Florida Administrative Code
68 - FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION
68A - Freshwater Fish and Wildlife
Chapter 68A-13 - GENERAL HUNTING REGULATIONS
Section 68A-13.004 - Hunting Regulations for Non-Migratory Game and Issuance of Antlerless Deer Permits and Private Lands Deer Management Permits
Universal Citation: FL Admin Code R 68A-13.004
Current through Reg. 50, No. 187; September 24, 2024
The Commission has approved the following hunting regulations for taking non-migratory game.
(1) Bag and possession limits:
(a) Deer: Statewide
annual bag (all seasons combined including antlered, antlerless, archery,
crossbow, and muzzleloading gun seasons and the youth deer hunt) 5 deer, of
which no more than 2 may be antlerless deer; possession limit, 4; daily bag as
follows provided no person shall take more than 2 deer per day or exceed the
statewide annual bag except as provided by subparagraph 4.:
1. Two (2) antlered deer during the antlered
deer, crossbow (last 5 days), muzzleloading gun or archery/muzzleloading gun
seasons.
2. One (1) antlered and 1
antlerless deer or 2 antlered deer during the antlerless deer season.
3. Two (2) antlerless deer, or 2 antlered
deer, or 1 antlered and 1 antlerless deer during the archery and crossbow
seasons except that antlerless deer may not be taken during each zone's last 5
days of the crossbow season.
4.
Antlerless or antlered deer taken under the authority of subsections (4) or (5)
of this rule, non-native deer, deer killed by a motor vehicle, deer harvested
under permits issued pursuant to Chapter 68A-9, F.A.C., and deer killed on a
Licensed Game Farm or Licensed Private Hunting perserve, shall not be subjected
to bag or possession limits.
(b) Turkey: daily bag, 2; spring season bag,
2; all fall seasons combined bag, 2; possession limit, 2.
(c) Quail, gray squirrel, and rabbit: daily
bag 12 of each species; possession limit 24 of each species; daily falconry bag
2 quail, 12 gray squirrels and 12 rabbits; falconry possession limit 4 quail,
24 gray squirrels and 24 rabbits.
(d) Bear: daily, possession and season bag
1.
(2) Regulations specific to deer management units:
(a) The
take of antlered deer within the listed deer management unit not meeting the
prescribed criteria shall be prohibited, except for antlered deer taken
pursuant to Rule 68A-9.002,
68A-9.012,
68A-12.010, or
68A-12.011, F.A.C., and 1
antlered deer taken by persons under 16 years of age.
1. DMU A1: Taking of antlered deer not having
at least one antler with two or more points is prohibited.
2. DMU A2: Taking of antlered deer not having
at least one antler with two or more points is prohibited.
3. DMU A3: Taking of antlered deer not having
at least one antler with three or more points or one antler with a main beam of
ten inches or more in length is prohibited.
4. DMU B1: Taking of antlered deer not having
at least one antler with three or more points or one antler with a main beam of
ten inches or more in length is prohibited.
5. DMU C1: Taking of antlered deer not having
at least one antler with three or more points or one antler with a main beam of
ten inches or more in length is prohibited.
6. DMU C2: Taking of antlered deer not having
at least one antler with three or more points or one antler with a main beam of
ten inches or more in length is prohibited.
7. DMU C3: Taking of antlered deer not having
at least one antler with two or more points is prohibited.
8. DMU C4: Taking of antlered deer not having
at least one antler with three or more points or one antler with a main beam of
ten inches or more in length is prohibited.
9. DMU C5: Taking of antlered deer not having
at least one antler with three or more points or one antler with a main beam of
ten inches or more in length is prohibited.
10. DMU C6: Taking of antlered deer not
having at least one antler with three or more points or one antler with a main
beam of ten inches or more in length is prohibited.
11. DMU D1: Taking of antlered deer not
having at least one antler with two or more points is prohibited.
12. DMU D2: Taking of antlered deer not
having at least one antler with three or more points or one antler with a main
beam of ten inches or more in length is prohibited.
(b) The take of deer in the Florida Keys; of
antlered deer in that portion of Collier County lying south of State Road 84,
west of State Road 29, north of US Highway 41 and east of the western boundary
of the Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve; and of antlerless deer in those
portions of the eastern Everglades south of the Tamiami Trail (US 41) and east
of Everglades National Park, or in Collier County south of Alligator Alley
(State Road 84) is prohibited, except for deer taken pursuant to Rule
68A-9.002,
68A-9.012,
68A-12.010, or
68A-12.011, F.A.C.
(3) Open seasons:
(a) Antlered deer:
1. Zone A: Opening the third Saturday in
September and closing 29 days thereafter and reopening the Saturday before the
fourth Thursday in November and closing the first Sunday in January.
2. Zone B: Opening 9 days after the fourth
Thursday in November and closing 78 days thereafter.
3. Zone C: Opening the first Saturday in
November closing 78 days thereafter.
4. Zone D: Opening the fourth Thursday in
November and closing 3 days thereafter and reopening the second Saturday in
December and closing 71 days thereafter.
(b) Antlerless deer:
1. Zone A:
a. DMU A1: Allowed by permit only.
b. DMU A2: Open during the first 9 days of
the archery and crossbow seasons in Zone A, and opening the Saturday before the
fourth Thursday in November and closing 1 day thereafter.
c. DMU A3: Open during the first 16 days of
the archery and crossbow seasons in Zone A, and opening the Saturday before the
fourth Thursday in November and closing 3 days thereafter.
2. Zone B:
a. DMU B1: Open during the archery season in
Zone B, the first 30 days of the crossbow season in Zone B, and opening on the
last Friday in December and closing 2 days thereafter.
3. Zone C:
a. DMU C1: Open during the archery season in
Zone C, the first 30 days of the crossbow season in Zone C, and opening the
Friday before the fourth Thursday in November and closing 3 days
thereafter.
b. DMU C2: Open during
the archery season in Zone C, the first 30 days of the crossbow season in Zone
C, and opening the Friday before the fourth Thursday in November and closing 2
days thereafter.
c. DMU C3: Open
during the archery season in Zone C, the first 30 days of the crossbow season
in Zone C, and opening the Friday before the fourth Thursday in November and
closing 2 days thereafter.
d. DMU
C4: Open during the archery season in Zone C, the first 30 days of the crossbow
season in Zone C, and opening the Friday before the fourth Thursday in November
and closing 3 days thereafter.
e.
DMU C5: Open during the archery season in Zone C, the first 30 days of the
crossbow season in Zone C, the first and third weekends (Saturdays and Sundays)
of the antlered deer season in Zone C, and the first weekend (Saturday and
Sunday) of muzzleloading gun season in Zone C.
f. DMU C6: Open during the archery season in
Zone C, the first 30 days of the crossbow season in Zone C, and opening the
Friday before the fourth Thursday in November and closing 3 days
thereafter.
4. Zone D:
a. DMU D1: Open during the archery season in
Zone D, the first 33 days of the crossbow season in Zone D, the first weekend
(Saturday and Sunday) of the antlered deer season in Zone D and the first
consecutive Saturday and Sunday following December 25.
b. DMU D2: Open during the archery season in
Zone D, the first 33 days of the crossbow season in Zone D, the first and third
weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) of the antlered deer season in Zone D, the
first consecutive Saturday and Sunday following December 25, and the first
weekend (Saturday and Sunday) of muzzleloading gun season in Zone D.
(c) Turkey:
1. Fall season (gobblers or bearded turkeys
only): During the last 58 days of the antlered deer season in Zone A; during
the first 58 days of the antlered deer season in Zones B and C; and during the
first 41 days of the antlered deer season in Zone D.
2. Spring season (gobblers or bearded turkeys
only):
a. Opening on the first Saturday of
March and closing 36 days thereafter south of State Road 70. Opening on the
third Saturday of March and closing 36 days thereafter north of State Road
70.
b. In addition to the season
specified in sub-subparagraph a., above, a "Youth Turkey Hunt" shall open on
the last Saturday of February and close 1 day thereafter south of State Road 70
and open the second Saturday of March and close 1 day thereafter north of State
Road 70. Only youth under 16 years of age may hunt and must be under the
supervision and in the presence of an adult not younger than 18 years of age.
Adults with required license and permits for taking wild turkeys or otherwise
exempt from these requirements by Section
379.353, F.S., may participate
in the hunt when in the presence of at least one youth under 16 years of age.
Adults shall not take wildlife with a gun.
(d) Quail: Opening the second Saturday of
November and closing the first Sunday in March. Opening October 1 and closing
March 31 for falconry.
(e) Gray
squirrel: Throughout the year.
(f)
Rabbit: Throughout the year.
(g)
Bear:
1. East Panhandle, North, Central, and
South BMUs: Opening the Saturday prior to the last Saturday in October and
closing 6 days thereafter. If a BMUs harvest objective, established pursuant to
subparagraph 2., is attained prior to the season close and on or after the
second day of the season, that BMU's season shall close at 11:59 p.m. on the
day its harvest objective is attained.
2. The harvest objective for each BMU shall
be as established by Order of the Executive Director, after approval of the
Commission, and shall be based on the proportion of the BMU population
available for harvest consistent with biologically sustainable population
objectives for each BMU.
3. All
bear taken shall be checked and tagged within 12 hours of recovery at a
Commission designated check station. The tag shall remain affixed to the hide
until it is tanned or mounted.
(h) Notwithstanding the provisions of
paragraphs (3)(a), and (c)-(e), antlered deer, antlerless deer as provided by
paragraph 3(b), gobblers or bearded turkeys and quail may be taken:
1. During an archery season opening 49 days
prior to the first day of the antlered deer season and closing 29 days
thereafter in Zones A, B and C and opening 33 days prior to the first day of
the antlered deer season and closing 32 days thereafter in Zone D.
2. During a crossbow season opening 49 days
prior to the first day of the antlered deer season and closing 34 days
thereafter in Zones A, B and C and opening 33 days prior to the first day of
the antlered deer season and closing 32 days thereafter and reopening 4 days
after the fourth Thursday in November and closing 4 days thereafter in Zone
D.
(i) Notwithstanding
the provisions of paragraphs (3)(a), (c), (d), (e), and (g), antlered deer,
antlerless deer as provided by paragraph (3)(b), gobblers or bearded turkeys
and quail may be taken:
1. During a
muzzleloading gun season opening 14 days prior to the first day of the antlered
deer season and closing 13 days thereafter in Zones A, B and C; and opening 9
days after the first day of the antlered deer season and closing 6 days
thereafter in Zone D.
2. During a
muzzleloading gun season in the Zone D opening the day following the last day
of the antlered deer season and closing 6 days thereafter, provided that
turkeys may not be taken.
(j) Notwithstanding the provisions of
paragraphs (3)(a) and (b), and providing that supervising adults with required
license(s) and permit(s) for taking deer (or otherwise exempt from these
requirements by Section
379.353, F.S.) may participate
in the hunt when in the presence of at least one youth under 16 years of age
but may not take wildlife with a gun except as allowed during the muzzleloading
gun seasons established pursuant to paragraph (3)(i) of this rule, one antlered
or antlerless deer may be taken by persons under 16 years of age:
1. During a youth deer hunt opening 7 days
prior to the first day of the antlered deer season and closing 1 day thereafter
in Zones A, B and C.
2. During a
youth deer hunt opening 9 days after the first day of the antlered deer season
and closing 1 day thereafter in Zone D.
(4) Issuance of antlerless deer permits to landowners - Antlerless deer may be taken under permit from the executive director during the archery, crossbow, muzzleloading gun, antlered and antlerless deer seasons in accordance with the following:
(a) A person who owns, leases or otherwise
has written permission to take antlerless deer on specifically identified lands
may apply for an antlerless deer permit in accordance with this subsection. An
antlerless deer permit will be issued for property or an aggregate of
contiguous properties not less than 640 acres in size; or for property or an
aggregate of contiguous properties not less than 150 acres in size which are
contiguous to property under a current antlerless deer permit or Private Lands
Deer Management Permit. Agricultural lands that have been permitted within the
previous 12 months for taking of deer for crop depredation purposes shall be
exempt from the minimum acreage requirement of this rule.
(b) Applications for antlerless deer permits
shall be on such a form as prescribed by the Commission and shall include: a
written description of the property boundaries; total acreage of the property;
name, street or physical address, and telephone numbers for the applicant and
the landowner; a signature of the landowner or legal agent of the landowner
providing permission to take antlerless deer where the landowner is not the
applicant; and other information pertaining to the proposed activity necessary
for permit issuance and enforcement of this subsection.
(c) The permittee shall be furnished an
identifying tag for each antlerless deer to be taken from the permitted area.
Each person who takes an antlerless deer shall immediately lock the identifying
tag to the carcass of the deer. Antlerless deer may not be possessed unless the
identifying tag has been locked on the carcass. Each tag shall remain locked on
the carcass until the deer is dismembered and stored at the hunter's
domicile.
(d) Commission personnel
shall be granted access to collect biological specimens and data on antlerless
deer taken under the provisions of this subsection.
(e) The permittee shall submit a deer harvest
report by April 1 as prescribed by the Commission.
(5) Issuance of Private Lands Deer Management Permits to landowners - Antlerless and antlered deer may be taken under permit from the executive director from the first day of the zonal deer season till the last day of the zonal deer season for not more than 128 total days (including during archery, crossbow, muzzleloading gun, and antlered deer seasons, and during any periods closed to deer hunting within this time frame) by any gun allowed for deer in Rule 68A-12.002, F.A.C., on property enrolled in the Private Lands Deer Management Permit program. Property enrolled in the program that is bisected by a zone line (permitted lands lie within multiple zones) may have one of the zonal deer seasons apply to all permitted lands as designated by the applicant. Property may be enrolled in this program in accordance with the following:
(a) Only
property that meets the criteria listed in this paragraph is eligible to be
enrolled in the Private Lands Deer Management Permit program.
1. The property identified for enrollment in
an application must be at least 5,000 acres that form one contiguous piece of
land; an aggregate of properties under different ownership that adjoin one
another so as to form one contiguous piece of land that together satisfy the
acreage requirement will be considered one property for purposes of this
program if those properties are the subject of one application.
2. A written Wildlife Management Plan (WMP),
developed or approved by a Certified Wildlife Biologist (CWB; certified by The
Wildlife Society 5410 Grosvenor Lane, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20816) or
developed through the Commission's Landowner Assistance Program, must be
provided for the property identified for enrollment in an
application.
3. Annual
recommendations for the harvest of antlered and antlerless deer that are
intended to help reach the stated deer management objectives for the property
shall be provided.
4. The annual
harvest recommendations shall be developed by a CWB and be based on a deer
population survey conducted on the property except as follows:
a. No deer population survey is required for
approval of the harvest so long as the harvest recommendation for antlered deer
does not exceed 1 deer per 150 acres and so long as the harvest recommendation
for antlerless deer does not exceed 1 deer per 150 acres. Harvest
recommendations provided under this exception do not need to be developed by a
CWB.
b. Antlered and antlerless
deer harvest recommendations may be submitted without conducting a deer
population survey in the year immediately following two consecutive years of
deer population surveys, and in alternate years thereafter, provided the
surveyed areas and survey methodologies are comparable between
surveys.
5. Commission
approved survey standards shall be used to conduct any deer surveys required in
subparagraph 4., above.
(b) The permit shall require a minimum of
four (4) qualifying conservation activities (active habitat management,
wildlife management or conservation-related activities for youth) annually on
the property during the period it is enrolled in the program.
Conservation-related activities for youth may only account for one (1) of the
four (4) qualifying conservation activities required by the permit. For an
application to be approved, the four (4) qualifying conservation activities
combined must affect at least 10% of the permitted land.
(c) A person must be the owner of the
property, the leasee of the property or otherwise have written permission from
the landowner to participate in the Private Lands Deer Management Permit
program. Applications for the Private Lands Deer Management Permit program
shall be on such a form as prescribed by the Commission and shall include: a
written description of the property boundaries; total acreage of the property;
name, street or physical address, and telephone numbers for the applicant and
the landowner; a signature of the landowner or legal agent of the landowner
providing permission to participate in the program; and other information
pertaining to the proposed activity necessary for permit issuance and
enforcement of this subsection.
(d)
Commission personnel shall review the application and approve or deny based on
whether it is complete and includes the required proposed conservation
activities. Annual harvest limits for antlered and antlerless deer shall be
established by the Commission, based upon the CWB's recommendations included in
the WMP in consideration of the stated deer management objectives for the
property. If the application is approved, the Commission shall enroll the
property in the program and issue a permit in the name of the applicant. As a
condition of issuance or renewal of the permit, the property must be managed
consistent with the WMP and the conservation activities must be performed
substantially as proposed.
(e) No
person may harvest deer on property enrolled in the Private Lands Deer
Management Permit program except as authorized under a permit issued under this
subsection or under the authority of a deer depredation permit.
(f) The Commission shall furnish an
identifying tag for each antlerless and antlered deer to be taken from the
permitted area. Each person who takes an antlerless or antlered deer shall
immediately lock the identifying tag to the carcass of the deer. Antlerless or
antlered deer may not be possessed unless the identifying tag has been locked
on the carcass. Each tag shall remain locked on the carcass until the deer is
dismembered and stored at the hunter's domicile.
(g) Commission personnel may access property
enrolled in the Private Lands Deer Management Permit program to check for
permit compliance or to collect biological specimens and data on any deer
taken.
(h) The permittee shall
submit a deer harvest report by April 1 as prescribed by the
Commission.
Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const.
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