Rule changes approved for hunting and managed areas within Florida

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)

At its February 2024 meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved rule changes related to the 2024-2025 hunting seasons that include many rules that deal with FWC-managed areas.

Rule change proposals are based on requests from staff members and FWC cooperators and stakeholders, along with summaries of proposed rule amendments provided to the public for online comments that began on September 20, 2023 that resulted in more than 16,000 responses.

These rule changes include the establishment of a new wildlife management area in Liberty County - the Telogia Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA), which will offer over 12,000 acres of hunting opportunities for deer, wild turkey, small game, wild hog, dove, and duck.

“We appreciate how much work has gone into these new rules,” said FWC Vice Chairman Steven Hudson. “Staff have gone above and beyond to consider stakeholder input.”

Other notable changes include:

• New hunting opportunities. Establish new hunts, expand current seasons or remove quotas on 36 WMAs across the state.
• Persons with Disabilities Crossbow Permits. Allow persons who possess a valid Persons with Disabilities Crossbow Permit to use airbows (pre-charged pneumatic airguns firing arrows) during archery season.
• Squirrel hunting on private land. Allow the take of gray squirrel year-round on lands outside the WMA system.
• Transporting live raccoons. Allow the transport of wild-trapped, live raccoons by persons possessing a valid wildlife rehabilitation permit.
• Deer Dog Hunting Permit on WMAs. Require a no-cost permit for taking deer with dogs on WMAs.

For more information about the rulemaking process, visit myfwc.com/about/rules-regulations.