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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 Belmore Wildlife Management Area.
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, the Florida Hunting Regulations
handbook, and quota permit worksheets should provide the information necessary
for you to plan your hunting activities. These publications are available at
MyFWC.com.
Persons using wildlife
management areas are required to have appropriate licenses, permits and stamps.
The following persons are exempt from all license and permit requirements
(except for quota permits when listed as “no exemptions,” recreational use
permits, antlerless deer permits and the Migratory Bird Hunting and
Conservation Stamp [federal duck stamp], if applicable): 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.
Youth and mentor license
holders are required to be accompanied by a supervisor during any hunt. A youth
hunter (less than 16 years of age) must be supervised by a person at least 18
years of age. A mentor license holder must be supervised by a licensed hunter
at least 21 years of age. Unless exempt, only those supervisors with proper
licenses and permits may hunt.
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. |
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Quota Permit Information: Archery - 45, no-cost, quota permits (no
exemptions) for each of 3 hunts. Muzzleloading Gun - 45, no-cost, quota
permits (no exemptions). Family - 20, no-cost, quota permits (no
exemptions) for each of 2 hunts. General Gun - 45, no-cost, quota permits
(no exemptions) for each of 2 hunts. Youth Turkey - 10, no-cost, quota permits
(no exemptions). Spring Turkey - 10, no-cost, quota permits
(no exemptions) for each of 3 hunts.
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 beginning April 1; please refer to the
hunting handbook or MyFWC.com for specific dates. Worksheets will be available
about 2 weeks prior to each application period.
Guest hunters: For each nontransferable
archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun, wild hog, spring turkey and mobility-impaired
quota permit issued through GoOutdoorsFlorida.com, a quota permit holder (host)
may take a guest hunter by obtaining a guest permit. Guest hunters are not
allowed during family and youth turkey hunts. A guest hunter must possess a
completed guest permit while hunting except the following persons may be a
guest hunter without a guest permit: a youth under 16 years of age, a youth
supervisor, a mentor license holder or a mentor license supervisor. A host may
only bring 1 guest hunter at a time and may only use 1 guest permit per day.
The following persons are not considered to be guest hunters: other quota permit
holders, nonhunters and exempt hunters (on areas and during seasons that allow
exemptions). The guest hunter and host must enter and exit the area together
and must share a street-legal vehicle while hunting on the area. The guest
hunter may hunt only while the host is on the area. Refer to the quota hunt
worksheets for additional information.
Youth and mentor license holders: If a
youth or mentor supervisor is hunting during any hunt for which quota permits
are issued, at least 1 person in the party must be in possession of a quota
permit.
Transfer of permits: Quota and guest
permits are not transferable. A positive form of identification is required
when using a nontransferable permit, except for a youth under 16 years of age.
The sale or purchase of any quota permit or guest permit is prohibited. |
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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. Any person taking deer or accompanying
another person taking deer shall wear at least 500 square inches of daylight fluorescent
orange material as an outer garment, above the waistline. These provisions are
not required when hunting with a bow and arrow during the archery season. 2. Taking of spotted fawn, swimming deer
or roosted turkey is prohibited. 3. It is illegal to hunt over bait or
place any bait or other food for wildlife on this area. 4. Driving a metal object into any tree,
or hunting from a tree into which a metal object has been driven, is prohibited. 5. No person shall cut, damage or remove
any natural, manmade or cultural resource without written authorization of the
landowner or primary land manager. 6. 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. Recorded
calls and sounds can be used to hunt furbearers, wild hog and crows. 7. The wanton and willful waste of
wildlife is prohibited. 8. Hunting, fishing or trapping is
prohibited on any portion of the area posted as closed to those activities. 9. People, dogs, vehicles and other
recreational equipment are prohibited in areas posted as “Closed to Public
Access” by FWC administrative action. 10. 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. 11. Most game may be hunted from ½ hour
before sunrise until ½ hour after sunset (see exceptions for each season). 12. The release of any animal is
prohibited, except by permit from FWC or written authorization from the
landowner or primary land manager. 13. The skull plate with any attached antler, if applicable, shall
remain with any harvested deer. The head and beard, if applicable, shall remain with any harvested turkey. See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook for details. 14. The planting or introduction of any
nonnative plant is prohibited, without written authorization of the landowner
or primary land manager. 15. Wild hog may not be transported alive. 16. A hunting license is not required to
hunt wild hog. 17. Littering is prohibited. 18. It is unlawful to set fire to any
forest, grass or woodlands. 19. A Law Enforcement Officer may search
any camp, vehicle or boat, in accordance with law. 20. Falconers may hunt during the
statewide falconry season anytime a management area is open for public access.
Falconers are not exempt from quota permits during hunts requiring them.
- Public Access and Vehicles
Public Access and
Vehicles: 1. Open to public access year round but
only from 1½ hours before sunrise until 1½ hours after sunset. 2. Persons must enter and exit at a
designated entrance. 3. Motor vehicles shall be operated only
on roads shown on the brochure map. 4. Airboats, all-terrain vehicles, tracked
vehicles and unlicensed and unregistered motorcycles are prohibited. 5. Horses and bicycles are allowed only on
named roads or designated trails. 6. Class 1 electric bicycles may be operated according to rules for
traditional, non-motorized bicycles. All other electric bicycles may be
operated only on roads open to motorized vehicles. For more
information visit MyFWC.com/ebike. 7. Parked vehicles may not obstruct a
road, gate or firelane. 8. No motor vehicle shall be operated in
areas designated as closed to vehicular traffic.
- Hunters
Hunters and
Harvest Reporting: 1. Tree stands and elevated shooting platforms may not be taken onto
the area until after 8 a.m. the day before the opening of any hunt and shall
be removed by 6 p.m. 1 day after the end of every hunt. 2. Hunters must log each harvested deer or
turkey prior to moving it from the point of recovery and report any deer or
turkey they harvest within 24 hours of recovery. See Florida Hunting
Regulations handbook or MyFWC.com for deer and turkey harvest reporting
instructions.
- Guns
Guns: 1. Hunting at night with a gun is
prohibited. 2. Muzzleloading guns used for taking deer
must be .30 caliber or larger, if firing a single bullet, or be 20 gauge or
larger if firing 2 or more balls. 3. Hunting deer with rimfire or
nonexpanding, full metal jacket (military ball) ammunition is prohibited. 4. Hunting wildlife (other than migratory
birds) with air guns is allowed. See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook for
details. 5. Hunting deer with air guns is
prohibited, except pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) air guns propelling a bolt, arrow
or bullet .30 caliber or larger are allowed. 6. Hunting turkey with air guns is
prohibited, except PCP air guns propelling a bolt or arrow are allowed. 7. Children under the age of 16 hunting
with a firearm or air gun must be in the presence of a supervising adult. 8. No person shall discharge a firearm or
have a loaded firearm in hand while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. 9. For hunting nonmigratory game, only
shotguns, rifles, muzzleloading guns, pistols, air guns, bows, crossbows or falconry may be used. 10. For hunting migratory game, only centerfire and muzzleloading shotguns, bows, crossbows or falconry may be used. Shotguns shall not be larger
than 10 gauge and shall be incapable of holding more than 3 shells in the
magazine and chamber combined. 11. Hunting with full-automatic firearms,
centerfire semiautomatic rifles having a magazine capable of holding more than
5 rounds, explosive or drug-injecting devices and set guns is prohibited. 12. The discharge of a firearm outside of
periods open to hunting or in areas closed to hunting is prohibited per s.
790.15 FS.
- Dogs
Dogs: 1. Hunting with dogs is prohibited, except
dogs may be used for hunting small game (quail, rabbit, squirrel, migratory
birds, and non-protected birds) during small game season and waterfowl retrievers may be used during
duck, geese and coot seasons. 2. No person shall allow any dog to pursue
or molest any wildlife during any period in which the taking of wildlife by the
use of dogs is prohibited. 3. Dogs on leashes may be used for
trailing wounded game. 4. 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
Bag and Possession
Limits: A guest hunter must share the host’s bag limit for deer, turkey and
quail, except when these bag limits are specified as per person. The host is
responsible for violations that exceed the bag limit.
1. Deer - No person shall exceed statewide bag limits. A. Area limits - Archery season - 1 antlered or 1 antlerless deer per quota permit. Muzzleloading gun and general gun seasons - 1 antlered deer per quota permit. Family Hunts – 1 antlered and 1 antlerless deer per quota permit. B. Statewide limits - Annual limit 5 deer (only 2 of which may be antlerless),
daily limit 2, possession limit 4. C. As part of the statewide annual deer limit, youth less than 16 years of age
may harvest 1 deer annually not meeting antler point requirements but having at
least 1 antler 5 inches or more in length.
2. Wild hog - No bag or size limit.
3. Turkey - No person shall exceed statewide bag limits. A. Area limits – Archery season – Daily limit 1. Youth turkey – 1 per quota permit. Spring turkey – 1 per quota permit. B. Statewide limits - All fall seasons
combined limit 2, spring season limit 2, daily limit 2, possession limit 2. 4. Gray squirrel and rabbit - Daily limit
12 per person, possession limit 24 for each. 5. Quail - Daily limit 12, possession limit
24. 6. Raccoon, opossum, armadillo, beaver,
coyote, skunk and nutria - No bag limits. 7. Migratory birds - See Florida Hunting
Regulations handbook. 8. Non-protected birds (African and
Eurasian collared-doves, common pigeon, Egyptian goose, house sparrow, and
common starling) - No bag limits.
- General Information
General
Information: 1. Information for persons with
disabilities can be found at MyFWC.com/ADA. 2. If you have any questions about this
material, please call the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 386-758-0525
(TDD 800-955-8771). 3. The FWC is not responsible for
protection of personal property and will not be liable for theft of or damage
to personal property. 4. Please report the location of any sick
or extremely skinny deer to the Chronic Wasting Disease hotline, toll free at
866-293-9282.
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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. Any person taking deer or accompanying
another person taking deer shall wear at least 500 square inches of daylight fluorescent
orange material as an outer garment, above the waistline. These provisions are
not required when hunting with a bow and arrow during the archery season. 2. Taking of spotted fawn, swimming deer
or roosted turkey is prohibited. 3. It is illegal to hunt over bait or
place any bait or other food for wildlife on this area. 4. Driving a metal object into any tree,
or hunting from a tree into which a metal object has been driven, is prohibited. 5. No person shall cut, damage or remove
any natural, manmade or cultural resource without written authorization of the
landowner or primary land manager. 6. 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. Recorded
calls and sounds can be used to hunt furbearers, wild hog and crows. 7. The wanton and willful waste of
wildlife is prohibited. 8. Hunting, fishing or trapping is
prohibited on any portion of the area posted as closed to those activities. 9. People, dogs, vehicles and other
recreational equipment are prohibited in areas posted as “Closed to Public
Access” by FWC administrative action. 10. 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. 11. Most game may be hunted from ½ hour
before sunrise until ½ hour after sunset (see exceptions for each season). 12. The release of any animal is
prohibited, except by permit from FWC or written authorization from the
landowner or primary land manager. 13. The skull plate with any attached antler, if applicable, shall
remain with any harvested deer. The head and beard, if applicable, shall remain with any harvested turkey. See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook for details. 14. The planting or introduction of any
nonnative plant is prohibited, without written authorization of the landowner
or primary land manager. 15. Wild hog may not be transported alive. 16. A hunting license is not required to
hunt wild hog. 17. Littering is prohibited. 18. It is unlawful to set fire to any
forest, grass or woodlands. 19. A Law Enforcement Officer may search
any camp, vehicle or boat, in accordance with law. 20. Falconers may hunt during the
statewide falconry season anytime a management area is open for public access.
Falconers are not exempt from quota permits during hunts requiring them. |
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Public Access and
Vehicles: 1. Open to public access year round but
only from 1½ hours before sunrise until 1½ hours after sunset. 2. Persons must enter and exit at a
designated entrance. 3. Motor vehicles shall be operated only
on roads shown on the brochure map. 4. Airboats, all-terrain vehicles, tracked
vehicles and unlicensed and unregistered motorcycles are prohibited. 5. Horses and bicycles are allowed only on
named roads or designated trails. 6. Class 1 electric bicycles may be operated according to rules for
traditional, non-motorized bicycles. All other electric bicycles may be
operated only on roads open to motorized vehicles. For more
information visit MyFWC.com/ebike. 7. Parked vehicles may not obstruct a
road, gate or firelane. 8. No motor vehicle shall be operated in
areas designated as closed to vehicular traffic.
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Hunters and
Harvest Reporting: 1. Tree stands and elevated shooting platforms may not be taken onto
the area until after 8 a.m. the day before the opening of any hunt and shall
be removed by 6 p.m. 1 day after the end of every hunt. 2. Hunters must log each harvested deer or
turkey prior to moving it from the point of recovery and report any deer or
turkey they harvest within 24 hours of recovery. See Florida Hunting
Regulations handbook or MyFWC.com for deer and turkey harvest reporting
instructions.
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Guns: 1. Hunting at night with a gun is
prohibited. 2. Muzzleloading guns used for taking deer
must be .30 caliber or larger, if firing a single bullet, or be 20 gauge or
larger if firing 2 or more balls. 3. Hunting deer with rimfire or
nonexpanding, full metal jacket (military ball) ammunition is prohibited. 4. Hunting wildlife (other than migratory
birds) with air guns is allowed. See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook for
details. 5. Hunting deer with air guns is
prohibited, except pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) air guns propelling a bolt, arrow
or bullet .30 caliber or larger are allowed. 6. Hunting turkey with air guns is
prohibited, except PCP air guns propelling a bolt or arrow are allowed. 7. Children under the age of 16 hunting
with a firearm or air gun must be in the presence of a supervising adult. 8. No person shall discharge a firearm or
have a loaded firearm in hand while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. 9. For hunting nonmigratory game, only
shotguns, rifles, muzzleloading guns, pistols, air guns, bows, crossbows or falconry may be used. 10. For hunting migratory game, only centerfire and muzzleloading shotguns, bows, crossbows or falconry may be used. Shotguns shall not be larger
than 10 gauge and shall be incapable of holding more than 3 shells in the
magazine and chamber combined. 11. Hunting with full-automatic firearms,
centerfire semiautomatic rifles having a magazine capable of holding more than
5 rounds, explosive or drug-injecting devices and set guns is prohibited. 12. The discharge of a firearm outside of
periods open to hunting or in areas closed to hunting is prohibited per s.
790.15 FS. |
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Dogs: 1. Hunting with dogs is prohibited, except
dogs may be used for hunting small game (quail, rabbit, squirrel, migratory
birds, and non-protected birds) during small game season and waterfowl retrievers may be used during
duck, geese and coot seasons. 2. No person shall allow any dog to pursue
or molest any wildlife during any period in which the taking of wildlife by the
use of dogs is prohibited. 3. Dogs on leashes may be used for
trailing wounded game. 4. 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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Camping: Prohibited. |
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Bag and Possession
Limits: A guest hunter must share the host’s bag limit for deer, turkey and
quail, except when these bag limits are specified as per person. The host is
responsible for violations that exceed the bag limit.
1. Deer - No person shall exceed statewide bag limits. A. Area limits - Archery season - 1 antlered or 1 antlerless deer per quota permit. Muzzleloading gun and general gun seasons - 1 antlered deer per quota permit. Family Hunts – 1 antlered and 1 antlerless deer per quota permit. B. Statewide limits - Annual limit 5 deer (only 2 of which may be antlerless),
daily limit 2, possession limit 4. C. As part of the statewide annual deer limit, youth less than 16 years of age
may harvest 1 deer annually not meeting antler point requirements but having at
least 1 antler 5 inches or more in length.
2. Wild hog - No bag or size limit.
3. Turkey - No person shall exceed statewide bag limits. A. Area limits – Archery season – Daily limit 1. Youth turkey – 1 per quota permit. Spring turkey – 1 per quota permit. B. Statewide limits - All fall seasons
combined limit 2, spring season limit 2, daily limit 2, possession limit 2. 4. Gray squirrel and rabbit - Daily limit
12 per person, possession limit 24 for each. 5. Quail - Daily limit 12, possession limit
24. 6. Raccoon, opossum, armadillo, beaver,
coyote, skunk and nutria - No bag limits. 7. Migratory birds - See Florida Hunting
Regulations handbook. 8. Non-protected birds (African and
Eurasian collared-doves, common pigeon, Egyptian goose, house sparrow, and
common starling) - No bag limits. |
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