not for the faint of heart. The harsh reality as a meat eating populace, the food on the plate was once just an animal. It dang sure didn't sacrifice it's self.

As ugly as a dead gator might look to some, they would be revolted if they had half a clue about their T-Bone.

 

[carson]

Everyone loves Chanticleer, even our furry friends!

 

[Dawn]

Bears and deer are too cute to eat. Leave the cute animals alone.