The purpose of the proposed rule amendment is to update hunting regulations for crossbow and muzzleloading gun seasons on lands outside the WMA system to provide more opportunities for hunters to participate in these seasons ....

 

FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

Freshwater Fish and Wildlife

RULE NOS.:RULE TITLES:

68A-12.002General Methods of Taking Game and Crows; Prohibitions

68A-12.003Protection of Certain Deer and Turkey; Tagging of Deer, Bear, and Turkey; Deer and Wild Turkey Harvest Reporting; Evidence of Legal Harvest or Sex Required

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The purpose of the proposed rule amendment is to update hunting regulations for crossbow and muzzleloading gun seasons on lands outside the WMA system to provide more opportunities for hunters to participate in these seasons and make several technical corrections to “evidence of legal harvest” language for clarity. The effect of the proposed rule amendment will be to allow the take of wildlife with airbows (pre-charged pneumatic airguns firing arrows) during the crossbow and muzzleloading gun seasons on lands outside the WMA system and provide better understanding of requirements for evidence of legal harvest to staff and hunters by replacing four instances of “possess” with “retain” for consistency and clarity of rule language.

SUBJECT AREA TO BE ADDRESSED: Subject area covered in this rule development effort pertains to the use of airbows (pre-charged pneumatic airguns firing arrows) for taking wildlife during the crossbow and muzzleloading gun seasons on lands outside the WMA system and evidence of legal harvest for deer and wild turkey.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY: Art. IV, Sec. 9, Florida Constitution

LAW IMPLEMENTED: Art. IV, Sec. 9, Florida Constitution

IF REQUESTED IN WRITING AND NOT DEEMED UNNECESSARY BY THE AGENCY HEAD, A RULE DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP WILL BE NOTICED IN THE NEXT AVAILABLE FLORIDA ADMINISTRATIVE REGISTER.

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT AND A COPY OF THE PRELIMINARY DRAFT, IF AVAILABLE, IS: Paul Scharine, Public Hunting Areas Program Coordinator, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 620 South Meridian Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1600, [phone].

THE PRELIMINARY TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT IS AVAILABLE AT NO CHARGE FROM THE CONTACT PERSON LISTED ABOVE.