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This brochure is designed to provide the public with
information and a summary of regulations pertaining to hunting and other
recreational use on the Ocklawaha Prairie Public Small Game Hunting Area
(PSGHA). Regulations that are new or
differ substantially from last year are shown in bold print. Area users
should familiarize themselves with all regulations. For exact wording of the
wildlife laws and regulations, see the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission’s wildlife code, on file with the Secretary of State and state
libraries. This brochure, quota application worksheets and the Florida Hunting
Regulations handbook should provide the information necessary for you to plan
your hunting activities. These publications are available at MyFWC.com.
Persons using PSGHAs are required to have appropriate
licenses, permits and stamps. The following persons are exempt from all license
and permit requirements (except for the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation
Stamp [federal duck stamp], if applicable, Ocklawaha Prairie waterfowl quota permit and
Ocklawaha Prairie snipe quota permit): Florida residents who are 65 years of
age or older; residents who possess a Florida Resident Disabled Person Hunting
and Fishing Certificate; residents in the U.S. Armed Forces, not stationed in
Florida, while home on leave for 30 days or less, upon submission of orders;
and children under 16 years of age. Children under 16 years of age are exempt
from the federal duck stamp. Anyone born on or after June 1, 1975 and 16 years
of age or older must have passed a Commission-approved hunter-safety course
prior to being issued a hunting license, except the Hunter Safety Mentoring
exemption allows anyone to purchase a hunting license and hunt under the
supervision of a licensed hunter, 21 years of age or older.
Licenses and permits may be purchased from county tax
collectors, license agents, by telephone at 888-486-8356 or at
GoOutdoorsFlorida.com. A no-cost Migratory Bird Permit is available when
purchasing a hunting license. Any waterfowl hunter 16 years of age or older
must possess a federal duck stamp (available where hunting licenses are sold, at most post offices or at www.duckstamp.com). |
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Quota Permit Information:
Waterfowl – 20, no-cost, nontransferable quota permits (no
exemptions) for each hunt during Early Waterfowl, General Waterfowl and Veterans and Active Military Waterfowl days. A quota permit is not required during Youth Waterfowl Hunts.
Snipe – 20, no-cost, nontransferable quota permits (no
exemptions) for each hunt.
Permit applications: Hunters must submit electronic
applications for quota permits at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com. Worksheets listing
hunts, application periods, deadlines and instructions are available at county
tax collector’s offices, FWC offices or MyFWC.com. Quota application periods
occur throughout the year; please refer to the hunting handbook or MyFWC.com
for specific dates. Worksheets will be available about 2 weeks prior to each
application period. Hunters are limited to 1 permit per hunt. No more than 5
Ocklawaha Prairie waterfowl quota permits can be acquired per person per permit
type. Permits are valid only for the date
listed on the permit.
Each permit holder may bring up to two hunt guests. The host permit holder and their hunt guests must enter and exit the area together and share a street-legal vehicle while hunting on the area. Guest hunters may only hunt while the host is on the area. Only persons 15 years of age and younger may hunt during Youth Waterfowl Hunts. During Veterans and Active Military Waterfowl days, only individuals with a valid military hunting license or veterans/military ID are allowed to hunt. See "Waterfowl Season" section below for a complete list of license and permit requirements. |
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Area Regulations
- General
General Area Regulations:
All general laws and regulations relating to wildlife and
fish shall apply unless specifically exempted for this area. Hunting or the taking
of wildlife or fish on this area shall be allowed only during the open seasons
and in accordance with the following regulations:
1. It is illegal to
hunt over bait or place any bait or any other food for wildlife on this area.
2. Taking or
attempting to take any game with the aid of live decoys, recorded game calls or
sounds, set guns, artificial light, net, trap, snare, drug or poison is
prohibited.
3. The wanton and
willful waste of wildlife is prohibited.
4. Public access is
prohibited on any portion of the area posted as “Closed” or “Restricted.”
5. Taking or herding
wildlife from any motorized vehicle, aircraft or boat which is under power is
prohibited, until power and movement from that power, has ceased.
6. The release of
any animal is prohibited, except by permit from FWC or written authorization
from the landowner or primary land manager.
7. Littering is
prohibited.
8. A Law Enforcement Officer may search any vehicle or boat, in accordance with law.
9. Construction or
use of permanent blinds or structures is prohibited.
10. Tampering with or
destruction of equipment (including signs), improvements, and water control
structures is prohibited.
11. Fires are
prohibited.
12. No person
shall cut or destroy any tree on, or remove any tree, shrub or protected plant
from this area without written permission from St. Johns River Water Management
District (SJRWMD).
- Public Access and Vehicles
Public Access, Vehicles and Vessels:
1. Public
recreational access is allowed year-round.
2. Vehicles are prohibited, except persons participating in the hunt are allowed vehicle access.
3. Vehicles may be
operated only on levees and may be parked only in designated parking areas.
4. Vehicular access
is allowed only on scheduled hunt days and days open for scouting and only from 4 a.m. until 1.5 hours after sunset ONLY. Days open for scouting: Sept. 20, Nov. 15, 22, Dec. 6 and Jan. 31 and Feb. 7.
5. Only 1 vehicle
may be used per quota permit or youth hunting group. Hunters will use the lock combination provided on
the quota permit for access through the designated entrance gate, except for Youth Waterfowl Hunts. Gates will be open for access on the non-quota Youth Waterfowl Hunts.
6. Hunters
should always close and lock the gate behind themselves when entering and exiting the area.
7. The use of
airboats, outboard motors larger than 40 horsepower, tracked vehicles,
all-terrain vehicles, swamp buggies and unlicensed and unregistered motorcycles
are prohibited.
8. Parked vehicles
may not obstruct a road, gate or boat ramp area.
9. Boats shall be launched and loaded from the designated boat ramps only.
10. Class 1 electric bicycles may be operated according to rules for
traditional, non-motorized bicycles.All other electric bicycles may be operated only on named or numbered roads open to motorized vehicles. For more information visit: https://myfwc.com/ebike/.
- Hunters
Hunters:
1. Please report
your leg bands at reportband.gov.
2. Hunting is
prohibited in areas posted as “Closed to Hunting”.
- Guns
Guns:
1. The discharge of
a firearm outside of periods open to hunting or in areas closed to hunting is
prohibited per s. 790.15 FS.
2. Taking wildlife
from or across dikes, levees, campsites or bridges is prohibited, except that
taking wildlife from levees shall be allowed while snipe hunting.
3. Taking wildlife
with firearms other than shotguns is prohibited.
4. Shotguns used for taking wildlife shall not be
larger than 10 gauge and shall be incapable of holding more than 3 shells in
magazine and chamber combined.
5. Children under
the age of 16 hunting with a firearm must be in the presence of a supervising
adult.
6. No person
shall discharge a firearm or have a loaded firearm in hand while under the
influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Dogs
Dogs:
1. Dogs may
be used for hunting during open seasons.
2. Dogs are allowed during periods or in areas closed to hunting with dogs, but must be kept under physical
restraint at all times.
- Camping
- Bag and Possession Limits
- General Information
General Information:
1. Land surfaces
underwater are irregular. Exercise caution while on foot or horseback.
2. For information
regarding recreational use other than hunting, please call the St. Johns River
Water Management District at 386-329-4401.
3. Report fires to
the Florida Forest Service at 352-955-2010.
4. Information for
persons with disabilities can be found at MyFWC.com/ADA.
5. If you have any
questions about this material, please call the Fish and Wildlife Commission at
352-732-1225 (TDD 800-955-8771).
6. The FWC is not
responsible for protection of personal property and will not be liable for
theft of or damage to personal property.
7. The SJRWMD
management activities include prescribed burning and timber management most
months of the year, including hunting seasons. For more information, please
visit https://www.sjrwmd.com/lands/recreation/announcements/ or the SJRWMD at
landmgmt@sjrwmd.com or 386-329-4401.
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General Area Regulations:
All general laws and regulations relating to wildlife and
fish shall apply unless specifically exempted for this area. Hunting or the taking
of wildlife or fish on this area shall be allowed only during the open seasons
and in accordance with the following regulations:
1. It is illegal to
hunt over bait or place any bait or any other food for wildlife on this area.
2. Taking or
attempting to take any game with the aid of live decoys, recorded game calls or
sounds, set guns, artificial light, net, trap, snare, drug or poison is
prohibited.
3. The wanton and
willful waste of wildlife is prohibited.
4. Public access is
prohibited on any portion of the area posted as “Closed” or “Restricted.”
5. Taking or herding
wildlife from any motorized vehicle, aircraft or boat which is under power is
prohibited, until power and movement from that power, has ceased.
6. The release of
any animal is prohibited, except by permit from FWC or written authorization
from the landowner or primary land manager.
7. Littering is
prohibited.
8. A Law Enforcement Officer may search any vehicle or boat, in accordance with law.
9. Construction or
use of permanent blinds or structures is prohibited.
10. Tampering with or
destruction of equipment (including signs), improvements, and water control
structures is prohibited.
11. Fires are
prohibited.
12. No person
shall cut or destroy any tree on, or remove any tree, shrub or protected plant
from this area without written permission from St. Johns River Water Management
District (SJRWMD). |
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Public Access, Vehicles and Vessels:
1. Public
recreational access is allowed year-round.
2. Vehicles are prohibited, except persons participating in the hunt are allowed vehicle access.
3. Vehicles may be
operated only on levees and may be parked only in designated parking areas.
4. Vehicular access
is allowed only on scheduled hunt days and days open for scouting and only from 4 a.m. until 1.5 hours after sunset ONLY. Days open for scouting: Sept. 20, Nov. 15, 22, Dec. 6 and Jan. 31 and Feb. 7.
5. Only 1 vehicle
may be used per quota permit or youth hunting group. Hunters will use the lock combination provided on
the quota permit for access through the designated entrance gate, except for Youth Waterfowl Hunts. Gates will be open for access on the non-quota Youth Waterfowl Hunts.
6. Hunters
should always close and lock the gate behind themselves when entering and exiting the area.
7. The use of
airboats, outboard motors larger than 40 horsepower, tracked vehicles,
all-terrain vehicles, swamp buggies and unlicensed and unregistered motorcycles
are prohibited.
8. Parked vehicles
may not obstruct a road, gate or boat ramp area.
9. Boats shall be launched and loaded from the designated boat ramps only.
10. Class 1 electric bicycles may be operated according to rules for
traditional, non-motorized bicycles.All other electric bicycles may be operated only on named or numbered roads open to motorized vehicles. For more information visit: https://myfwc.com/ebike/.
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Hunters:
1. Please report
your leg bands at reportband.gov.
2. Hunting is
prohibited in areas posted as “Closed to Hunting”.
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Guns:
1. The discharge of
a firearm outside of periods open to hunting or in areas closed to hunting is
prohibited per s. 790.15 FS.
2. Taking wildlife
from or across dikes, levees, campsites or bridges is prohibited, except that
taking wildlife from levees shall be allowed while snipe hunting.
3. Taking wildlife
with firearms other than shotguns is prohibited.
4. Shotguns used for taking wildlife shall not be
larger than 10 gauge and shall be incapable of holding more than 3 shells in
magazine and chamber combined.
5. Children under
the age of 16 hunting with a firearm must be in the presence of a supervising
adult.
6. No person
shall discharge a firearm or have a loaded firearm in hand while under the
influence of alcohol or drugs. |
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Dogs:
1. Dogs may
be used for hunting during open seasons.
2. Dogs are allowed during periods or in areas closed to hunting with dogs, but must be kept under physical
restraint at all times. |
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Bag and Possession Limits:
Ducks, geese (including Egyptian goose), coot, and snipe - See migratory bird hunting regulations. |
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