Summary


The proposed rule changes would establish season dates and specific area regulations on miscellaneous areas as follows: Babcock Ranch Preserve – establish the following open seasons and specific area regulations on the designated hunting area: two four-day archery hunts (quota 40, no exemptions), one three-day muzzleloading gun hunt (quota 40, no exemptions), one three-day general gun for mobility-impaired hunt (quota 25), two two-day family hunts (quota 30, no exemptions), three three-day general gun hunts (quota 40, no exemptions), four two-day small game hunts, two three-day spring turkey hunts (quota 15, no exemptions); prohibit fishing and frogging; prohibit trapping; legal to take – all legal game and wild hog, except quail; allow one antlered and one antlerless deer to be taken per quota permit during the archery season, family hunt and general gun for mobility-impaired hunt; allow one antlered deer per person to be taken during the muzzleloading gun and general gun seasons; allow one turkey to be taken per quota permit during the spring turkey season; public access will be restricted to permitted hunters and youth and allowed only on hunt days and one day prior to each hunt for scouting; prohibit the use of tracked vehicles, airboats, all-terrain vehicles (except during the mobility-impaired hunt), unlicensed and unregistered motorcycles and swamp buggies; allow vehicles to only be operated on named or numbered roads and require vehicles to be parked within 25 feet of an open road or in parking areas; allow the use of all-terrain vehicles during the general gun mobility-impaired hunt by mobility-impaired hunters; require all hunters to enter at a designated entrance, check in and out at the check station and check all game taken, provide that general wildlife management area rules and regulations related to quota permits shall apply on this area; and provide that outside of the designated hunting area and during periods closed to hunting, public use is allowed only by Babcock Ranch Management LLC. Kissimmee Chain of Lakes Area – establish a new miscellaneous area with the following open seasons: 30-day archery season, five-day crossbow season, nine-day muzzleloading gun season, 72-day general gun season, 114-day small game season, 58-day fall turkey season, statewide migratory bird season (except crow may be taken during the first phase of crow season only), 37-day spring turkey season; allow wild hog hunting with firearms; fishing and frogging year-round; prohibit trapping; legal to take – all legal game, gobbler or bearded turkey only, wild hog, non-protected mammals, furbearers (except bobcat and otter), fish and frogs; prohibit the take of antlerless deer during all seasons; prohibit the take of wild hog with a gun from one-half hour after sunset until one-half hour before sunrise; prohibit hunting deer with dogs; prohibit baiting; prohibit the take of deer on the West Shore, East Shore and Drasdo Units; prohibit the use of centerfire rifles on the West, East and Northwest Shore Units; allow the possession of guns in accordance with Florida Statutes; allow treestands from ten-days prior to archery season through ten-days after the close of general gun season only.