14041349, 68A-15.062 - Florida Administrative Rules, Law, Code, Register

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Florida Department of State and Division of Library and Information Services

Notice: 14041349

Notice of Proposed Rule

Department:

FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

Division:

Freshwater Fish and Wildlife

Chapter:

TYPE I WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS

Overview

RULE:

68A-15.062

Specific Regulations for Wildlife Management Areas - North Central Region

PURPOSE:

The purpose of the proposed rule amendment is to revise specific area regulations on wildlife management areas (WMAs) in the North Central 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 amendments would adjust season dates to conform to calendar year changes and revise specific area regulations on wildlife management areas (WMAs) in the North Central Region as follows:

Andrews WMA – increase the quota for family hunts from 20 to 30 (no exemptions).
Big Bend WMA, Jena Unit – prohibit the use of vehicles on Road 2 from May 1 until two days before the opening of archery season.
Big Bend WMA, Snipe Island Unit – allow the use of horses year round.
Big Bend WMA, Tide Swamp Unit – remove the requirement for persons to enter and exit the area through a designated check station.
Cypress Creek WMA – expand small game season from 16 to 55 days.
Flying Eagle WMA – allow the harvest of otter.
Goethe WMA – establish a 2-day family hunt (quota of 75, no exemptions); allow the harvest of all legal game, wild hog, fish, frogs and furbearers during the family hunt; allow a bag limit for deer of one antlered and one antlerless deer per quota permit during the family hunt; prohibit the use of dogs for hunting during the family hunt; expand small game season from 23 to 30 days; and allow the harvest of raccoon and opossum at night during small game season by persons possessing a Special Use Authorization for access from the Florida Forest Service.
Gulf Hammock WMA – change muzzleloading gun season to archery/muzzleloading gun season; establish a 30-day small game season; and prohibit the use of dogs for hunting wild hog during small game season.
Jennings Forest WMA – allow the harvest of bobcat and otter.
Little River WMA – establish a 2-day youth spring turkey hunt (quota of 5, no exemptions) and two 3-day spring turkey hunts (quota of 5, no exemptions); and allow a bag limit during spring turkey season of one gobbler or bearded turkey per person, but no more than two per quota permit.
Mallory Swamp WMA – expand wild hog-dog season from 3 to 16 days; and prohibit the use of dogs for hunting wild hog in the still hunt area.
Potts WMA – allow the harvest of bobcat and otter.
Ralph E. Simmons Memorial WMA – prohibit public access from 1.5 hours after sunset until 1.5 hours before sunrise; and remove the requirement to park vehicles at designated parking areas.
Steinhatchee Springs WMA – expand small game season from 30 to 37 days; begin small game season 21 days earlier; and expand wild hog-dog season from two to three 3-day quota hunts (quota of 55, no exemptions).
Twin Rivers WMA – establish a 2-day family hunt (quota of 15, no exemptions) with a bag limit of one antlered and one antlerless deer per quota permit; expand general gun season from one 4-day hunt and one 7-day hunt to two 7-day hunts; and begin general gun season two days later.

Additionally, the proposed rule amendments 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.

LAW:

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

PRINT PUBLISH DATE:

1/9/2014 Vol. 40/06

COMMENTS:

From 1/9/2014 To 1/30/2014 (21 Days)
The public comment period for this notice has already expired.

REFERENCE MATERIALS:

No reference(s).

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