Summary


The proposed rule amendment would revise specific area regulations on WMAs in the South Region as follows: Allapattah Flats WMA – establish a 2-day youth spring turkey hunt opening the last Saturday in February (10 no-cost, quota permits, no exemptions). Big Cypress WMA – establish a 2-day youth spring turkey hunt (except in quota units) opening the last Saturday in February; allow hunting of migratory birds during statewide seasons; allow dogs to be used for hunting migratory birds during their respective statewide seasons; align bicycle rules with those of the National Park Service; establish a 2-day youth spring turkey hunt in the Addition Unit opening the last Saturday in February (10 no-cost, quota permits, no exemptions); establish a 2-day youth spring turkey hunt in the Bear Island Unit opening the last Saturday in February (10 no-cost, quota permits, no exemptions); establish two consecutive spring turkey hunts (one 4-day hunt followed by one 5-day hunt) beginning the first Saturday in March (50 no-cost, quota permits for each hunt, no exemptions) followed by one 28-day non-quota spring turkey hunt; and allow hunting with centerfire rifles during small game season in the Corn Dance Unit. Everglades and Francis S. Taylor WMA – allow wild hog to be dismembered before checking at the check station; and allow any dog to be used for hunting waterfowl and snipe during their respective statewide seasons. Everglades Headwaters WMA, Kissimmee Bend Unit – shift the two general gun hunts ahead one week and move the 3-day family hunt back three weeks to Thanksgiving weekend (Friday-Sunday); increase archery, muzzleloading gun, and general gun quotas from 10 to 13 and the family hunt, spring, and youth turkey quotas from 5 to 7; align bicycle rules with those of cooperators; prohibit public access from 0.5 hours after sunset to 0.5 hours before sunrise, except for individuals who possess a camping permit and those participating in hunts; allow vehicle access to individuals who possess a camping permit; and update rule language to conform with the new definition of legal game. Holey Land WMA – allow wild hog to be dismembered before checking at the check station; and allow any dog to be used for hunting waterfowl and snipe during their respective statewide seasons. J.W. Corbett WMA – allow any dog to be used for hunting coots, doves, ducks, geese, and snipe during their respective statewide seasons; limit motor vehicle access on Trail 6 to persons legally participating in hunts during established seasons and provide an alternate route for motor vehicles to access the L-8 Levee Road; allow only street legal vehicles to be operated outside designated hunting seasons; allow only those persons participating in hunts to possess or operate unlicensed and unregistered motor vehicles; and prohibit all methods of take except bows (and crossbows by disabled crossbow permit) in the Bruce Bowman Archery Still Hunt Area. Okaloacoochee Slough WMA – allow wild hog to be dismembered before checking at the check station; and relocate the 2-day family hunt to begin the Saturday 9 days after Thanksgiving Day instead of the third Saturday in September. Picayune Strand WMA – allow hunting of released quail during small game season in designated portions of the South Golden Gates Estates Tract by permit only; allow off-road vehicle access (the same as that provided to quota hunt participants) to those legally participating in a released quail hunt; and extend the small game season to February 15. Rotenberger WMA – allow wild hog to be dismembered before checking at the check station; and allow any dog to be used for hunting waterfowl and snipe during their respective statewide seasons. Spirit-of-the-Wild WMA – update language regarding vehicle use to reflect change from “numbered” to “named” trails; and allow horses to be used on named trails. Additionally, the proposed rule amendment would provide non-substantive technical changes, such as grammatical corrections, language standardization, or clarification of an existing rule.