The purpose of the proposed rule changes is to revise specific area regulations on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in the South Region and conform to calendar year date changes. The effect of the proposed rule changes will be to enable the agency ...  


  • RULE NO: RULE TITLE
    68A-15.064: Specific Regulations for Wildlife Management Areas - South Region
    PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The purpose of the proposed rule changes is to revise specific area regulations on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in the South Region and conform to calendar year date changes. The effect of the proposed rule changes will be to enable the agency to better manage fish and wildlife resources and public use on WMAs.
    SUMMARY: The proposed rule changes would adjust season dates to conform to calendar year changes and revise specific area regulations on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in the South Region as follows:
    Allapattah Flats WMA – expand the migratory bird hunting season to match the statewide season.
    Picayune Strand WMA – expand the small game season from 16 to 44 days.
    SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS: No Statement of Estimated Regulatory Cost was prepared.
    Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.
    SPECIFIC AUTHORITY: Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution 379.2223 FS.
    LAW IMPLEMENTED: Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution 379.2223 FS.
    A HEARING WILL BE HELD AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW:
    DATE AND TIME: During the regular meeting of the Commission, February 4-5, 2009, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., each day
    PLACE: Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, 9300 Emerald Coast Parkway West, Destin, Florida 32550
    Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this workshop/meeting is asked to advise the agency at least 5 days before the workshop/meeting by contacting: The ADA Coordinator, at (850)488-6411. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 1(800)955-8771 (TDD) or 1(800)955-8770 (Voice).
    THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Diane Eggeman, Director, Division of Hunting and Game Management, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 620 South Meridian Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1600

    THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

    68A-15.064 Specific Regulations for Wildlife Management Areas – South Region.

    (1) No change.

    (2) Holey Land Wildlife Management Area.

    (a) Open season:

    1. General gun – Walk, October 24 through November 1 18-26.

    2. General gun – Vehicle, November 7-22 1-16 (tracked vehicles). Deer hunting by quota permit only during the general gun-vehicle season.

    3. Archery – August 29 23 through September 20 14.

    4. Muzzleloading gun – October 3-18 September 27 through October 12.

    5. Small game – November 23 17 through March 7 1.

    6. through 7. No change.

    (b) through (e) No change.

    (3) Everglades and Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area.

    (a) Open season:

    1. General gun – Walk, October 24 through November 1 18-26 Conservation Areas 3A North and 2 only. December 5 November 29 through January 3 December 28 in that portion of the area between the Old Miami Canal (Mud Canal) and the New Miami Canal in Conservation Area 3A North only.

    2. General gun – Vehicle (airboats and tracked vehicles only), November 7-22 1-16, in Conservation Areas 3A North, 3A South, 2, and the Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area by permit only.

    3. Archery – August 29 23 through September 20 14, Conservation Area 3A North only.

    4. Muzzleloading gun – October 3-18 September 27 through October 12, in Conservation Area 3A North only.

    5. Small game – November 23 17 through March 7 1.

    6. – 7. No change.

    (b) through (e) No change.

    (4) Rotenberger Wildlife Management Area.

    (a) Open season:

    1. General gun – Walk, October 24 through November 1 18-26.

    2. General gun – Vehicle (tracked vehicles only), November 7-22 1-16 by quota permit only.

    3. Archery – August 29 23 through September 20 14.

    4. Muzzleloading gun – October 3-18 September 27 through October 12.

    5. Small game – November 23 17 through March 7 1.

    6. through 7. No change.

    (b) through (d) No change.

    (5) Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area.

    (a) Open season:

    1. through 2. No change.

    3. Archery – September 5 August 30 through October 4 September 28 in all units and twelve days prior to Thanksgiving day through January 1, except during those years when January 1 falls on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday, in which case the season would close on the following Sunday in the Deep Lake Unit only.

    4. Muzzleloading gun – October 10-25 4-19, except in the Deep Lake Unit.

    5. Spring turkey – March 6 7 through April 11 12.

    6. through 7. No change.

    (b) through (d) No change.

    (6) No change.

    (7) Okaloacoochee Slough Wildlife Management Area.

    (a) Open season:

    1. Archery – September 12-18 6-12 and 19-27 13-21.

    2. Muzzleloading gun – October 17-19 11-13.

    3. Family Hunt – October 24-25 18-19.

    4. General gun – October 31 through November 3 25-28 and November 4-8 October 29 through November 2.

    5. Small game – November 28 22 through December 20 14.

    6. Spring turkey – March 6-9 7-10 and 10-14 11-15.

    7. No change.

    (b) through (d) No change.

    (8) Fisheating Creek Wildlife Management Area.

    (a) Open season:

    1. Archery – September 18-20 12-14 and 25-27 19-21 west of U.S. Highway 27 only.

    2. Muzzleloading gun – October 16-18 10-12 and 23-25 17-19 west of U.S. Highway 27 only.

    3. General gun – November 6-8 October 31 through November 2 and 27-29 21-23 west of U.S. Highway 27 only.

    4. Spring turkey – March 6-9 7-10, 12-15 13-16, 19-22 20-23 and 26-29 27-30 and April 2-5 3-6 west of U.S. Highway 27 only.

    5. Special-opportunity spring turkey – March 6-12 7-13 and 20-26 21-27 east of U.S. Highway 27 only.

    6. General gun hog – December 12-13 6-7 west of U.S. Highway 27 only.

    7. through 8. No change.

    (b) through (d) No change.

    (9) Picayune Strand Wildlife Management Area.

    (a) Open season:

    1. Archery – September 12-27 6-21.

    2. Muzzleloading gun – October 17-19 11-13.

    3. General gun – October 31 through November 3 25-28 and November 4-8 October 29 through November 2.

    4. Small game – November 14 through December 27 November 8-23.

    5. Spring turkey – March 6-9 7-10 and 10-14 11-15.

    6. through 7. No change.

    (b) through (d) No change.

    (10) Dinner Island Ranch Wildlife Management Area.

    (a) Open season:

    1. Archery – September 12-18 6-12 and 19-27 13-21.

    2. Muzzleloading gun – October 17-19 11-13.

    3. General gun – October 31 through November 3 25-28 and November 4-8 October 29 through November 2.

    4. Small game – November 16-20 10-14 and November 23 17 through March 7 1.

    5. Family hunt – November 14-15 8-9 and 21-22 15-16.

    6. Spring turkey – March 6-9 7-10 and 10-14 11-15.

    7. through 8. No change.

    (b) through (d) No change.

    (11) Spirit-of-the-Wild Wildlife Management Area.

    (a) Open season:

    1. Archery – September 12-18 6-12 and 19-27 13-21.

    2. Muzzleloading gun – October 17-19 11-13.

    3. General gun – October 31 through November 3 25-28 and November 4-8 October 29 through November 2.

    4. Small game – November 14 8 through March 7 1.

    5. Spring turkey – March 6-9 7-10 and 10-14 11-15.

    6. through 7. No change.

    (b) through (d) No change.

    (12) Allapattah Flats Wildlife Management Area.

    (a) Open season:

    1. Archery – September 12-18 6-12 and 19-27 13-21.

    2. Muzzleloading gun – October 17-19 11-13.

    3. Family hunt – October 31 through November 3 25-28.

    4. General gun – November 4-8 October 29 through November 2.

    5. Small game – November 14 8 through the first Sunday in January.

    6. Spring turkey – March 6-9 7-10 and 10-14 11-15.

    7. Migratory game birds – During the migratory game bird seasons as established by Rules 68A-13.003 and 68A-13.008, F.A.C.

    8.7. No change.

    (b) through (d) No change.

    PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2009.

    Specific Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const., 379.2223, 375.313 FS. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const., 379.2223, 375.313 FS. History– New 6-21-82, Amended 7-1-83, 7-27-83, 9-27-83, 7-5-84, 7-1-85, 5-7-86, 8-5-86, 5-10-87, 8-24-87, 5-1-88, 6-7-88, 7-1-89, 7-1-90, 9-1-90, 7-1-91, 7-1-92, 7-1-93, 7-1-94, 7-1-95, 8-15-95, 7-1-96, 9-15-96, 10-20-96, 6-1-97, 8-7-97, 7-1-98, 7-2-98, 7-1-99, Formerly 39-15.064, Amended 11-17-99, 7-1-00, 7-1-01, 6-2-02, 2-27-03, 5-1-03, 7-1-04, 7-1-05, 7-1-06, 7-1-07, 7-1-08, 7-1-09.

     

    BE ADVISED THAT THESE PROPOSED RULES MAY BE FILED FOR ADOPTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE FOLLOWING THE COMMISSION MEETING AT WHICH THEY ARE CONSIDERED IF THE RULES ARE NOT CHANGED.  IF CHANGED, THE RULES MAY BE FILED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER PUBLICATION OF A NOTICE OF CHANGE IN THE F.A.W.


    NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Diane Eggeman, Director, Division of Hunting and Game Management, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 620 South Meridian Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1600
    NAME OF AGENCY HEAD WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
    DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: December 3, 2008
    DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAW: December 5, 2008

Document Information

Comments Open:
12/31/2008
Summary:
The proposed rule changes would adjust season dates to conform to calendar year changes and revise specific area regulations on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in the South Region as follows: Allapattah Flats WMA – expand the migratory bird hunting season to match the statewide season. Picayune Strand WMA – expand the small game season from 16 to 44 days.
Purpose:
The purpose of the proposed rule changes is to revise specific area regulations on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in the South Region and conform to calendar year date changes. The effect of the proposed rule changes will be to enable the agency to better manage fish and wildlife resources and public use on WMAs.
Rulemaking Authority:
Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution; 375.313, 379.2223 FS.
Law:
Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution; 375.313, 379.2223 FS.
Contact:
Diane Eggeman, Director, Division of Hunting and Game Management, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 620 South Meridian Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1600
Related Rules: (1)
68A-15.064. Specific Regulations for Wildlife Management Areas - South Region