HAVANA, Fla. - Florida wildlife officials are meeting on Wednesday to discuss rules for a proposed three-week bear hunt in December.

Commissioners with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission say this time around would have "a more structured format" than a hunt held a decade ago.

What we know:

The proposed rules would include a lottery-style permitting process and up to 187 bears being killed in four designated areas of the state.

The rules would also include guidelines to encourage hunters to kill male bears. State data on the 2015 black bear hunt showed 60% of the 305 bears killed were female, including 36 lactating mothers. Opponents say those deaths contributed to the deaths of scores of orphaned cubs.

Wildlife welfare groups have suggested FWC officials also ba

See Full Page