Summary
The proposed rule changes would adjust season dates to conform to calendar year changes and revise specific area regulations on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in the North Central Region as follows:
Andrews WMA – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (quota of 20, no exemptions)
Bayard WMA – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (quota of 10, no exemptions)
Belmore WMA – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (quota of 10, no exemptions) with a bag limit of one turkey per quota permit
Big Bend WMA, Snipe Island Unit – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (quota of 40, no exemptions) with a bag limit of one turkey per quota permit
Big Bend WMA, Spring Creek Unit – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (no quota permit required)
Big Bend WMA, Tide Swamp Unit – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (no quota permit required)
Big Shoals WMA – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (quota of 20, no exemptions)
Camp Blanding WMA – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt in locations to be determined by the Camp Blanding Post Commander (quota of 35, no exemptions); prohibit take of wildlife on/within 100' of Dade, Treat and Impact Roads.
Citrus WMA – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (quota of 25, no exemptions) with a bag limit of one turkey per quota permit.
Cypress Creek WMA – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (quota of 12, no exemptions).
Devil’s Hammock WMA – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (quota of 30, no exemptions).
Four Creeks WMA – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (quota of 15, no exemptions) with a bag limit of one turkey per quota permit; and change general gun season from 2 (4- & 5-day) hunts to 3 (3-day) hunts.
Grove Park WMA – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (Recreational Use Permit required).
Gulf Hammock WMA – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (Recreational Use Permit required); increase archery season scout period to 3 days (consecutive Friday, Saturday, and Sunday prior to the archery season).
Hatchet Creek WMA – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (quota of 5, no exemptions) with a bag limit of one turkey per quota permit.
Jennings Forest WMA – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (quota of 30, no exemptions) with a bag limit of one turkey per quota permit.
Lochloosa WMA – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (no quota permit required).
Log Landing WMA – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (no quota permit required).
Lower Econfina River WMA – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (no quota permit required).
Middle Aucilla River WMA – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (no quota permit required).
Nassau WMA – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (Recreational Use Permit required).
Osceola WMA – clarify that motorized vehicles are allowed only on designated, named or numbered roads and mixed-used roads, except all-terrain vehicles are allowed only on designated motorized trails and mixed-use roads and establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (no quota permit required).
Potts WMA – remove the limitation of one gun per hunting party during the wild hog-dog season.
Raiford WMA – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (quota of 25, no exemptions).
Ralph E. Simmons WMA – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (quota of 15, no exemptions).
Steinhatchee Springs WMA – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (no quota permit required); remove the limitation of one gun per hunting party during the wild hog-dog season.
Thomas Creek WMA, Kings Road Unit – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (quota of 5, no exemptions) with a bag limit of one turkey per quota permit.
Twin Rivers WMA – establish a 2-day youth turkey hunt (quota of 20, no exemptions) with a bag limit of one turkey per quota permit.
Additional proposed rule changes would provide non-substantive technical changes, such as grammatical corrections and language standardization. There are also proposed changes to some hunting seasons on FWC-managed areas in an effort to better align season dates with times of peak deer activity associated with the breeding season and other hunter preferences.