68A-15.061: Specific Regulations for Wildlife Management Areas - Southwest Region
PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The purpose of the proposed rule changes 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 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 on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in the Southwest Region.
SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS: No Statement of Estimated Regulatory Cost was prepared.
Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.
SPECIFIC AUTHORITY: Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution 379.2223 FS.
LAW IMPLEMENTED: Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution 379.2223 FS.
A HEARING WILL BE HELD AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW:
DATE AND TIME: During the regular meeting of the Commission, February 4-5, 2009, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., each day
PLACE: Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, 9300 Emerald Coast Parkway West, Destin, Florida 32550
Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this workshop/meeting is asked to advise the agency at least 5 days before the workshop/meeting by contacting: The ADA Coordinator, at (850)488-6411. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 1(800)955-8771 (TDD) or 1(800)955-8770 (Voice).
THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Diane Eggeman, Director, Division of Hunting and Game Management, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 620 South Meridian Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1600
THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:
68A-15.061 Specific Regulations for Wildlife Management Areas – Southwest Region.
(1) Green Swamp Wildlife Management Area.
(a) Open season:
1. General gun – November 14 8 through January 10 4.
2. Archery – September 26 20 through October 25 19, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only.
3. Small game – January 16 10 through February 14 8, Saturdays and Sundays only.
4. Spring turkey – March 20 21 through April 25 26.
5. Fishing and frogging – Permitted during periods in which hunting is allowed; and Saturdays and Sundays from May 1 2 to June 13 14. Fishing and frogging is permitted at all other times provided that access is by foot only.
(b) through (d) No change.
(2) Green Swamp Wildlife Management Area – West Unit.
(a) Open season:
1. Special-opportunity turkey – March 20-23 21-24, March 29 30 through April 1 2, April 3-6 4-7, 12-15 April 13-16 and 17-20 18-21.
2. Special-opportunity archery – November 7-10 1-4 and 19-22 13-16.
3. Special-opportunity general gun – December 17-20 11-14, January 11-14 5-8 and 21-24 15-18.
4. Special-opportunity hog-still – February 5-7 January 30 through February 1.
5. Special-opportunity hog-dog – February 17-19 11-13.
6. Small game – February 26-28 20-22 and March 5-7 February 27 through March 1.
7. through 8. No change.
(b) through (d) No change.
(3) Fred C. Babcock/Cecil M. Webb Wildlife Management Area.
(a) Open season:
1. Archery – September 12-13 6-7.
2. Bird dog training – Bird dogs may be trained in the recreation area September 19 13 through February 14 8 and bird dogs may be trained in zones A, B, C and D during the small game season on those days when daily quail permits are not issued, which shall include the day that the season quota for daily quail permits is attained.
3. General gun – October 31 25 through November 8 2.
4. No change.
5. Field trial quail – January 30-31 24-25.
6. No change.
(b) through (d) No change.
(4) Fred C. Babcock/Cecil M. Webb Wildlife Management Area – Yucca Pens Unit.
(a) Open season:
1. Muzzleloading gun – October 16-18 10-12.
2. General gun – October 31 25 through November 8 2.
3. through 4. No change.
(b) through (d) No change.
(5) Upper Hillsborough Wildlife Management Area.
(a) Open season:
1. Archery – December 12-20 6-14 and January 9-17 3-11, Saturdays and Sundays only.
2. Muzzleloading gun – November 14 8 through December 6 November 30, Saturdays and Sundays only.
3. Small game – January 23 17 through February 7 1, Saturdays and Sundays only.
4. Spring turkey – March 24-25 25-26, March 31 through April 1 1-2, April 7-8 8-9, 14-15 15-16 and 21-22 22-23.
5. No change.
(b) through (d) No change.
(6) Arbuckle Wildlife Management Area.
(a) Open season:
1. Archery – October 17 through November 6 11-31.
2. Muzzleloading gun – December 19-27 13-21.
3. Small game – January 9-10 3-4 and 30-31 24-25.
4. Spring turkey – March 23-25 24-26 and April 6-8 7-9.
5. No change.
(b) through (d) No change.
(7) KICCO Wildlife Management Area.
(a) Open season:
1. Archery – September 26 20 through October 25 19, Saturdays and Sundays only.
2. Muzzleloading gun – October 31 25 through November 8 2, Saturdays and Sundays only.
3. General gun hog – November 14 8 through December 13 7, Saturdays and Sundays only.
4. Small game – December 19 13 through January 10 4.
5. Spring turkey – March 20 21 through April 18 19, Saturdays and Sundays only.
6. No change.
(b) through (d) No change.
(8) Hickory Hammock Wildlife Management Area.
(a) Open season:
1. General gun hog – September 18-20 12-14, 25-27 19-21 and January 15-17 9-11.
2. Archery – October 23-25 17-19.
3. Muzzleloading gun – November 2-4 and 6-8 October 27-29 and October 31 through November 2.
4. General gun – November 13-15 7-9.
5. Small game – November 16-29 10-23 and January 25 19 through March 7 1.
6. No change.
7. Spring turkey – March 25-27 26-28 and April 15-17 16-18.
8. No change.
(b) through (d) No change.
(9) Walk-in-the-Water Wildlife Management Area.
(a) Open season:
1. Archery – October 3-4, 5-8, 9-11, 12-15 and 16-18 September 27-28, September 29 through October 2, October 3-5, 6-9 and 10-12.
2. Muzzleloading gun – December 12-15 6-9 and 16-20 10-14.
3. General gun hog – January 16-19 10-13 and 20-24 14-18.
4. Small game – February 6-14 January 31 through February 8 and February 27 21 through March 7 1.
5. No change.
(b) through (d) No change.
(10) Hilochee Wildlife Management Area.
(a) Open season:
1. Spring turkey – March 26-28 27-29 and April 9-11 10-12.
2. Muzzleloading gun – November 6-8 October 31 through November 2.
3. General gun hog – December 4-6 November 28-30, January 15-17 9-11 and 22-24 16-18.
4. Small game – January 29 23 through February 7 1.
5. Archery – October 23-25 17-19.
6. No change.
(b) through (d) No change.
(11) Lake Marion Creek Wildlife Management Area.
(a) Open season:
1. Archery – September 26-28 20-22 and October 2-4 September 26-28.
2. Muzzleloading gun – October 31 through November 2 25-27.
3. General gun – November 14-16 8-10 and 20-22 14-16.
4. Small game – January 1-3 and 8-10 December 26-28 and January 2-4.
5. General gun hog – December 11-13 5-7 and 25-27 19-21.
6. Spring turkey – March 20-22 21-23, April 2-4 3-5 and 16-18 17-19.
7. No change.
(b) through (d) No change.
(12) Avon Park Air Force Range Wildlife Management Area.
(a) Open season:
1. Archery – September 26 20 through October 25 19 in areas and during days specified by the Installation Commander.
2. Muzzleloading gun – October 31 25 through November 8 2 in areas and during days specified by the Installation Commander.
3. General gun – November 14 8 through January 24 18 in areas and during days specified by the Installation Commander.
4. Small game – January 4 December 29 through March 7 1 in areas and during days specified by the Installation Commander.
5. Spring turkey – March 20 21 through April 25 26 in areas and during days specified by the Installation Commander.
6. Antlerless deer – November 21-27 15-21 in areas and during days specified by the Installation Commander.
7. through 8. No change.
(b) through (d) No change.
(13) Croom Wildlife Management Area.
(a) Open season:
1. Muzzleloading gun – October 30 through November 1 24-26.
2. General gun – November 14 through December 6 8-30.
3. Small game – December 7 1 through March 7 1.
4. Spring turkey – March 23-25 24-26, April 6-8 7-9 and 20-22 21-23.
5. Fox, raccoon and bobcat – December 17 11 through March 14 8. Hunting is permitted from 5 p.m. Thursday to sunrise Sunday with dogs only. Taking wildlife with guns is prohibited during this season.
6. through 7. No change.
(b) through (c) No change.
(d) General regulations:
1. Hunting with dogs is prohibited November 14 through December 6 8-30. Hunting with dogs other than bird dogs is prohibited December 7-16 1-10, except that dogs may be used for hunting fox, raccoon or bobcat during the fox, raccoon and bobcat season, and dogs with a shoulder height of 15 inches or less may be used to hunt small game during the small game season in the portion of the area south of Croom road, bounded on the east by Croom-Rital Road to its juncture with the boundary fence of the Croom Motorcycle area located in Sections 17, 18, 19, 30, 31 and those parts of Sections 7 and 8 lying south of the old railroad right-of-way, Township 22 South, Range 21 East, and thence bounded by said boundary fence. Trailing dogs on a leash are permitted.
2. through 8. No change.
(14) Chassahowitzka Wildlife Management Area.
(a) Open season:
1. Archery – September 26 20 through October 25 19.
2. Muzzleloading gun – October 30 through November 1 24-26.
3. General gun – November 14 8 through January 10 4.
4. General gun hog-dog – January 15-17 9-11 and 22-24 16-18.
5. through 6. No change.
7. Spring turkey – March 26-28 27-29, April 9-11 10-12 and 23-25 24-26.
(b) through (d) No change.
(15) Hilochee Wildlife Management Area – Osprey Unit.
(a) Open season:
1. Archery – October 10-11 4-5 and 17-18 11-12.
2. Family hunt – November 14-15 8-9.
3. General gun hog-still – November 28-29 22-23.
4. General gun hog-dog – January 9-10 3-4 and 30-31 24-25.
5. Spring turkey – April 16-17 17-18 and 23-24 24-25.
6. through 7. No change.
(b) through (d) No change.
PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2009.
Specific Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const., 375.313 FS. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const., 379.2223, 375.313 FS. History–New 6-21-82, Amended 7-1-83, 11-17-83, 7-5-84, 10-1-84, 7-1-85, 9-19-85, 5-7-86, 5-10-87, 6-8-87, 10-8-87, 5-1-88, 7-1-89, 7-1-90, 7-1-91, 7-2-91, 7-1-92, 8-23-92, 7-1-93, 7-1-94, 7-1-95, 7-1-96, 9-15-96, 6-1-97, 8-7-97, 7-1-98, 10-20-98, 12-28-98, 7-1-99, Formerly 39-15.061, Amended 12-9-99, 3-30-00, 7-1-00, 7-1-01, 5-13-02, 5-25-03, 7-1-04, 7-1-05, 7-1-06, 7-1-07, 7-1-08, 7-1-09.
BE ADVISED THAT THESE PROPOSED RULES MAY BE FILED FOR ADOPTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE FOLLOWING THE COMMISSION MEETING AT WHICH THEY ARE CONSIDERED IF THE RULES ARE NOT CHANGED. IF CHANGED, THE RULES MAY BE FILED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER PUBLICATION OF A NOTICE OF CHANGE IN THE F.A.W.