Sharing Florida’s Public Lands With Hunters

Its no secret that many individuals seeking recreational activities in a natural Florida setting will find that the same thing which appeals to them is what attracts those seeking hunting activities as well.  This can create some difficulty when deciding where to hike, bike or enjoy equestrian travel, particularly during the September through April time-frame.  Many public lands are open to hunters during specific periods, and a little research goes a long way to ensure the enjoyment of our natural areas by all.

The FWC manages many of our public lands and is an excellent research starting point before you plan your recreation during Florida’s hunting seasons.  The properties which do not have specific quota hunts assigned have hunting season dates outlined in the current FWC Hunting Season Dates.

Many of the properties managed in part or whole by the FWC include wildlife management areas which have “quota” hunts.  The hunting activities in these areas are more closely regulated and include special request applications in addition to the normal licensing requirements.  The advantage to individuals seeking hiking or other non-hunting recreational activities is that with some careful consideration, these areas can be enjoyed during times when other natural areas may be difficult to explore.

The FWC provides annual hunt schedules for the WMAs in Florida, but they can sometimes be a bit difficult to locate.  Links to the Year-at-a-glance hunt schedules from MyFWC.com is provided below for you to easily download and print the calendars of interest.  Keep the ones which cover the areas you would like to visit handy so you can properly plan your naturalist adventures.

FWC 2013 – 2014 Hunt Schedules for Widlife Management Areas

These hunt calendars for Florida can be a great tool to plan your visit to many of our Florida public lands.  You can often make some simple changes to your destination or date of visit and greatly enhance your enjoyment of Florida nature.

To learn more about the properties managed by the FWC and to download printable brochures and maps, check out our FWC Pages on the “Natural Areas” section of Florida Nature Guide as well.