The purpose of the proposed rule amendment 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 amendment will be to enable the ...

 

FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

Freshwater Fish and Wildlife

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

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

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The purpose of the proposed rule amendment 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 amendment will be to enable the agency to better manage fish and wildlife resources and public use on WMAs.

SUMMARY: The proposed rule amendment would adjust season dates to conform to calendar year changes and revise specific area regulations on WMAs in the South Region as follows:

 

Allapattah Flats WMA - allow harvested deer to be dismembered before leaving the area.

Big Cypress WMA - establish that hunters must check in and out when entering and leaving the area and check all harvested game when check stations are staffed.

Everglades and Francis S. Taylor WMA - remove bag limit and 15-inch shoulder height restriction for hunting wild hog.

Holey Land WMA - remove bag limit and 15-inch shoulder height restriction for hunting wild hog.

J.W. Corbett WMA - establish that tree stands, deer stands, and elevated shooting platforms may only be brought onto the area beginning 6 a.m. the day prior to archery season and must be removed no later than 6 p.m. the day following the close of general gun season; and during the August closure, allow campers to line up at an interior gate beginning 5 p.m. the Wednesday prior to the start of archery season.

Picayune Strand WMA - increase the wild hog bag limit to 1 per person but no more than 2 per quota permit during muzzleloading gun and general gun seasons, and remove 15-inch shoulder height restriction for hunting wild hog.

Rotenberger WMA - remove bag limit and 15-inch shoulder height restriction for hunting wild hog.

 

Additionally, the proposed rule amendment would provide non-substantive technical changes, such as grammatical corrections, language standardization, or clarification of an existing rule.

SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS AND LEGISLATIVE RATIFICATION:

The Agency has determined that this will not have an adverse impact on small business or likely increase directly or indirectly regulatory costs in excess of $200,000 in the aggregate within one year after the implementation of the rule. A SERC has not been prepared by the Agency.

The Agency has determined that the proposed rule is not expected to require legislative ratification based on the statement of estimated regulatory costs or if no SERC is required, the information expressly relied upon and described herein: The nature of the rule and the preliminary analysis conducted to determine whether a SERC was required.

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.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY: Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution n; Sections 379.2223, 375.313, Florida Statutes.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution n; Sections 379.2223, 375.313, Florida Statutes.

A HEARING WILL BE HELD AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW:

DATE AND TIME: During the Commission’s regular meeting February 19-20, 2020, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., each day.

PLACE: Donald L. Tucker Civic Center, 505 West Pensacola Street, Tallahassee FL, 32301.

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 [phone]. 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: George Warthen, 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) J. W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area.

(a) through (c). No change.

(d) General regulations:

1. through 12. No change.

13. Public access is allowed throughout the year except from the Sunday two weeks prior to the opening of archery season until 8:00 a.m. the day prior to the archery season when the area shall be closed to public access except on the portion of the North Grade between the north entrance and the B camp gate and on the portion of Stumper’s Grade between the south entrance and an internal gate where access will be allowed starting 5:00 p.m. three days prior to archery season. Vehicles parked on the North Grade during the closure period shall not be left unattended by a driver. Hiking on the Florida Trail and use of the Hungryland Boardwalk is allowed throughout the year.

14. through 19. No change.

20. Tree stands, deer stands and elevated shooting platforms are prohibited except from 6 a.m. the day prior to the opening of archery season until 6 p.m. the day following the end of general gun season.

(2) Holey Land Wildlife Management Area.

(a) Open season:

1. General gun – Walk, October 3-18 5-20.

2. General gun – Vehicle (tracked vehicles only), October 24 26 through November 8 10.

3. Archery – August 8-30 10 through September 1.

4. Muzzleloading gun – September 5-13 7-15.

5. Small game – November 9 11 through March 7 1.

6. through 7. No change.

(b) Legal to take: All legal game (except wild turkey), fish, frogs and furbearers. Take of antlerless deer is prohibited during the archery season. Taking of antlered deer not having at least one antler with two or more points and having one or more antlers at least 5 inches in length visible above the hairline is prohibited. The bag limit for wild hog shall be one per day; annual bag two. The take of wild hog with a shoulder height of less than 15 inches is prohibited. The take of wild hog is prohibited during small game season. During the general gun-vehicle season, a bag limit of one wild hog per day per vehicle shall apply. The bag limit for antlered deer shall be one during archery season, one during muzzleloading gun season, one during general gun-walk season and one per tag during the general gun-vehicle season.

(c) through (e) No change.

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

(a) Open season:

1. General gun – Walk, October 3-18 5-20, Conservation Areas 3A North and 2A (north of the East/West Airboat Trail) only.

2. General gun – Vehicle (airboats and tracked vehicles only), October 24 26 through November 8 10, in Conservation Areas 3A North, 3A South, 2, and the Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area.

3. Archery – August 8-30 10 through September 1, Conservation Area 3A North only.

4. Muzzleloading gun – September 5-13 7-15, in Conservation Area 3A North only.

5. Small game – November 9 11 though March 7 1.

6. through 7. No change.

(b) Legal to take: All legal game (except turkeys), fish, frogs and furbearers. Taking of antlered deer not having at least one forked antler and having one or more antlers at least 5 inches in length visible above the hairline is prohibited. The forked antler shall have at least two points one inch or greater in length. Take of antlerless deer is prohibited during archery season. The bag limit for wild hog shall be one per day and two annually. During the general gun-vehicle season, a bag limit of one wild hog per day per vehicle shall apply. The take of wild hog with a shoulder height of less than 15 inches is prohibited. The take of wild hog is prohibited during small game season. The bag limit for antlered deer shall be one per season during archery, muzzleloading gun and general gun-walk seasons and one per tag during the general gun-vehicle season.

(c) through (e) No change.

(4) Rotenberger Wildlife Management Area.

(a) Open season:

1. General gun – Walk, October 3-18 5-20.

2. General gun – Vehicle (tracked vehicles only), October 24 26 through November 8 10.

3. Archery – August 8-30 10 through September 1.

4. Muzzleloading gun – September 5-13 7-15.

5. Small game – November 9 11 through March 7 1.

6. through 7. No change.

(b) Legal to take: All legal game (except turkeys), furbearers, fish and frogs. Take of antlerless deer is prohibited during archery season. Taking of antlered deer not having at least one antler with two or more points and having one or more antlers at least 5 inches in length visible above the hairline is prohibited. Wild hog daily bag limit one; two annually. During the general gun-vehicle season, a bag limit of one wild hog per day per vehicle shall apply. The take of wild hog with a shoulder height of less than 15 inches is prohibited. The take of wild hog is prohibited during small game season. The bag limit for antlered deer shall be one per season during archery, muzzleloading gun and general gun-walk seasons and one per tag during the general gun-vehicle season.

(c) through (e) No change.

(5) Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area.

(a) Open season:

1. through 3. No change.

4. Muzzleloading gun – October 10-25 12-27, except in the Deep Lake Unit.

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

6. through 7. No change.

(b) through (c) No change.

(d) General regulations:

1. through 4. No change.

5. During periods when check stations are staffed All hunters shall check in at a designated check station when entering the area, retain in their possession a check station pass while hunting and check out at the same check station when exiting the area and shall check all game taken. Deer, wild hog and turkey may be divided or consumed in the field but each portion shall be identified by the number of the license of the person killing it and be readily traceable to the portion of the animal bearing sex identification. Jaw bones of the deer shall be saved for use by the Commission.

6. through 20. No change.

(6) Okaloacoochee Slough Wildlife Management Area.

(a) Open season:

1. Archery – August 8-14 10-16 and 15-23 17-25.

2. Muzzleloading gun – September 5-7 7-9 and 12-14 14-16.

3. Family Hunt – September 19-20 21-22.

4. General gun – September 26-29 28 through October 1 and September 30 through October 4 2-6.

5. Small game – November 7 9 through January 10 12.

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

7. through 9. No change.

(b) through (d) No change.

(7) Fisheating Creek Wildlife Management Area.

(a) Open season:

1. Archery – August 21-23 23-25 and August 28-29 30 through September 1 west of US Highway 27 only.

2. Muzzleloading gun – September 11-13 13-15 and 18-20 20-22 west of US Highway 27 only.

3. General gun – October 2-4 4-6 and 16-18 18-20 west of US Highway 27 only.

4. Youth Turkey Hunt – February 27-28 29 through March 1 west of US Highway 27 only.

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

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

7. Wild hog-still – November 21-22 23-24 west of US Highway 27 only.

8. through 10. No change.

(b) through (d) No change.

(8) Picayune Strand Wildlife Management Area.

(a) Open season:

1. Archery – August 8-23 10-25.

2. Muzzleloading gun – September 5-7 7-9 and 12-14 14-16.

3. General gun – October 10-13 12-15, 14-18 16-20 and 19-25 21-27.

4. Small game – October 31 November 2 through January 10 12.

5. Youth turkey hunt – February 27-28 29 through March 1.

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

7. through 8. No change.

(b) Legal to take: All legal game, bear (only during those portions of the general gun season that coincide with the open season established for the South BMU in rule 68A-13.004, F.A.C.), fish, frogs and furbearers. Taking of antlered deer not having at least one antler with two or more points is prohibited, except by persons less than 16 years of age. During the archery season, the bag limit for deer and wild hog shall be one each. During the muzzleloading gun and general gun seasons, the bag limit for deer and wild hog shall be one per person, two per quota permit and the bag limit for wild hog shall be two per permit. Wild hog: daily bag, 1; possession limit, 2. The take of wild hog with a shoulder height of less than 15 inches is prohibited. The take of wild hog is prohibited during small game season. The taking of antlerless deer and turkey is prohibited during archery season. One gobbler (or bearded turkey) may be taken per spring turkey quota permit.

(c) through (d) No change.

(9) Dinner Island Ranch Wildlife Management Area.

(a) Open season:

1. Archery – August 7-10 9-12, 14-17 16-19, 21-24 23-26 and August 28 30 through September 3 5.

2. Muzzleloading gun – September 11-13 13-15.

3. General gun – September 19-21 21-23, 25-27 27-29 and October 2-4 4-6.

4. No change.

5. Family hunt – October 10-11 12-13 and 17-18 19-20.

6. Youth Turkey Hunt – February 27-28 29 through March 1.

7. Spring turkey – March 6-8 7-9, 13-15 14-16 and April 3-5 4-6.

8. through 10. No change.

(b) through (d) No change.

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

(a) Open season:

1. Archery – August 7-10 9-12, 14-17 16-19, 21-24 23-26 and August 28-30 30 through September 2.

2. Muzzleloading gun – September 11-13 13-15.

3. General gun – September 19-21 21-23, 25-27 27-29, and October 2-4 4-6.

4. No change.

5. Youth Turkey Hunt – February 27-28 29 through March 1.

6. Spring turkey – March 6-8 7-9, 13-15 14-16 and April 3-5 4-6.

7. through 9. No change.

(b) through (d) No change.

(11) Allapattah Flats Wildlife Management Area.

(a) Open season:

1. Archery – September 12-15 14-17, 19-22 21-24, September 26-29 28 through October 1, and October 3-6 5-8.

2. Muzzleloading gun – October 17-19 19-21.

3. Family hunt – October 31 through November 3 2-5.

4. General gun –November 7-11 9-13.

5. Small game – November 12 14 through the second Sunday in January.

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

7. through 8. No change.

(b) through (c) No change.

(d) General regulations:

1. through 3. No change.

4. No deer shall be dismembered until checked at a check station.

5. through 8. renumbered 4. through 7. No change.

 

PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE:  July 1, 2020.

 

Rulemaking 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, 7-20-09, 1-19-10, 7-1-10, 8-26-10, 7-1-11, 7-1-12, 7-1-13, 7-1-14, 9-18-14, 7-1-15, 7-29-15, 7-1-16, 7-1-17, 9-14-17, 7-1-18, 7-1-19, 7-1-20.

 

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.R.

 

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: George Warthen, 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 11, 2019

DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAR: December 9, 2019