The purpose of the proposed rule change is to revise specific area regulations on the Camp Blanding Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and switch the areas on which deer-dog hunting and still hunting were traditionally allowed, prior to portions of the ...

Freshwater Fish and Wildlife

RULE CHAPTER NO.: RULE CHAPTER TITLE:

68A-15. Type I Wildlife Management Areas

RULE NO.: RULE TITLE:

68A-15.062 Specific Regulations for Wildlife Management Areas – North Central Region

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The purpose of the proposed rule change is to revise specific area regulations on the Camp Blanding Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and switch the areas on which deer-dog hunting and still hunting were traditionally allowed, prior to portions of the post being closed for security reasons. This change would expand hunting opportunities and allow for the reopening of the south post to hunting. The effect of the proposed rule changes would increase public hunting opportunities by reinstating deer-dog hunting.

SUMMARY: The proposed rule change would open the general gun still season on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, closing 57 days thereafter; reduce the traditional 58-day dog hunt season to two 9-day quota hunts (the first hunt opening the Saturday before Thanksgiving and the second hunt opening the Saturday before Christmas); move the dog hunt area to that portion of the current still hunt area which is north of State Road 16; move the still hunt area to south of State Road 16; open the archery and muzzleloading gun hunts Tuesday through Thursday (instead of the current Wednesday through Friday); allow only bucks having at least one antler with three or more points as legal to take in the archery only and still hunt areas; allow bucks with at least one antler 5-inches or more in length as legal to take on the dog hunt area; prohibit the possession of a dog, other than a dog on a leash for trailing wounded game, in the archery only and still hunt areas; allow vehicles on named or numbered roads only; and prohibit public access except by persons engaged in authorized activities.

SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COST: No Statement of Estimated Regulatory Cost was prepared.

Any person who wishes to provide information regarding the statement of estimated costs, or to provide a proposal for a lower regulatory cost alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.

SPECIFIC AUTHORITY: Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution Sections 372.121 FS., 375.313 FS.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution Sections 372.121 FS., 375.313 FS.

THE FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION WILL CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED RULES DURING THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE COMMISSION TO BE HELD AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW:

DATE AND TIME: April 5 – 6, 2006, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., each day

PLACE: Ramada Inn and Conference Center, 2900 North Monroe Street, Tallahassee, Florida

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 calendar days before the workshop/meeting by contacting the ADA Coordinator, at [phone]. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency by calling [phone].

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: James V. Antista, General Counsel, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 620 South Meridian Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1600.

 

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

 

68A-15.062 Specific Regulations for Wildlife Management Areas – North Central Region.

(1) Camp Blanding Wildlife Management Area.

(a) Open season:

1. General gun still – Opening the Saturday before Thanksgiving and continuing for 57 days thereafter only in the following areas: November 11 through January 7.

a. Still hunt area one, which is within the area described by a line beginning at the intersection of State Roads 16 and 21 then west along the south side of State Road 16, then south along the east side of D Avenue, then southeast along the northeast side of Quonset Hut road, then southwest on (and including) Prison Camp Road, then east on (and including) Dade Road to Ridge Road, then south on (and including) Ridge Road to Tank Trail, then southeast on (and including) Tank Trail to Ox Pin, then south on (and including) Ox Pin, then east on (and including) Clay Pit Road, then north along the west side of State Road 21 back north to the intersection of State Roads 16 and 21.

b. Still hunt area two, which is that portion of the Wildlife Management Area south of (and including) Impact Road.

c. The archery only area, in which only bows may be used, is within the area described by a line beginning at the intersection of County Road 225 and Woodbury Road, then southeast on County Road 225 to State Road 16, then south on State Road 16 and County Road 230 to the Camp Blanding boundary on the east side of County Road 230, then east along the Camp Blanding boundary to Duval Road, then south on Duval Road to Yerkes Road, then west on Yerkes Road to Treat Road, then north on Treat Road to Lightning Strike Road, then west and north on Lightning Strike Road to State Road 230, then west on State Road 230 to the Camp Blanding boundary, then north along the Camp Blanding boundary to State Road 16, then east on the south side of State Road 16 to Lightning Strike Road, then north on Lightning Strike Road to Bessent Road, then north on Bessent Road to the starting point. A disjunct portion of the archery only area is south of County Road 215, east of Rifle Range Road, north of State Road 16 and west of the Camp Blanding boundary.

2. General gun dog – Opening the third Saturday of November and continuing for eight days thereafter, and opening the Saturday before Christmas (or Christmas Day when it occurs on a Saturday) and continuing for eight days thereafter. Only in the dog hunt area, which is north of State Road 16 and County Road 215, and east of County Road 225 and West Road.

3.2. Spring turkey – Hunters shall be afforded at least two five-day periods of hunting, with specific hunt dates and locations to be determined by, and at the discretion of, the Camp Blanding Post Base Commander.

4.3. Archery – September 26-28 27-29 and October 3-5 4-6, only in the still hunt areas. north of State Road 16 and County Road 215 and east of County Road 225 only, and November 11 through January 7 in designated archery area west of County Road 225 and north of Yerkes Road only.

5.4. Supervised youth – The Saturday and Sunday prior to Columbus Day, and the Saturday and Sunday 12 and 13 days (respectively) after Columbus Day, site to be determined by the Camp Blanding Post Commander.

6.5. Muzzleloading gun – October 10-12 11-13 and 17-19 18-20, only in the still hunt areas. north of State Road 16 and County Road 215 and east of County Road 225 only.

7.6. Fishing – Permitted only on designated fish management areas, per fish management area regulations.

8.7. Trapping – December 1 through January 7, only in the still hunt areas portion of area north of State Road 16 and County Road 215 and east of County Road 225.

(b) Legal to take: All legal game, fish and furbearers. Turkeys of either sex may be taken during the archery and muzzleloading gun seasons and the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day. Taking of antlered deer not having at least one antler with three or more points, each one inch or more in length, is prohibited in the archery only and still hunt areas. Antler restrictions shall not apply during the supervised youth hunt. During the supervised youth hunts, only wild hogs and one antlered or antlerless deer may be taken per youth.

(c) Camping: Prohibited.

(d) General regulations:

1. After the first nine days of the general gun season, a daily quota of hunters will be admitted at the check stations as follows: still hunt 480; south of State Road 16 and north of Dade Road, 200; south of Impact Road, 120.

1.2. All persons Hunters shall check in and out at a check station when entering and exiting the area and shall check all game taken.

2.3. Hunters may enter the area with their hunting equipment and Guns or dogs (where legal) may be taken into the area one hour before sunrise and shall exit the area with their equipment and dogs be removed each day of the hunting seasons by one hour after sunset.

3.4. Possession or use of a dog, other than a dog on a leash for trailing wounded game, is prohibited except in the dog hunt area. Hunting with dogs other than bird dogs is prohibited in that portion of the area north of State Road 16 and east of County Road 225, and in the walk-in area south of Dade Road to north of Impact Road during the general gun season.

4.5. Vehicles may be operated only on named or numbered roads, within areas open for hunting, unless posted as closed. paved or graded roads in that portion of that area north of State Road 16 and east of County Road 225. The use of vehicles south of Dade Road, east of Whitamore Road and north of Impact Road is prohibited.

5.6. During the spring turkey quota hunts, hunters will be assigned to a zone and may enter only that zone shall hunt only in the zone to which he is assigned. Persons assigned to Zone A shall use only Barker and Black Creek roads to enter and exit the area. Vehicles may be operated only on graded or paved roads. Hunters may not enter the area before at 5:00 a.m. each day and shall exit by 1 p.m. of each hunt day. During spring turkey hunts, only persons eligible for hunters participating in the hunt are permitted in the area.

6.7. Public access is prohibited except by persons engaged in authorized activities, but only during the time and in those areas where the authorized activity is allowed in the designated dud area.

8. Hunting hogs by use of dogs is prohibited.

7.9. Only shotguns are permitted during the spring turkey season.

8.10. Shotguns are prohibited during the archery season.

9.11. Only muzzleloading guns are allowed during the muzzleloading gun season. Still hunters entering the area west of State Road 21, south of Dade Road, and east of Moncrief Road, and north of Impact Road, must obtain a daily permit at Check Station No. 1 or 3 before entering the area.

10.12. During the supervised youth hunt, only persons under 16 years of age but not younger than eight years of age, and under the supervision and in the presence of an adult, not younger than 18 years of age as provided in Section 790.22, F.S., may hunt.

11.13. The possession or consumption of intoxicating beverages or drugs is prohibited.

12.14. Fires are prohibited.

13.15. The use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) is prohibited, except as authorized by written permit from the Post Base Commander.

14. Access to still hunt area one, still hunt area two and the dog hunt area is allowed only through Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission check stations 1, 2 or 3.

(2) through (36) No change.

PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE: July 2, 2006.

Specific Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const., 372.121 FS., 375.313 FS. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const., 372.121 FS., 375.313 FS. History–New 6-21-82, Amended 7-1-83, 11-17-83, 7-5-84, 7-1-85, 2-16-86, 5-7-86, 6-10-86, 11-27-86, 5-10-87, 5-1-88, 6-7-88, 7-1-89, 8-17-89, 7-1-90, 9-1-90, 7-1-91, 7-2-91, 7-1-92, 7-2-92, 8-23-92, 10-22-92, 7-1-93, 7-1-94,2-9-95, 7-1-95, 7-1-96, 9-15-96, 6-1-97, 7-1-98, 7-2-98, 7-1-99, Formerly 39-15.062, Amended 12-9-99, 7-1-00, 7-1-01, 11-11-01, 6-2-02, 10-16-02, 5-25-03, 7-7-03, 9-29-03, 7-1-04, 8-1-04, 7-1-05, 8-1-05, ________.

 

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Mr. Nick Wiley, Director, Division of Hunting and Game Management

NAME OF SUPERVISOR WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Mr. Kenneth D. Haddad, Executive Director

DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: February 1, 2006.

DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAW.: November 30, 2005

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