Summary


The proposed rule amendment would adjust season dates to conform to calendar year changes and revise specific area regulations on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in the Northeast Region as follows: Buck Lake WMA – allow the hunting of wild hog during small game season; remove the quota requirement from the two 4-day wild hog-still hunts; add a 7-day small game hunt in January; allow the use of horses during small game season; change the bag limit during muzzleloading gun and general gun seasons from one antlered deer per quota permit to one antlered deer per person, two antlered deer per quota permit; and change the bag limit for turkey from one gobbler or bearded turkey per quota permit to one gobbler or bearded turkey per person, but not more than two per quota permit during spring turkey hunts. Dunns Creek WMA – change the bag limit during muzzleloading gun season from one antlered deer per quota permit to one antlered deer per person, two antlered deer per quota permit. Etoniah Creek WMA – change the bag limit from one deer per quota permit to one deer per person, two deer per quota permit; and change the bag limit for turkey from one gobbler or bearded turkey per quota permit to one gobbler or bearded turkey per person, but not more than two per quota permit during spring turkey hunts. Fort Drum WMA – require a permit from St. Johns River Water Management District to camp during non-hunting periods; allow the use of horses on named and numbered roads; and allow horses during small game season. Guana River WMA – reduce the quota during the archery, muzzleloading gun and general gun seasons from 100 to 60 due to overcrowding concerns; and prohibit the use of cast nets or gigs within 50 yards of the water control structure located on the Guana Dam (instead of within 50 yards of the Guana Dam) to open up more area to cast netting. Half Moon WMA – change the bag limit for turkey from one gobbler or bearded turkey per quota permit to one gobbler or bearded turkey per person, but not more than two per quota permit during spring turkey hunts. Lake George WMA – allow the use dogs with a shoulder height of 15 inches or less to take rabbit during small game season. Lake Panasoffkee WMA – allow the use of horses on named or numbered roads and designated trails during the wild hog-still and small game seasons. Little Big Econ WMA – add the special September duck season; allow retrievers for waterfowl hunting during the special September duck season; and during the special September duck season, add the Econlockhatchee River as a designated entrance and remove the Winding River Lane as a designated entrance. Marshall Swamp WMA – change the bag limit from one deer per quota permit to one deer per person, two deer per quota permit; and change the bag limit for turkey from one gobbler or bearded turkey per quota permit to one gobbler or bearded turkey per person, but not more than two per quota permit during spring turkey hunts. Matanzas WMA – change the bag limit for turkey from one gobbler or bearded turkey per quota permit to one gobbler or bearded turkey per person, but not more than two per quota permit during spring turkey hunts. Ocala WMA – change the turkey bag limit during the spring turkey season from one gobbler or bearded turkey per quota permit to one gobbler or bearded turkey per person, but not more than two per quota permit; and clarify that the bag limit for deer is one per day per person. Ocklawaha River WMA, Gores Landing Unit – change the name of the management area to Gores Landing Wildlife Management Area; change the bag limit from one deer per quota permit to one deer per person, two deer per quota permit; and change the bag limit for turkey from one gobbler or bearded turkey per quota permit to one gobbler or bearded turkey per person, but not more than two per quota permit during spring turkey hunts. Relay WMA – remove the size and bag limits for wild hog. Richloam WMA – add the special September duck season. Richloam WMA, Baird Unit – prohibit the use of dogs for hunting wild hog and start the general gun season two days later than it currently starts. Rock Springs Run WMA – allow the use of handguns for hunting. Ross Prairie WMA – change the bag limit from one antlered deer per quota permit to one antlered deer per person, two antlered deer per quota permit; and change the bag limit for turkey from one gobbler or bearded turkey per quota permit to one gobbler or bearded turkey per person, but not more than two per quota permit during spring turkey hunts. Salt Lake WMA – allow the use of horses during small game season. Seminole Forest WMA, Lake Tracy Unit – allow hunting of small game with bird dogs and dogs with a shoulder height of 15 inches or less during small game season; allow hunting of waterfowl with waterfowl retrievers during the special September duck season; and add the special September duck season. Seminole Ranch WMA – allow horses during small game season and allow three hunters to hunt per daily quota permit during wild hog-dog season. Three Lakes WMA, Prairie Lakes Unit – change the bag limit from one antlered deer per quota permit to one antlered deer per person, two antlered deer per quota permit and change the bag limit for turkey from one gobbler or bearded turkey per quota permit to one gobbler or bearded turkey per person, but not more than two per quota permit during spring turkey hunts. Tiger Bay WMA, Rima Ridge Unit – allow the take of wild hog during small game season; change the bag limit from one deer per quota permit to one deer per person, two deer per quota permit; and change the bag limit for turkey from one gobbler or bearded turkey per quota permit to one gobbler or bearded turkey per person, but not more than two per quota permit during spring turkey hunts. Tosohatchee WMA – allow three hunters to hunt per each daily quota permit during wild hog-dog season. Twelve Mile Swamp WMA – schedule the ending date of general gun season to always occur on the first Sunday in January. Upper St. Johns River Marsh WMA – allow camping from 8 a.m. one day prior to archery season until 6 p.m. seven days after the close of spring turkey season; clarify that at other times, the St. Johns River Water Management District will regulate camping; and allow the use of dogs to take wild hog during the first 14 days of the small game season. Additionally, the proposed rule amendment would provide non-substantive technical changes, such as grammatical corrections, language standardization, or clarification of an existing rule.