10845393, 68A-15.061 - Florida Administrative Rules, Law, Code, Register

Home

Florida Department of State and Division of Library and Information Services

Notice: 10845393

Notice of Proposed Rule

Department:

FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

Division:

Freshwater Fish and Wildlife

Chapter:

TYPE I WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS

Overview

RULE:

68A-15.061

Specific Regulations for Wildlife Management Areas - Southwest Region

PURPOSE:

The purpose of the proposed rule amendment is to revise specific area regulations on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in the Southwest Region and conform to calendar year date changes. The effect of the proposed rule amendment will be to enable the agency to better manage fish and wildlife resources and public use on WMAs.

SUMMARY:

The proposed rule amendment would adjust season dates to conform to calendar year changes and revise specific area regulations on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in the Southwest Region as follows:
Arbuckle WMA – increase the spring turkey season quota from 10 to 15 for each of two hunts (10 permits issued through Total Licensing System and five permits issued first-come, first-served, each day at the check station); increase the weekday muzzleloading gun season quota from 50 to 75 (each day at the check station).
Fred C. Babcock/Cecil M. Webb WMA – add three days to the archery season (total of five days); open the archery season one week earlier to eliminate the overlap with the bird dog training season; prohibit the harvest of antlerless deer after the first two days of the archery season; allow wild hog hunting during the entire general gun season; adjust hunt days for quail from Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays to Wednesdays and Saturdays only; and reduce quail harvest from 30% to 15% of fall population estimates.
Fred C. Babcock/Cecil M. Webb WMA, Yucca Pens Unit – allow vehicle access year round from 1.5 hours before sunrise until 1.5 hours after sunset.
Green Swamp WMA – adjust the season dates for the wild hog-dog hunts to eliminate overlap with small game hunts; allow for two wild hog-dog hunts of four consecutive days each (Thurs.-Sun.); allow dogs on the entire area during wild hog-dog hunts; increase the quota for the first wild hog-dog hunt from 135 to 160; allow only wild hog to be hunted during wild hog-dog hunts; and increase the quota for small game hunts from 150 to 300 (each day at check station).
Hickory Hammock WMA – remove the requirements for hunters to check in and check harvested game at the check station.
Hilochee WMA – increase raccoon season from four weeks to eight weeks with hunting allowed from 1.5 hours before sunset on Thursdays until 1.5 hours after sunrise on Sundays.
KICCO WMA – remove the requirements for hunters to check in and check harvested game at the check station; and require all persons to enter and exit the area at a designated entrance or any location along the Kissimmee River.
Lake Marion Creek WMA – remove the requirements for hunters to check in and check harvested game at the check station.
Walk-in-the-Water WMA – change the current 9-day muzzleloading gun season to three hunts, with a 2-day hunt (Sat.-Sun.), 4-day hunt (Mon.-Thurs.) and 3-day hunt (Fri.-Sun.) (quota of 25 each hunt, no exemptions); begin the muzzleloading gun season seven days earlier; and establish a 3-day spring turkey season with a bag limit of one gobbler or bearded turkey per quota permit (quota 5, no exemptions).
Proposed rule amendments would also amend or clarify language related to the use of guns for taking wildlife. Additionally, the proposed rule amendments would provide non-substantive technical changes, such as grammatical corrections and language standardization.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY:

Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution

LAW:

Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution 375.313 FS.

PRINT PUBLISH DATE:

1/6/2012 Vol. 38/01

COMMENTS:

From 1/6/2012 To 1/27/2012 (21 Days)
The public comment period for this notice has already expired.

REFERENCE MATERIALS:

No reference(s).

Under Florida law, E-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your E-mail address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing.