The rule defines an “enclosure” as an area of land enclosed in such a manner as to prevent the natural ingress or egress of a fox or coyote

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved a final rule Sept. 1 permanently prohibiting the chasing of foxes and coyotes with dogs within an enclosure in Florida.

The FWC has worked on this issue for more than a year, and the practice was temporarily prohibited in February.

Maj. Curtis Brown, head of the FWC’s Captive Wildlife and Investigations Section, presented the final rule and provided some options for hunters.

“Coyotes and certain other nonprotected furbearers can still be taken year-round using several methods, including dogs,” Brown said. “This can occur on open private lands and in specific wildlife management areas.”

The rule defines an “enclosure” as an area of land enclosed in such a manner as to prevent the natural ingress or egress of a fox or coyote.

“This is not about taking away hunting opportunities,” said Chairman Rodney Barreto. “I’m a big believer in fair chase, and I have a list of places where hunters can still engage in those activities.”
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Classes to be held at Gulf Coast Community College

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is offering a free hunter safety course in Bay County.

The course will be conducted at Gulf Coast Community College in the second floor lecture hall of the Student Union East building, 5230 West U.S. Hwy. 98 in Panama City.  Instruction will be from 6-9 p.m. Sept. 7, 9, 21 and 23.  The range portion of the class will be Sept. 28 from 7-11 a.m.

People who have taken the Internet course and wish to complete the classroom portion must bring the online-completion report and attend only the Sept. 7 class from 6-10 p.m. and the Sept. 25 range day.

An adult must accompany children under the age of 16 at all times.  Students should bring a pencil and paper with them to take notes.

Successful completion of an approved hunter safety course is required for everyone born on or after June 1, 1975, before they can purchase a Florida hunting license.  The FWC course satisfies hunter safety training requirements for all other states and Canadian provinces.
People interested in attending this course can register online and obtain information about future hunter safety classes at MyFWC.com/HunterSafety or by calling the FWC’s regional office in Panama City at 850-265-3676.

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Classes to be held at Extension Office

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is offering a free hunter safety course in Okaloosa County. The course will be at the Okaloosa County Extension Office, 5479 Old Bethel Rd., in Crestview.  Instruction will be from 6-9 p.m. Sept. 6, 7, 8 and 9.  The range portion of the class will be Sept. 11 from 8-11 a.m.

An adult must accompany children under age 16 at all times.  Students should bring a pencil and paper with them to take notes.
The hunter safety course is required before anyone born on or after June 1, 1975, can purchase a Florida hunting license.  The FWC course satisfies hunter-safety training requirements for all other states and Canadian provinces.

People interested in attending this course can register online and obtain information about future hunter safety classes at MyFWC.com/HunterSafety or by calling the FWC’s regional office in Panama City at 850-265-3676.

Posted under Hunting

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is offering a free hunter safety course in Bay County.

The course will be conducted at Gulf Coast Community College in the second floor lecture hall of the Student Union East building, 5230 West U.S. Hwy. 98 in Panama City.  Instruction will be from 6-9 p.m. Aug. 17, 19, 24 and 26.  The range portion of the class will be Aug. 28 from 7-11 a.m.

People who have taken the Internet course and wish to complete the classroom portion must bring the online-completion report and attend only the Aug. 17 class from 6-10 p.m. and the Aug. 28 range day.

An adult must accompany children under the age of 16 at all times.  Students should bring a pencil and paper with them to take notes. Read More…

Posted under Hunting

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.

Now is the time to start preparing for hunting season

Outta The Woods

With the dog days of summer upon us, it’s hard to think about hunting.  But if you’re between the ages of 16 and 35, and haven’t yet taken the state’s hunter safety class – now’s just the time to be thinking about it.  Many of these classes, offered statewide, fill up fast during hunting season while people scramble to get certified.  Summer months offer smaller class sizes and make for a better opportunity for students to attend, because they often have more free time.

Everyone 16 years old or older and born after May 31, 1975, must complete the FWC’s hunter safety requirement before they can buy a Florida hunting license.

There is an exception though.  A law passed a few years ago allows individuals to hunt under the supervision of a licensed hunter, 21 years old or older, without having to complete the state’s hunter safety certification.

It’s called the “Hunter Safety Deferral,” and it enables those persons to purchase a Florida hunting license and hunt on a one-year trial basis.  It’s designed to encourage experienced hunters to teach novice hunters about our sport and is a great incentive for getting more people to give hunting a try.  Individuals taking advantage of this would have to pass a hunter safety class to be eligible to buy a license and hunt the following year.
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Hunters without Internet access can pick up permits at county tax collectors’ office

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) wants to make hunters aware that beginning this year, quota permits for general gun, archery, muzzleloading gun, family, youth, airboat and track will not be mailed out to successful applicants as they have been in the past.

Instead, the FWC is allowing hunters, who are awarded permits in the random drawings, to print the quota permits by going to www.fl.wildlifelicense.com and choosing “Limited Entry/Quota then Pickup/Pay for Awarded Permit.”  For detailed instructions on how to do this, go to MyFWC.com/Hunting and click “Limited Entry Hunts,” then “How to Print Your Limited Entry Hunt Permit Directly from the Website.” Read More…

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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.

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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.

Outta The Woods

by Tony Young

Every hunter knows you have the best chance of catching a monster buck off-guard during the first part of hunting season.  That’s why many of us enjoy hunting the archery and muzzleloading gun seasons – and why we can’t miss opening weekend of the general gun season.

If you hunt public land, you should know many of Florida’s wildlife management areas (WMAs) require a quota permit to hunt during archery, muzzleloading gun and all or part of the general gun season.

A “quota” is the maximum number of hunters allowed on a particular WMA.  The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Quota Hunt Program prevents overcrowding on such areas and provides quality hunts.  Quotas also help control game harvests.  The FWC sets quotas based on an area’s size, habitat, game populations and regulations.

There are several types of quota permits, and most are issued by random drawing.  The first-phase application period for archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun, youth, family, track vehicle, airboat and mobility-impaired quota hunt permits runs June 1-30, so you’ve got all month to get ‘em in.
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Buy now and beat price increase

There will be an increase in the cost of some of Florida’s hunting and saltwater fishing permits, beginning July 1.  If sportsmen act now, however, they can beat the price increase.

On July 1, 2010, the cost of a turkey permit will go up from $5 to $10 for Florida residents and from $100 to $125 for nonresidents.  In addition, Florida waterfowl permits will increase as well, from $3 to $5.

The cost of two saltwater fishing permits also will go up July 1.  The snook permit will increase from $2 to $10, and lobster permits will increase from $2 to $5.

Until July 1, though, sportsmen can buy all of these permits at the current prices, and all permits are valid for one year after the date of purchase.
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Posted under Fishing, Hunting

Proposal would restrict firearms to shotguns and muzzle-loading shotguns only

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is considering a rule proposal that would limit the methods of take allowed during spring turkey hunts on wildlife management areas (WMAs).

The proposal would restrict firearms to shotguns and muzzleloading shotguns only, using shot no larger than number 2.  If FWC Commissioners approve the rule, all rifles, pistols, buckshot and slugs will be prohibited during spring turkey hunts on WMAs, beginning with the 2011 spring turkey season.

However, all legal bows and crossbows would still be allowed in taking spring turkeys, provided they have draw weights of at least 35 pounds and shoot broadheads having at least two sharpened edges with minimum widths of 7/8 inch.

The FWC would like to hear the views of Florida’s turkey hunters on this rule proposal.  Go to MyFWC.com/Hunting and look under “Breaking News” to provide online comments and constructive feedback.

Public lands, in many cases, have more hunters per acre than private property.  Also, hunters are less likely to know the locations of other hunters compared with those who are hunting private lands.

The intent of this rule proposal is to address safety concerns expressed by public-land turkey hunters.

Contact: Tony Young, 850-488-7867

Posted under Hunting