More than 160,000 apply for Florida's first bear hunt in a decade, wildlife officials say

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Florida's first drew more than 160,000 applicants for a far more limited number of permits, including from opponents who are trying to reduce the number of bears killed.

The will award 172 bear hunt permits by random lottery for the December hunt, down slightly from the 187 permits initially proposed. The permit allows a hunter to kill one bear in areas where the bear population is deemed large enough.