A move is underway that wildlife advocates hope will persuade the state to end plans to overturn a nearly 40-year-old hunting ban on Louisiana black bears.

Jeff Dorson, executive director of the Humane Society of Louisiana, started an online petition in late December after the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries began a process that could let hunters kill up to 10 bears this year.

The petition, which says it’s better to “educate our residents to live with other creatures .. than to kill them,” had just over 7,500 signatures as of Wednesday.

Louisiana’s Wildlife and Fisheries department is hosting three public hearings on the proposed hunting season this month in north Louisiana. The first is scheduled Thursday at 6 p.m. at the West Monroe Convention Center in West Monroe. The others will be held Jan. 23 in Delhi at the Black Bear Golf Course Conference Center and on Jan. 25 at the LSU Ag Center in St. Joseph.

Public comments can be submitted to Hanks at [email protected] until Feb. 5.