Deer Season: What You Need To Know

November 28, 2009

We are in the four-day Thanksgiving weekend deer season, and here are some tips and reminders from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission offers the following tips and reminders.

After two tree stand hunting deaths in the area, the FWC is urging hunters using a tree stand to wear a safety harness. Read that story here.

deerrut.jpgThe general gun season comes in Thanksgiving Day and lasts four days through November 29. Two weeks later, the season reopens December 12 and runs through February 17.

The highly anticipated antlerless deer season, often called “doe week,” is December 19-25.

During doe week, the daily bag limit’s one buck and one doe, or two bucks. You may not take two does in one day like you may during archery season, and spotted fawns are never legal game. And by the way, WMAs do not have an antlerless deer season.

Hunters can take bucks having at least one antler 5 inches or longer. On private lands, the daily bag limit for deer is two.

Fall turkey season in Northwest Florida is November 26-29 and December 12 – January 17. Only bearded turkeys and gobblers are legal game, and you must have a $5 turkey permit to hunt them. The bag limit’s one bird per day, and a total of two during the archery, crossbow, muzzleloading gun and fall turkey seasons combined.

Shooting hours for deer, turkeys, quail and gray squirrels is a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset. All legal firearms, muzzleloaders, bows, crossbows and handguns are legal for taking these resident game animals during the general gun, antlerless deer, fall turkey, and quail and gray squirrel seasons.

The first thing you need to do is pick up a $17 Florida resident hunting license. Nonresidents pay $46.50 for a 10-day license or $151.50 for 12 months.

If you plan to hunt one of Florida’s many wildlife management areas (WMAs), you’ll also need a $26.50 management area permit, but don’t forget to study the brochure for the specific area you plan to hunt, because dates, bag limits and rules differ greatly from area to area.

You can buy your license and permits over the telephone by calling toll-free 888-HUNT-FLORIDA or online at www.wildlifelicense.com/fl. Just have your credit card ready. You also can purchase them from tax collectors’ offices and most retail outlets that sell hunting and fishing supplies.

Northwest Florida Hunting Season Dates
(not applicable on wildlife management areas)

Archery Oct. 17 – Nov. 15
Deer-dog training Oct. 31 – Nov. 19
Crossbow Nov. 30 – Dec. 6
Muzzleloading gun Nov. 20-22 & Feb. 18-28
General gun Nov. 26-29 & Dec. 12 – Feb. 17
Antlerless deer Dec. 19-25
Fall turkey Nov. 26-29 & Dec. 12 – Jan. 17
Quail and gray squirrel Nov. 14 – March 7
Bobcat and otter Dec. 1 – March 1
Spring turkey March 20 – April 25

Wild hogs, rabbits, raccoons, opossums, skunks, nutrias, beavers and coyotes may be taken year-round.

Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset, except during spring turkey season when shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until sunset on private lands.

For hunting regulations and dates on wildlife management areas, click the following links:

For other wildlife management area regulations, click here.

For complete Florida hunting information, click here.

Information courtesy Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News, Sports, TOP sports