Florida 2011-2012 FWC hunting dates
Seasons and dates are not applicable to wildlife management areas
Click here to download regulation handbooks
| 2011-2012 Florida Hunting Season Dates(Seasons and dates do not apply to wildlife management areas) | ||||
| Season | Zone A | Zone B | Zone C | Zone D |
| Archery | July 30 – Aug. 28 | Oct. 15 – Nov. 13 | Sept. 17 – Oct. 16 | Oct. 22 – Nov. 23 |
| Deer-dog training | Aug. 13 – Sept. 1 | Oct. 29 – Nov. 17 | Oct. 1-20 | Oct. 29 – Nov. 17 |
| Crossbow | July 30 – Sept. 2 | Oct. 15 – Nov. 18 | Sept. 17 – Oct. 21 | Oct. 22 – Nov. 23andNov. 28 – Dec. 2 |
| Muzzleloading gun | Sept. 3-16 | Nov. 19 – Dec. 2 | Oct. 22 – Nov. 4 | Dec. 3-9 andFeb. 20-26 |
| General gun | Sept. 17 – Oct. 16 andNov. 19 – Jan. 1 | Dec. 3 – Feb. 19 | Nov. 5 – Jan. 22 | Nov. 24-27 andDec. 10 – Feb. 19 |
| Antlerless deer | Nov. 19-25 | Dec. 26 – Jan. 1 | Nov. 19-25 | Dec. 26 – Jan. 1 |
| Fall turkey | Oct. 3-16 andNov. 19 – Jan. 1 | Dec. 3 – Jan. 29 | Nov. 5 – Jan. 1 | Nov. 24-27 andDec. 10 – Jan. 15 * |
| Quail and gray squirrel | Nov. 12 – March 4 | Nov. 12 – March 4 | Nov. 12 – March 4 | Nov. 12 – March 4 |
| Bobcat and otter | Dec. 1 – March 1 | Dec. 1 – March 1 | Dec. 1 – March 1 | Dec. 1 – March 1 |
| Youth spring turkey hunt ** | Feb. 25-26 | March 10-11 | March 10-11 | March 10-11 |
| Spring turkey | March 3 – April 8 | March 17 – April 22 | March 17 – April 22 | March 17 – April 22 *** |
Wild hogs, rabbits, raccoons, opossums, skunks, nutrias, beavers and coyotes may be taken year-round.
* Except for Holmes County, where there is no fall harvest of turkeys allowed.
** Only youths under 16 years old will be allowed to harvest a turkey while supervised by an adult, 18 years or older.
*** In Holmes County, spring turkey season is limited to March 17 – April 1.
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Wildlife Management Area brochures
Wildlife Management Areas: Each Wildlife Management Area has different hunting season dates. Please refer to links below:
Choctawhatchee River WMA: Click here
Point Washington WMA: Click here
Lafayette Creek WMA: Click here
Pine Log WMA: Pine-Log
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Eglin AFB 2011-2012 Hunting Season Dates
Click here
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National wildlife refuges offer special hunts
Sambar deer. Photo courtesy USFWS
This fall, Northwest Florida offers some special deer and wild hog hunts at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and a unique “big-game” sambar deer hunt on the island of St. Vincent NWR.
The application period for these hunts begins at 10 a.m. May 3 and continues through 11:59 p.m. June 9.
There are two archery hunts, two general gun hunts and one mobility-impaired gun hunt on St. Marks NWR, which covers 60,000 acres in Wakulla, Jefferson and Taylor counties. Five-day archery hunts for white-tailed deer and wild hogs are Nov. 8-12 in the Panacea Unit and Nov. 1-5 in the Wakulla Unit. There are 200 available permits for each hunt at $15 each.
The two general gun hunts are both three days long and take place on the area’s two units: Wakulla (Dec. 9-11) and Panacea (Dec. 16-18). There are 150 permits available for the Wakulla Unit and 80 for the Panacea Unit. These permits cost $15, if you are drawn.
The three-day mobility-impaired gun hunt is for hunters certified as mobility-impaired by the FWC. It is on the Panacea Unit Dec. 10-12, and 15 permits are available – again, $15 if drawn. Click here to continue
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Many FWC-managed lands get new dates for 2011-12 hunting season
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) passed new rules that modify hunting season dates on many FWC-managed areas. These rules become effective on July 1 and apply to the 2011-12 hunting season.
For more than a year, the FWC and its partners and cooperating agency landowners have worked with stakeholders to develop changes to season dates for these public hunting lands. These lands include wildlife management areas, wildlife and environmental areas and miscellaneous areas.
Making these adjustments will align the seasons on these areas more closely with the newly adopted zonal season dates, which took effect on private lands last year.
“With the new changes in dates to hunting seasons on private lands, we and our hunting stakeholders felt that season dates on several of our management areas needed to be modified to correspond better with the new zonal seasons and the timing of deer breeding,” said Diane Eggeman, director of the FWC’s Division of Hunting and Game Management.
The FWC held nine public meetings across the state and gathered input and feedback on the subject through an online poll. New changes take into consideration when deer breed on each area and other hunter preferences, such as hunting during holidays and the desires of other area users.
“We want to make things as good as we can for public-land hunters,” said Cory Morea, FWC biologist and deer-management program coordinator. “Adjusting some of these dates to make the seasons occur closer to peak deer activity or during holidays should increase hunter satisfaction.”
“But, at the same time, we didn’t want to fix something that wasn’t broken,” Morea said. “Hunters have told us that on some of our areas the seasons are timed just right, so we didn’t make any changes to those areas.”
For information on the specific season date changes made for each area, go to MyFWC.com/Deer.
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FWC adds youth turkey hunts, modifies hog-dog hunts on public lands
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) passed new rules that affect hunting on many of the state’s wildlife management areas. Most of these new rules apply to specific WMAs; however, two of them affect public hunting on a more statewide scale.
One such statewide rule establishes youth turkey hunts on 78 FWC-managed areas, all of which support adequate turkey populations, and creates a youth turkey quota permit. Forty-nine of the 78 areas will require a youth turkey quota permit, and only those youths who will be less than 16 years old on the last day of the youth turkey hunt may apply for this opportunity.
The youth turkey hunts on these WMAs will be two-day, Saturday-Sunday hunts and will occur the weekend prior to the opening of spring turkey season on each particular WMA, beginning with the 2012 season.
“We know the importance of exposing young people to hunting opportunities,” said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto. “The more our youth experience wildlife and nature, the more likely they are to grow up to appreciate these resources and to pass along outdoor traditions to future generations.”
These hunts will be available for youths younger than 16 years old who are supervised by and in the presence of an adult, 18 years of age or older, but only the youth will be allowed to harvest a turkey.
Adult supervisors who don’t have the required hunting license, turkey permit and management area permit won’t be allowed to participate in the hunt. They will be allowed to supervise only. However, adult supervisors who do have the required license and permits will be allowed to “call” and otherwise participate in the hunt. But only the youths are allowed to harvest a turkey.
The other statewide rule removes the one-gun restriction on all hog quota hunts using dogs. Currently, these “hog-dog” quota hunts allow only one hunter (permit-holder), one gun, one assistant and up to three dogs. An additional person also may join the hunting party, if a guest permit is obtained in that person’s name.
But starting with the 2011-12 hunting season, each participant will be allowed to hunt with a gun.
Details about these new rules are available online at MyFWC.com/Commission, linked from the Feb. 23-24 meeting agenda.
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More than 265,000 acres of fishing and hunting await the outdoor enthusiast at Eglin Air Force Base Reservation
The clear water of Boiling Creek is just one of the many places to explore at Eglin. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors
Eglin Air Force Base Reservation is much more than the largest AFB in the free world. Within its 464,000 acres, more than 265,000 are open for public recreation. Activities such as fresh water fishing, hunting, camping, biking, canoeing/kayaking, hiking await outdoor enthusiasts.
More than 17,000 permits are issued each year at Eglin’s Natural Resources Branch Jackson Guard office. Annual recreation passes are $12, fishing/recreation $20, hunting $55, sportsman’s combo $65, with fees at $20 for active or retired military. Ten day Consecutive permit (resident or nonresident) $25. Other fees for specialized hunts are also available (check the regulation guide).
Address: 107 Highway 85 North, Niceville FL 32578 (just north of Hwy. 20). Tel: (850) 882-4165 or (850) 882-4166
Office hours are:
Mon. – Thurs. 7 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Fri. 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sat. 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Sunday and federal holidays closed
Eglin has many improvements in the works including upgrades to the recreation areas along with the launch of a new website soon. The site will it make it easier for the user to acquire permits, understand the regulations, and a web application posting the daily closings. Currently anyone embarking on Eglin must phone in prior to entering to find out where the closed areas are located. (This site will be updated when Eglin’s new website access is available).
Currently one of the largest improvements under construction is at Anderson Pond. The area is a critical habitat for the endangered Okaloosa darter (Etheostoma okaloosae), a small fish with a range of only six tributary systems in the lower Choctawhatchee Bay drainage. In 1960, Anderson Branch creek was dammed off for the pond, closing the habitat connection of the darter. Eglin is currently restoring the creek connection and including camping areas along with 12+ tent pads, a picnic area, and boardwalks.
In addition, Eglin is improving canoe accesses and currently working on the Turkey creek access at Gooden Bridge off of Range Road 232. Improvements include improved access to the water along with a parking lot in the works.
Rules and regulations are strictly enforced at Eglin as the base’s security is vital to our national defense. The base works hard at making the reservation compatible for the outdoor enthusiast, but enforces its boundaries so as not to jeopardize security. Military missions often require the closure of large portions of areas open to public access. The regulations are a bit complex, however the large guide and map which Eglin provides is comprehensive.
Click here to download regulations
Click here for Eglin’s Website
Newly improved hunting check stations. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors
Hunting:
The hunting season at Eglin parallels the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s seasons for Wildlife Management Areas and you must possess an FWC hunting license. Eglin may at any time shorten the season as necessary to retain game population. Refer to the regulation guide for check in points and areas with specific hunting availability. There are several check in stations located at three locations on the reservation, refer to the regulation guide. Eglin also takes measurements and retains jawbones of deer kills for wildlife management purposes.
Canoeing/Kayaking:
There are several great creeks to explore on the reservation with the most popular being Boiling Creek, Juniper Creek, Turkey Creek, Rocky Creek, Alaqua Creek and the Yellow River which offers primitive camping along its banks. Jackson Guard offers a canoe trail guide for those interested. Below are two links to stories:
Boiling Creek and Yellow River paddle
Hiking/Biking/Camping:
Recreational hiking, biking and primitive camping are available at several locations throughout Eglin Reservation. The Florida Scenic Trail runs through Eglin Reservation as well. You can obtain a detailed map of the Florida Trail http://www.floridatrail.org/
For more information, call Jackson Guard at (850) 882-4165 or (850) 882-4166.
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Deer hunters will need new permit for 2010/2011 season
The new permit costs $5 and is available now for purchase
Beginning with the upcoming 2010-2011 hunting season, anyone hunting deer in Florida will need a deer permit.
Those with a Sportsman’s License, Gold Sportsman’s License, 64 or Older Sportsman’s License, Military Gold Sportsman’s License, Lifetime Hunting License or Lifetime Sportsman’s License will not need to purchase the new deer permit, because it already is included in each of these licenses, even if they were purchased before July 1.
However, the deer permit is not included with a hunting license, combination hunting/freshwater fishing license, combination hunting/freshwater/saltwater license or a five-year hunting license. Anyone hunting deer with either of these licenses must also buy the $5 deer permit to hunt deer legally.
Funds generated by the new permit will be earmarked to support deer management and deer research. Funds also will support ongoing efforts to monitor Florida’s deer herd for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved a “Strategic Plan for Deer Management in Florida: 2008-2018″ in February 2008. Critical to success of this plan is establishing deer management units and a harvest-reporting system; both have been identified as top priorities by the agency and its stakeholders to better manage deer.
People can purchase all permits and related licenses from their county tax collector, retail outlets that sell fishing and hunting supplies, online at https://www1.fl.wildlifelicense.com/start.php or by calling toll-free 888-HUNT-FLORIDA (486-8356).
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Two Northwest Florida national wildlife refuges offer special hunts
Sambar deer. Photo courtesy USFWS
Special deer and wild hog hunt applications begin May 4
This fall, Northwest Florida offers some special deer and wild hog hunts at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and a unique “big-game” hunt on the island of St. Vincent NWR.
The application period for these hunts begins at 10 a.m. May 4 and continues through 11:59 p.m. June 10.
There are two archery hunts, two general gun hunts and one mobility-impaired gun hunt on St. Marks NWR, which covers 60,000 acres in Wakulla, Jefferson and Taylor counties. Five-day archery hunts for white-tailed deer and wild hogs take place Nov. 9-13 in the Panacea Unit and Nov. 2-6 in the Wakulla Unit. There are 200 available permits for each hunt at $15 each. Click here to continue
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Food plots planted in Point Washington State Forest encourages wildlife habitats
One of the recently planted food plots on a closed road in the Point Washington State Forest. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors
The Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, in Point Washington and the Florida Fish and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are working together to promote wildlife brooding habitats in the Point Washington State Forest. 18 food plots have been planted on closed road areas throughout the Forest.
Working with cost share funding from the National Wild Turkey Federation, Forestry and FWC started with warm season grasses in July 2009, with brown top millet, sorghum, pearl millet and iron-clay peas planted. In December, the cool season was planted with clover, wheat, rye and oats.
Click here to continue and view maps of plots
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Opening day of general gun season productive for local hunter
Randy Humphreys bagged these 100 and 130 lb. wild hogs on Bruce Creek in Northeast Walton County early on Thanksgiving Day.
It didn’t take long on Nov. 26 for local hunter, Randy Humphreys to successfully bag two feral hogs within a few hours along Bruce Creek. Randy said he didn’t have to go far from the boat launch before he spotted the two hogs. Randy has been hunting most of his life and lives in Niceville with his wife Angel.
General gun season is Nov. 26-29, 2009 and Dec. 12, 2009 – Feb. 17, 2010.
Click here for a map of the Choctawhatchee River Wildlife Management area.
FWC reminds hunters to be careful cleaning wild hogs: Click here for information
About wild hog:
The wild hog, (Sus scrofa) also called the wild boar or feral pig, is not a Florida native, and may have been introduced by explorer Hernando DeSoto as early as 1539. They may weigh over 150 pounds, and be 5-6 feet long. They travel in herds containing several females and their offspring. Read More…
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The gentleman’s sport of quail hunting offered at Quail Ridge Hunting Preserve
Hunt guides Lynn Watson and John Foster host the hunts at Quail Ridge.
First class retreat in Ponce de Leon offers the perfect hunt
Just north of Highway 90 in Ponce de Leon, Florida the Quail Ridge Hunting Preserve boasts the perfect setting for quail hunting. With more than 600 acres of rolling hills, open fields and panoramic views, this preserve offers a first class, top notch experience.
Owned by Walton County businessman, Bill Bell, the retreat runs hunts from October to March and caters to families and children who are old enough to hunt.
As the hunters arrive at the preserve, orientation is hosted at the Power House. Safety is the number one priority, as the personal guides, Lynn Watson and John Foster brief visitors on the many hunt options available at Quail Ridge, and get a feel for what the hunter is looking for. Pheasant hunts are also available with advanced request.
The skeet/trap combo shooting range is available to warm up before a hunt on any one of four well-separated fields, or piney woods. Read More…
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Outta The Woods: Safe hunting is NO Accident
Tony Young's an avid sportsman and native Floridian. He's the media relations coordinator for the FWC's Division of Hunting and Game Management and lives in Tallahassee with his family.
With the dog-days of summer fully upon us, it’s hard to think about hunting quite yet. But if you’re between the ages of 16 and 34, and haven’t completed the state’s hunter safety course requirement, now’s just the time to be thinking about it. If you’ve been putting off taking a hunter safety class, August is the best time to sign up for one in your area.
Many of these classes, offered statewide, fill up fast during hunting season while people scramble to get certified. Often, August and the preceding summer months offer smaller class sizes and make for a better opportunity for students to take a class while they have more free time before school gets cranked up, and they get busy with homework and school-related activities. Click here to continue
