5036548, 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: 5036548

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

SUMMARY:

The proposed rule changes would adjust season dates to conform to calendar year changes and revise specific area regulations on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in the South Region as follows:
Allapattah Flats WMA – allow hunters to operate vehicles on numbered trails during the small game season; and require persons to enter and exit the area only at designated entrances.
Big Cypress WMA – remove general gun quota requirement on Corn Dance, Loop and Stairsteps Units; remove daily general gun quota requirement from the 17th day of the general gun season through December 21 on the Bear Island Unit; remove general gun quota requirement on Bear Island and Turner River Units from the 10th through 16th days and from December 22 through the last day of the general gun season; remove muzzleloading gun daily quota requirement from the 10th through 16th days on Bear Island; and remove quota requirement for second archery on Deep Lake Unit.
Dinner Island Ranch WMA – establish a 114-day small game season; and change the definition of legal to take for antlered deer to those having three or more points on at least one antler, each point one inch or more in length.
Everglades and Francis S. Taylor WMA – establish a 105-day small game season; allow the take of geese, rail and gallinule during the statewide migratory bird season; allow the use of ATVs for hunting purposes only and only during archery, muzzleloading gun and general gun-walk seasons; allow the use of ATVs for scouting purposes two weeks prior to archery season and one week prior to the start of muzzleloading gun and general gun-walk seasons; allow airboats and vehicles in Conservation Areas 3A and 2 during the second general gun-walk season; prohibit commercial recreational activities in that portion of Conservation Area 3A leased to the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida unless authorized by the Miccosukee Tribe; clarify that nothing in law shall limit, diminish or abridge uses by the Miccosukee Tribe and its members who have rights guaranteed under the Indian Land Claims Settlement Act, Lease Agreement and other laws; require checking of deer and wild hog at a manned check station before quartering, dismembering, or removing them from the area on Saturdays and Sundays during the archery, muzzleloading gun and general gun-walk seasons; and allow airboats in Conservation Areas 3A South, 3B and all of 2 during the general gun-vehicle season.
Fisheating Creek WMA – expand the migratory bird hunting season to match the statewide season west of U.S. Highway 27 only.
Holey Land WMA – establish a 105-day small game season; allow the use of ATVs for hunting purposes only and only during archery, muzzleloading gun and general gun-walk seasons; and allow the use of ATVs for scouting purposes two weeks prior to archery season and one week prior to the start of muzzleloading gun and general gun-walk seasons.
J.W. Corbett WMA – expand the migratory bird hunting season to match the statewide season; prohibit use of centerfire rifles south and east of Stumper’s Grade; and require persons to enter and exit the area only at designated entrances.
Okaloacoochee Slough WMA – eliminate the dove hunts; eliminate the general gun hog hunt; establish a 2-day family hunt (quota of 40, no exemptions); make wild hog legal to take during small game season; change the definition of legal to take for antlered deer to those having three or more points on at least one antler, each point one inch or more in length; and prohibit use of centerfire rifles during spring turkey season.
Picayune Strand WMA – prohibit use of centerfire rifles during spring turkey season.
Rotenberger WMA – establish a 105-day small game season; allow the use of ATVs for hunting purposes only and only during archery, muzzleloading gun and general gun-walk seasons; allow the use of ATVs for scouting purposes two weeks prior to archery season and one week prior to the start of muzzleloading gun and general gun-walk seasons; expand the migratory bird hunting season for geese, rail and gallinule to match the statewide migratory bird season; and allow airboats during the archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun-walk and general gun-vehicle seasons for the purpose of waterfowl hunting on days when waterfowl hunting is allowed.
Spirit-of-the-Wild WMA – establish a 114-day small game season; establish dove hunts during Saturdays of the dove season (100 quota permits at check station, each hunt); change the definition of legal to take for antlered deer to those having three or more points on at least one antler, each point one inch or more in length; allow take of wildlife with bird dogs or retrievers during general gun and small game seasons and on the posted dove field during dove hunts; require dove hunters to hunt from assigned stations in the posted field and allow them to transfer assignments at the check station; issue dove permits on a first-come, first-served basis at the check station each day of a dove hunt; establish shooting hours for the dove hunts; and establish times when hunters may enter and exit the posted dove field.
Additional proposed rule changes would simplify and standardize regulations related to the take of wild hog on WMAs; liberalize regulations related to the possession of firearms, in accordance with Florida Statutes; and 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 375.313 FS.

LAW:

Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution 375.313 FS.

PRINT PUBLISH DATE:

1/4/2008 Vol. 34/01

COMMENTS:

From 1/4/2008 To 1/25/2008 (21 Days)
The public comment period for this notice has already expired.

REFERENCE MATERIALS:

No reference(s).

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