Florida's first bear hunt in a decade begins on Saturday.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the black bear population has come back from just several hundred bears in the 1970s to over 4,000 today and is one of Floridas most successful conservation efforts.

Florida has not allowed a bear hunt since 2015.

The hunt begins on Saturday, Dec. 6 and runs through Dec. 28.

Protesters, including wildlife life advocates with Bear Warriors United, rallied outside the state capitol last month. Demonstrators urged Governor Ron DeSantis to stop the hunt.

The Central Florida based non-profit organization, Bear Warriors United, sued the FWC, but last month a judge ultimately ruled the hunt could continue as planned.

Wildlife advocates said killing animals is not the answer.

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