29684151, 68A-15.064 - Florida Administrative Rules, Law, Code, Register

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Florida Department of State and Division of Library and Information Services

Notice: 29684151

Notice of Proposed Rule

Department:

FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

Division:

Freshwater Fish and Wildlife

Chapter:

TYPE I WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS

Overview

RULE:

68A-15.064

Specific Regulations for Wildlife Management Areas - South Region

PURPOSE:

The purpose of the proposed rule amendments is to revise regulations pertaining to WMAs in the South Region. The effect of the proposed rule amendments is to enable the agency to better manage fish and wildlife resources and public recreation on lands in the WMA system.

SUMMARY:

The proposed rule amendments adjust current regulations as follows:
Allapattah Flats WMA – add a 2-day mobility-impaired hunt to be held the weekend between the muzzleloading gun and family hunt seasons, establish a bag limit of one antlered and one antlerless deer during the mobility-impaired hunt but only allow mobility-impaired hunters to harvest an antlerless deer, and allow street-legal vehicles on trails and all-terrain vehicles on and off-trails during, 3 days prior to, and one day after the mobility-impaired hunt; and correct an oversight that allowed quail to be taken throughout the small game season instead of beginning the second Saturday in November as intended.
Big Cypress WMA – prohibit non-residents from hunting wild turkey during the first 9 days of the zonal spring turkey season (non-quota units only); and prohibit the take of deer in the portion of the area south of U.S. Hwy. 41 and review this prohibition every two years beginning after the close of the 2026-27 hunting season to determine if the regulation is appropriate or should be repealed.
Dinner Island Ranch WMA – clarify that individuals who possess a valid camping permit and their guests may access their designated campsite at any time during the dates listed on their permit; clarify when hunting is allowed on dove fields; correct an oversight that allowed wild quail to be taken throughout the small game season instead of beginning the second Saturday in November as intended; increase the bag limit during the family hunt from 1 per quota permit to 2 per quota permit but no more than 1 per person; issue dove field permits via random online lottery during Phase 1; reduce the Phase 1 dove quota from 100 to 75 for dove field 1; and remove check station requirements for dove hunters.
Dinner Island Ranch – Caracara Unit WMA – establish open seasons and regulations for a new WMA (17,251 acres) in Hendry County as follows: 16-day archery season (four 4-day hunts, 30 no-cost, quota permits for each hunt, no exemptions); 3-day muzzleloading gun season (30 no-cost, quota permits, no exemptions); 2-day general gun for mobility-impaired season (10 no-cost, quota permits, no exemptions); 9-day general gun season (three 3-day hunts, 30 no-cost, quota permits for each hunt, no exemptions); 24-day small game season (ten 2-day hunts and one 4-day hunt, no quota); 2-day youth turkey hunt (10 no-cost, quota permits, no exemptions); 12-day spring turkey season (three 4-day hunts, 15 no-cost, quota permits for each hunt, no exemptions); 31-days of dove, snipe, or waterfowl hunting (one 12-day hunt, one 9-day hunt, and two 5-day hunts; no quota); year-round fishing and frogging; prohibit trapping; allow hunting of all legal game, wild turkey (gobblers or bearded turkeys only), fish, frogs, and furbearers; the bag limit for deer will be 1 antlered deer per quota permit during the archery, muzzleloading gun, and general gun seasons; during the general gun for mobility-impaired season, the bag limit for deer will be 1 antlered and 1 antlerless deer per quota permit, but only mobility-impaired hunters may harvest an antlerless deer; the bag limit for wild turkey will be 1 gobbler or bearded turkey per youth or spring turkey quota permit; prohibit the harvest of antlered deer not having at least 1 antler with 4 or more points or a 14-inch main beam (except by persons less than 16 years of age); prohibit the harvest of antlerless deer, except during the general gun for mobility-impaired season; prohibit the harvest of wild turkey, except during the spring turkey season; prohibit taking quail during small game season dates occurring prior to the second Saturday in November; allow quail to be taken during the general gun season; allow the take of wild hog (no bag limit or size restriction) during all area-specific hunting seasons, with the following exceptions: dove, duck, snipe and spring turkey (including the youth turkey hunt), allow public access year-round, except during quota hunts, when only individuals possessing a valid quota permit and their guests may access the area; prohibit motorized vehicles (including airboats and off-highway vehicles), with the following exceptions: street-legal vehicles may be operated from one and one-half hours before sunrise until one and one-half hours after sunset on designated roads and parking areas as indicated on the hunt map, allow ATVs and recreational off-highway vehicles (side-by-sides) to be operated on the area during the mobility-impaired general gun season by individuals authorized to participate in the hunt; require motor vehicles to enter and exit the area at a designated entrance; prohibit hunting with dogs, with the following exceptions: bird dogs and retrievers may be used during the dove, duck, and snipe seasons and any dog may be used to hunt small game (gray squirrel, migratory birds, quail, and rabbits) during the small game season; prohibit camping; prohibit fires; and prohibit horses.
Everglades and Francis S. Taylor WMA – correct an oversight that allowed quail to be taken throughout the small game season instead of beginning the second Saturday in November as intended.
Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge Wildlife Management Area, Okeechobee Unit – allow the use of street-legal motor vehicles during the portion of the statewide snipe season that occurs between muzzleloading gun and small game seasons and during the portion of the statewide dove season that occurs between archery and muzzleloading gun seasons.
Holey Land WMA – correct an oversight that allowed quail to be taken throughout the small game season instead of beginning the second Saturday in November as intended.
J.W. Corbett WMA – prohibit non-residents from hunting wild turkey during the first 9 days of the zonal spring turkey season (which includes the first 5 days of the area-specific spring turkey season).
Okaloacoochee Slough WMA – clarify that all motorized vehicles are prohibited, except street-legal motor vehicles are allowed on named or numbered roads and named or numbered trails; correct an oversight that allowed quail to be taken throughout the small game season instead of beginning the second Saturday in November as intended; and increase the bag limit during the family hunt from 1 per quota permit to 2 per quota permit but no more than 1 per person.
Picayune Strand WMA – add a 2-day mobility-impaired hunt to be held the weekend before general gun season begins, establish a bag limit of one antlered and one antlerless deer during the mobility-impaired hunt but only allow mobility-impaired hunters to harvest an antlerless deer, allow quota permit holders and their guests to operate swamp buggies and side-by-sides on designated roads in that portion of the area east of and including Miller Blvd. and south of and including Berson Blvd. during and one week prior to the mobility-impaired hunt, and during the mobility-impaired hunt, allow individuals authorized to participate in the hunt to operate ATVs and side-by-sides off-road; correct an oversight resulting from the shift in general gun season dates, which caused small game season to start on a Monday instead of a Saturday as intended; and correct an oversight that allowed quail to be taken throughout the small game season instead of beginning the second Saturday in November as intended.
Rotenberger WMA – correct an oversight that allowed quail to be taken throughout the small game season instead of beginning the second Saturday in November as intended.
Spirit-of-the-Wild WMA – correct an oversight that allowed quail to be taken throughout the small game season instead of beginning the second Saturday in November as intended.

Additionally, the proposed rule amendment also clarifies existing rules; removes unnecessary, redundant, or conflicting language; corrects prior mistakes; and makes non-substantive, technical corrections.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY:

Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const.

LAW:

Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const.

PRINT PUBLISH DATE:

6/18/2025 Vol. 51/118

COMMENTS:

From 6/18/2025 To 7/9/2025 (21 Days)
The public comment period for this notice has already expired.

REFERENCE MATERIALS:

No reference(s).

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