Governor Rick Scott says he will not stand in the way of next month’s controversial black bear hunt in Florida.
Scott says he has left the decision up to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which has approved a hunt that will start October 24 in four bear management regions around the state.
Animal rights groups asked the governor to use his executive authority to stop the hunt because there’s no proof that culling the population would decrease the number of clashes between bears and humans.
And they say it’s likely bear-cubs would be orphaned.
There is still a lawsuit pending by an animal rights group.
Two thousand permits have been sold to hunters.
State officials say up to 320 bears total can be killed during the two to seven day hunt.
