Permits for bear hunting are selling swiftly across Florida. More than 600 permits were issued yesterday, the first time in over 20 years that the licenses have been available. The permits are on sale through October 23, the day before the brief hunting season opens. The season will last 2-7 days, depending on the number of bears killed. Opponents of the practice say that permit seekers only want trophies and that the state is not doing enough to limit the number of bears killed. The state is looking for a 20 percent reduction in the bear population, which sits at around 3,000.
