Florida's black bear hunt, which sparked protests from animal rights activists, was called off after its second day because the creatures were killed at a quicker rate than expected, nearing the maximum limit allowed, authorities said Sunday night.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission posted a statement on its website Sunday night that said the 2015 hunt was approaching the "objective" of "harvesting" 320 bears. The hunt was originally planned to last a week.
The bear hunt was the first in two decades and was meant to reduce the population of bears, which now amount to about 3,500, but were a few hundred in the 1970s.
Officials said more than 30 states allow bear hunting in some form. Several nearby states are also considering cougar hunts to reduce populations.
The agency closed hunting in the central and east panhandle portions of the state on Saturday, after the first day of hunting, because hunters killed a higher number of bears than expected.
More than 3,000 permits were obtained by people who wanted to hunt, including Ted Nugent and Liesa Priddy, a rancher and Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission member who voted to approve the bear hunts, the Associated Press reported. Hunters were allowed to use shotguns, bows, pistols, revolvers and crossbows.
Over the weekend, people who opposed the hunt held protests across the state.
Protesters said officials should focus on alternative ways to curb bears and assure safety through management of trash, which attracts the animals to suburban neighborhoods.
State wildlife officers said in recent years they have received an increase in complaints over the bears, which come close to neighborhoods that border the forest, as development has continued to encroach on the animals habitat.
During the past two years, at least four people have been injured by bears, Reuters reported.