Florida kicks off first black bear hunt in a decade, despite pushback

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — For the , hunters armed with rifles and crossbows are fanning out across Florida's swamps and flatwoods to legally hunt the Florida black bear, over the vocal opposition of critics.

The state-sanctioned hunt began Saturday, after drawing for a far more limited number of hunting permits, including from opponents who are trying to reduce the number of bears killed in , the state's first .