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 Southwest Region as follows:
Arbuckle WMA – change the name of “Gulfstream Tract” of the Everglades Headwaters WMA to “Arbuckle Unit” of the Everglades Headwaters WMA.
Avon Park AFB WMA – legal shooting hours for spring turkey will remain ½ hour before sunrise until 1 p.m.
Babcock/Webb WMA – require a permit for camping within designated campgrounds. A permitting system will eliminate the first-come, first served line-up in advance of the campground opening and reduce unsafe conditions when the line backs up to the highway.
Chassahowitzka WMA – prohibit public access from 1½ hours before sunrise until 1½ hours after sunset, except for registered SCUBA divers and during periods open to hunting.
Green Swamp WMA – allow camping equipment to remain on the area between archery and general gun season; and allow kitchen stoves to be used outside of mobile campers while camping.
Green Swamp West WMA - legal shooting hours for spring turkey will remain ½ hour before sunrise until 1 p.m.
KICCO WMA – establish a 2-day youth turkey quota hunt (5 no-cost quota permits, no exemptions).
Hilochee WMA, Osprey Unit – expand small game season from 12 to 21 days; and shift small game season dates to begin the day following the close of the wild hog-dog season.
Additionally, the proposed rule amendment would provide non-substantive technical changes, such as grammatical corrections, language standardization, or clarification of an existing rule.