Outta’ The Woods: Hunting Season Is Here

October 26, 2013

Finally, the time of year we’ve been waiting for is here.

From Escambia and Santa Rosa east to about Leon County, you’re in Zone D, where archery and crossbow seasons began  October 26 on private lands.

To hunt during archery season, you’ll need a Florida hunting license and an archery permit. During crossbow season, you’ll need a hunting license and crossbow permit. If you’re a Florida resident, an annual hunting license will cost $17. Nonresidents have the choice of paying $46.50 for a 10-day license or $151.50 for 12 months. Archery and crossbow permits cost just $5 each, and all deer hunters must have the $5 deer permit. Anyone planning on hunting one of Florida’s many WMAs must purchase a management area permit for $26.50.

And don’t forget to pick up the WMA brochure for the area you wish to hunt, because hunting season dates on many of the areas are often different from what the zonal dates are. You can pick up a copy of these WMA brochures at your local tax collector’s office or read them at 

During archery season and that part of crossbow season that is concurrent with archery, you can take deer of either sex, regardless of antler size (except for spotted fawns). After archery ends, during the remaining portion of the crossbow season, only legal bucks (having at least one antler that is at least 5 inches long) may be taken. The daily bag limit on deer is two. Bag limits for deer on WMAs can differ, so check the specifics of the area before you hunt.

You can hunt wild hogs on private lands year-round with no bag or size limits. On most WMAs, there’s also no bag or size limits, and hogs are legal to take during most hunting seasons except spring turkey. On a few WMAs, bag and size limits do apply, so be sure to check the brochure for the specific area to be certain.

It’s also legal to shoot gobblers and bearded turkeys during archery and crossbow seasons, given you have a turkey permit ($10 for residents, $125 for nonresidents). You can take only one turkey per day, and there’s a two-bird fall-season limit. It’s against the law to hunt turkeys in Holmes County in the fall, and it’s illegal to shoot them while they’re on the roost, over bait, when you’re within 100 yards of a game-feeding station when bait is present or with the aid of recorded turkey calls.

On private property, if you’re hunting during the archery season, you may hunt only with a bow, and you must have the $5 archery permit. During crossbow season, you may use either a crossbow or bow, but you must have the $5 crossbow permit. On WMAs, only hunters with a disabled crossbow permit are allowed to use crossbows during archery season. All bows must have a minimum draw weight of 35 pounds, and hand-held releases are permitted. For hunting deer, hogs and turkeys, broadheads must have at least two sharpened edges with a minimum width of 7/8 inch.

Tony Young is the media relations coordinator for the FWC’s Division of Hunting and Game Management. He can be reached with questions about hunting at Tony.Young@MyFWC.com.

Comments

9 Responses to “Outta’ The Woods: Hunting Season Is Here”

  1. Hunting club member on October 28th, 2013 5:23 am

    @ Erica, I can’t speak for all hunting clubs but we hunt hard and there is no alcohol allowed. However I do miss the days when you could hunt almost anywhere. In our case we are hunting property we grew up hunting and playing in. If we had not leased it ,it would have went to total strangers and we would no longer have access to property we’ve enjoyed all our lives. We have guest hunts but honestly with your attitude toward hunting clubs I doubt you get any invites.

  2. erica on October 26th, 2013 4:40 pm

    its sad there is really nowhere to hunt anymore! all the good woods are for the clubs full of people that would rather get drunk and talk about hunting and the wma with the quota u are out of luck! if someone knows of an area please let me know. salters lake rd was the only public land and theres not even a squirrel out there :(

  3. perdido fisherman on October 26th, 2013 2:02 pm

    My favorite time of year, there is nothing like being outdoors when it’s not stifling hot outside, and the chance to get meat that is not tainted by antibiotics and growth hormones.

    Take only what you need and enjoying watching the rest in it’s natural habitat.

  4. curious on October 26th, 2013 11:43 am

    I meant to say they cut off almost 2 weeks due to it starting 10 days later than they usually do, but for hunters, that’s a lot.

  5. curious on October 26th, 2013 10:51 am

    Also hunters read everything, they have reduced bow season down to 2 weeks @ this time, I know because my husband was grumbling about it.

  6. curious on October 26th, 2013 10:47 am

    William, sometimes FWC contradicts themselves, because in the regulations book, there’s different sections, not saying their meaning too, but if a person isn’t careful, they could get in trouble. They tend to have laws that are not in the book.just saying

  7. William on October 26th, 2013 10:38 am

    >>>This is not right you can take antlered or antlerless deer with bow or crossbow from oct. 26 – nov.27 you do not have to have a disabled hunting license or at least that is what myfwc.com has posted under season dates anyway!!!

    I’m missing what part of the article you say is wrong. The article was written by the FWC — it should all be correct.

  8. wrong on October 26th, 2013 10:32 am

    This is not right you can take antlered or antlerless deer with bow or crossbow from oct. 26 – nov.27 you do not have to have a disabled hunting license or at least that is what myfwc.com has posted under season dates anyway!!!

  9. curious on October 26th, 2013 9:45 am

    It’s hunting season for bow in these areas for everybody not just for private, my husband went to a management area this morning.

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