Find WMAs where a quota permit isn’t needed for spring turkey hunting

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

A gobbler track along a dirt road was the only wild turkey sign Peter Updike, a long-time turkey hunter from Lake County, Florida, had seen in three days of camping and hunting at Osceola Wildlife Management Area (WMA). Not the least bit deterred by a challenging hunt, Updike returned the next day, set up and harvested a mature gobbler.

“Having my efforts pay off - scouting, being patient and finding those areas on the WMA where others weren’t hunting - gave me a huge sense of accomplishment,” Updike said. “I really enjoy putting my skills to the test on a WMA.”

While he applies for spring turkey quota permits every year, his season always includes hunting areas where a quota permit isn’t required. He likes to hunt these walk-in hunting areas because it gives him more time to enjoy the solitude of the turkey woods, hear birds gobble and maybe see a tom put on a show.

Jimmy Ingram of south Florida, who started turkey hunting in 2005, is also a fan of walk-in hunting areas. He credits preseason prep for putting him in the right place at the right time.

“Hunting non-quota permit areas, like J.W. Corbett, is where I cut my teeth on turkey hunting," said Ingram. "While I always put in for quota hunts, hunting non-quota areas is where I do my learning. I spend a lot of time scouting, listening and walking before the season opens. I’ll roost birds, then go back the next morning and pattern them. It’s a challenge to hunt birds that see more pressure, but it also helps me learn from, and reduce, mistakes.”

Ingram’s other passions, ultrarunning and trail running, help him “get in the middle of nowhere” on a WMA. He often starts walking at 3:30 a.m. to where he wants to hunt. He uses a few other strategies to hunt walk-in WMAs, such as hunting weekdays and waiting for the season opener north of State Road 70 to spread hunters out.

Hunters willing to spend time scouting put some miles on their boots and embrace the virtue of patience can also find success on walk-in hunting areas. While many WMAs offering spring turkey hunting that requires a quota permit, there are over 40 areas you can hunt, even if you didn’t score a quota hunt permit. This is great news if you didn’t apply for or didn’t draw a spring turkey quota permit. If you were selected for quota hunt opportunities this year, you can extend your season by hunting no-quota permit areas.

Be mindful that season dates and other rules may vary from statewide seasons and other WMAs, so make sure you review the WMA regulations brochure for the area you want to hunt. You can find links to the WMAs on the 2021 Spring Turkey Hunt Guide here: myfwc.com/hunting/turkey/hunt-without-quota-permit/.

It’s a good idea to get into the habit of checking an area’s open/closed status to determine its availability to public access and if there are any road closures or updates about check stations or entrances. You can find this information by visiting MyFWC.com and clicking on the red button “WMA Closures and Updates.”

No-quota permit WMAs to hunt Osceola wild turkeys:
Big Bend WMA - Jena Unit
Big Cypress WMA
Green Swamp WMA
Herky Huffman/Bull Creek WMA
W. Corbett WMA
Jumper Creek WMA
Kissimmee Chain of Lakes Area
Kissimmee River Public Use Area
Lake Monroe WMA
Lochloosa WMA
Log Landing WMA
Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge
Raiford WMA
Richloam WMA
Rolling Meadows Unit – Kissimmee Chain of Lakes Area
Santa Fe Swamp Wildlife and Environmental Area
Three Lakes WMA
Upper Hillsborough WMA
Upper St. Johns River Marsh WMA

No-quota permit WMAs to hunt eastern wild turkeys:
Apalachicola WMA
Apalachicola River Wildlife and Environmental Area
Aucilla WMA
Big Bend WMA:
Hickory Mound Unit
Snipe Island Unit
Spring Creek Unit
Tide Swamp Unit
Blackwater WMA
Chipola River WMA
Choctawhatchee River WMA
Econfina Creek WMA
Eglin Air Force Base
Escambia River WMA
Lower Econfina River WMA
Mallory Swamp WMA
Ochlockonee River WMA
Osceola WMA
Pine Log WMA
Point Washington WMA
Steinhatchee Springs WMA
Marks National Wildlife Refuge
Talquin WMA
Troy Springs WMA
Yellow River WMA

While a quota permit isn’t required to hunt the areas on this list, you will need a hunting license, a turkey permit and a management area permit to hunt wild turkeys at a WMA, unless exempt. These licenses and permits can be purchased with a credit card at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or by calling 888-HUNT-FLORIDA (486-8356). They can also be purchased in Florida at county tax collectors’ offices and at most retail outlets that sell hunting/fishing supplies.

The FWC also provides a list of areas you can take a youth hunting during Florida’s Youth Turkey Hunt Weekends. The Youth Turkey Hunt weekend south of State Road 70 occurred Feb. 27-28. North of State Road 70, the Youth Turkey Hunt Weekend is March 13-14. These Saturday-Sunday hunts are available to youth 15 years old and younger and occur on many WMAs and lands outside of the WMA system. Find a list of WMAs where a quota permit is not required at myfwc.com/hunting/new-hunter/youth-turkey-hunting/.

For more information about turkey hunting, visit MyFWC.com/Turkey.