12487312, 68A-15.061 - Florida Administrative Rules, Law, Code, Register

Home

Florida Department of State and Division of Library and Information Services

Notice: 12487312

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 – change the bag limit for turkey from one gobbler (or bearded turkey) per quota permit to one gobbler (or bearded turkey) per person, but not more than two per quota permit during spring turkey hunts.
Chassahowitzka WMA – change the bag limit for turkey from one gobbler (or bearded turkey) per quota permit to one gobbler (or bearded turkey) per person, but not more than two per quota permit during spring turkey hunts.
Fred C. Babcock/Cecil M. Webb WMA – allow year round use of vehicles on Tucker Grade, Tram Grade and Road 6; adjust the quail season; and establish a raccoon and opossum season during the month of February.
Fred C. Babcock/Cecil M. Webb WMA, Yucca Pens Unit – establish a raccoon and opossum season during the months of February and March; and allow the use of horses year round.
Green Swamp WMA – issue quota permits for the wild hog-dog hunts at the check station; allow three hunters to hunt per each daily quota permit during wild hog-dog season; relocate the check station and campground during the wild-hog dog hunts from the Rock Ridge Road entrance to the Highway 471 entrance; and prohibit the use of dogs for hunting wild hog except during the wild hog-dog hunts.
Green Swamp WMA, West Unit – allow the use of horses during the wild hog-still and small game seasons; and allow the use of archery equipment during the special-opportunity turkey season.
Hickory Hammock – prohibit the use of dogs for hunting wild hog.
Hilochee WMA – allow the use of horses year round; prohibit the use of dogs for hunting wild hog; and change the bag limit for turkey from one gobbler (or bearded turkey) per quota permit to one gobbler (or bearded turkey) per person, but no more than two per quota permit during spring turkey hunts.
Hilochee WMA, Osprey Unit – convert one of the archery hunts to a muzzleloading gun hunt; add antlered deer with at least 3 points on one side as legal to take during the archery and muzzleloading gun hunts; reduce the quota from 40 to 10 (no exemptions) for the archery and muzzleloading gun hunts; allow a bag limit of one antlered deer per person, but not more than two per quota permit during the archery and muzzleloading gun hunts; increase the length of all quota hunts, except youth turkey, from two days to three days; allow the use of horses year-round except during wild hog-dog season; and change the bag limit for turkey from one gobbler (or bearded turkey) per person to one gobbler (or bearded turkey) per person, but no more than two per quota permit during spring turkey hunts.
KICCO WMA – limit vehicle access to those persons with authorization from the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD); require a permit from the SFWMD for camping; prohibit campfires except within fire rings; and prohibit the use of dogs for hunting wild hog during small game season.
Lake Marion Creek WMA – limit vehicle access to those persons with authorization from the South Florida Water Management District; and prohibit the use of dogs for hunting wild hog.
Lower Hillsborough WMA (new) – establish a new wildlife management area (2,775 acres) with the following open seasons: four 3-day family hunts (quota of 5, no exemptions) and two 3-day youth turkey hunts (quota of 5, no exemptions); allow the take of deer, wild hog, turkey, small game, furbearers, fish and frogs; allow a bag limit of two deer per family quota permit; allow a bag limit of one gobbler or bearded turkey per youth turkey quota permit; allow camping by permit only; prohibit hunting with dogs; prohibit vehicles except in parking areas and for access to the camping area by persons with a camping permit; prohibit the use of airboats, tracked vehicles, swamp buggies, all-terrain vehicles, and unlicensed and unregistered motorcycles; prohibit public access from 1.5 hours after sunset until 1.5 hours before sunrise unless camping; require all persons to enter and exit the area at a designated entrance; and prohibit fires except in the camping area.
Upper Hillsborough WMA – prohibit the use of dogs for hunting wild hog except during wild hog-dog season.
Walk-in-the-Water WMA – prohibit the use of dogs for hunting wild hog during small game season; change the bag limit for deer from one deer per day to one deer (antlered or antlerless) per person, but not more than two per quota permit during archery hunts and one antlered deer per person and not more than two per quota permit during muzzleloading gun hunts; and change the bag limit for turkey from one gobbler (or bearded turkey) per quota permit to one gobbler (or bearded turkey) per person, but no more than two per quota permit during spring turkey hunts.
Weekiwachee WMA (new) – establish a new wildlife management area (2,850 acres) with the following open season: five 6-day archery hunts (quota of 10, no exemptions); allow the take of antlered deer, wild hog, bearded turkey or gobbler, small game, furbearers, fish and frogs; allow a bag limit of two antlered deer per quota permit; prohibit camping on the area; prohibit hunting with dogs; prohibit vehicles except in the parking area; prohibit the use of airboats, tracked vehicles, swamp buggies, all-terrain vehicles, unlicensed and unregistered motorcycles, and horses; prohibit public access from 1.5 hours after sunset until 1.5 hours before sunrise; require all persons to enter and exit the area at a designated entrance; and prohibit fires.

Additionally, the proposed rule amendment would provide non-substantive technical changes, such as grammatical corrections, language standardization, or clarification of an existing rule.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY:

Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution n; Section 375.313, Florida Statutes.

LAW:

Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution n; Sections 379.2223, 375.313, Florida Statutes.

PRINT PUBLISH DATE:

1/11/2013 Vol. 39/08

COMMENTS:

From 1/11/2013 To 2/1/2013 (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.