Summary


The proposed rule amendment would revise specific area regulations on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in the Northwest Region as follows: Apalachicola WMA – during the deer dog training season allow training to occur during non-daylight hours. Apalachicola WMA, Bradwell Unit – correct a clerical error in the open season for wild hog-still season to include a 2-day hunt the third weekend in July. Blackwater WMA – increase the general gun dog season quota from 400 to 450 permits per hunt; increase the family hunt quota from 100 to 150 permits; and remove dog collar rules conflicting with and redundant to 68A-12.007. Econfina Creek WMA – establish that individuals participating in waterfowl hunting are exempt from quota permit requirements. Eglin AFB – clarify that it is prohibited to take wildlife with a gun on, from, or across road 204 (south of Range Road 314) and that portion of Range Road 211 west of Silver Creek to Range Road 610; prohibit the take of wildlife with shotguns using slugs or number 2 or larger shot during small game season; and remove dog collar rules redundant to 68A-12.007. Joe Budd WMA – update rule language to conform with the new definition of legal game. Juniper Creek WMA – update to allow take of non-protected birds in response to rule change for WMAs. Plank Road WMA – update rule language to conform with the new definition of legal game. Tate’s Hell WMA – increase the general gun still quota from 175 to 185 and the spring turkey quota from 200 to 205. Tate’s Hell WMA, St. James Island Unit – establish open seasons and regulations for a new WMA (8,182 acres) in Franklin County as follows: 12-day archery season (four 3-day hunts, 25 no-cost, quota permits for each hunt, no exemptions); 6-day muzzleloading gun season (25 no-cost, quota permits for each hunt, no exemptions); 4-day family hunt (15 no-cost, quota permits, no exemptions); 9-day general gun season (three 3-day hunts, 25 no-cost, quota permits for each hunt, no exemptions); small game season opening the day after the last day of muzzleloading gun season and closing the first Sunday in March (no quota); doves, ducks, geese, coot, and woodcock may be taken during their respective statewide seasons (no quota except during coinciding quota hunts); 2-day youth turkey hunt (10 no-cost, quota permits, no exemptions); 12-day spring turkey season (six 2-day hunts, 7 no-cost, quota permits for each hunt, no exemptions); fishing and frogging allowed year-round; prohibit trapping; allow hunting of all legal game (except hen or beardless turkey), fish, frogs, and furbearers; prohibit the harvest of antlered deer not having at least 1 antler with 3 or more points or a 10-inch main beam (except by persons less than 16 years of age); the bag limit for deer shall be 1 deer per quota permit during the archery season, 1 antlered deer per quota permit during the muzzleloading gun and general gun seasons, and 2 antlered deer per quota permit, but no more than 1 per person during the family hunt; prohibit the harvest of antlerless deer except during archery season; allow take of turkey during archery, youth turkey, and spring turkey seasons (gobbler or bearded turkey only); the bag limit for turkey shall be 1 per quota permit; allow take of wild hog during small game season and quota hunts (except youth and spring turkey) with no bag limits or size restrictions; allow public access year-round; allow motor vehicles to be operated only on named or numbered roads and to enter and exit the area only at designated entrances as indicated on the hunt map; prohibit airboats, off-highway vehicles, swamp buggies, and tracked vehicles; prohibit hunting with dogs, except bird dogs and retrievers may be used to hunt doves, ducks, geese, and coots during their respective statewide seasons and any dog may be used to hunt small game (gray squirrel, migratory game birds, quail, and rabbits) during small game season; prohibit hunting with centerfire rifles during small game season; allow camping in tents, trailers, or self-propelled camping vehicles at designated campsites by permit only; and prohibit fires other than campfires at designated campsites. Tyndall AFB WMA – establish the West End Unit into the WMA; allow hunting with crossbows during archery season at the discretion of the installation commander; establish a bag limit of 3 deer (but no more than 2 antlerless deer), all seasons combined except on the Flightline Unit where statewide bag limits for deer shall apply; within the East and West units, establish that the take of deer not having 4 or more points on one side is prohibited (unless otherwise specified by the installation commander); and prohibit the take of deer with ammunition other than slugs/single projectiles when hunting with shotguns or muzzleloading guns. Yellow River WMA – prohibit hunting with centerfire rifles during 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.