Otta’ The Woods: Hunting Season And Rule Info You Need To Know

November 8, 2009

The archery hunting season is in full swing in Northwest Florida, and now is the time to prepare for the other upcoming seasons, including the anxiously awaited Thanksgiving weekend deer season.

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.

ottawoods.jpgYou 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.

The 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.

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

On private lands, hunters can take wild hogs year-round with no bag or size limits. On most – but not all – WMAs, there’s also no bag or size limit on wild hogs, and hunters can take them during any hunting season except spring turkey. Check the WMA brochure to be certain.

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.

If you hunt with deer dogs anywhere in Florida, special rules and registration requirements may apply, so call the FWC for details.

Fall turkey season in the Northwest Hunting Zone 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.

Quail and gray squirrel season runs statewide November 14 – March 7. There’s a daily bag limit of 12 for each, but shooting fox squirrels is against the law.

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.

Snipe hunting in Florida ranks second in the nation in number of birds harvested each year, and the season runs November 1 – February 15 statewide. The second phase of the mourning and white-winged dove season also comes in this month and runs November 14-29. Shooting hours for migratory game birds are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. The bag limit for snipe is eight; and for doves, the bag limit is 15.

You must get a no-cost migratory bird permit if you plan to hunt snipe, doves or any other migratory game birds.

The FWC even provides an online “Dove Hunters’ Hotline,” which gives up-to-date information on Florida’s public dove fields. The address is MyFWC.com/Dove, and it’s updated every Thursday throughout the dove season. Information includes dove densities, previous weeks’ harvests and field conditions.

Whether small-game hunting with friends and family or hunting solo, going after that monster buck, boar hog or big tom, November brings loads of great hunting opportunities.

Here’s wishing you a happy Thanksgiving and a successful hunting season.

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.

Comments

2 Responses to “Otta’ The Woods: Hunting Season And Rule Info You Need To Know”

  1. robert on November 10th, 2009 10:33 am

    I don’t think there is a certain distance mandated for that as long as they are on there own property or property that has been leased to them for hunting. Most seasoned hunters will not hang stands close to houses depending on what method of hunting they are doing. Myself if hunting with a bow i try to stay at least 100 yards from a dwelling and with a rifle i’ll increase it to 250 yards. Regardless of distance a hunter should be aware of what is in front of or behind his or her intended target. It also a good idea that the hunters education program be attended whether you hunt or not because it teaches a great deal in safety and all around knowledge of the woods.

  2. Florida Girl on November 9th, 2009 12:24 pm

    Hi…can you tell me how far from homes a deer stand must be? There are 2 very close to my home and I am concerned for my children. Thanks

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under Features, News, Sports