Wildlife officials in Mississippi said researchers trapped and tagged a 510-pound bear that is officially the largest ever documented in the state.

Officials with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (MDWFP) announced the record for the largest black bear in the Black Bear Program’s history has been broken. M18 is a 510-pound black bear that was collared earlier this week in Sharkey County.

The huge bear weighs over 500 pounds, but the state bear biologist thinks larger bears are roaming Mississippi.

Officials will present proposals and updated data in May before FWC makes a decision on what could be the state’s first bear hunt in almost a decade.

Florida officials are moving closer to allowing the first sanctioned bear hunt in nearly a decade. ▶ WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will consider hunt proposals at its May meeting, it decided Wednesday.