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Over the last few years, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has been purchasing parcels of Flint Rock WMA from The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and adding them to St. Mark's National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). All remaining parcels of Flint Rock have now been purchased by USFWS. On 3-13-2023, FWC received notice that the lease agreement between TNC and FWC is being terminated, meaning Flint Rock will no longer be an active WMA. This lease termination will become effective 60 days after receipt (5-13-2023). The 2023 spring turkey season will continue unaffected. However, the wild hog-still hunts scheduled for May and June 2023 will have to be cancelled. Beginning with the 2023-24 season, FWC will no longer be issuing Recreational Use Permits for this area. Lands formerly part of Flint Rock WMA are planned to be opened to public hunting opportunities as part of St. Mark's NWR. However, the exact details are yet to be decided. FWC will provide additional messaging to the public when available.
This brochure is designed to provide the public with information and a summary of regulations pertaining to hunting and other recreational use on the Flint Rock 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 recreational use 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 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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Recreational Use Permit Information:
A $206 recreational use permit is required to hunt on this area; there are no exemptions except that 1 dependent child, under 16 years of age, per permittee may hunt under the supervision of the permittee and is exempt from the fee. The number of available recreational use permits will be indicated on the recreational use permit worksheet. Recreational use permits are not transferable.
Permit applications: Hunters must submit electronic applications for recreational use permits at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com. Successful applicants have the option of renewing their permits for up to 2 additional years. Please refer to the hunting handbook or MyFWC.com for dates to renew permits or apply for remaining permits. A worksheet with a list of available permits may be obtained 1-2 weeks before the application period begins from county tax collector’s offices, FWC offices and at MyFWC.com. |
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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 hunting deer or accompanying another person hunting 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 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, man-made 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 head and evidence of sex shall remain with any deer harvested on the area and shall not be removed from the carcass of any turkey harvested on the area.
14. The planting or introduction of any non-native 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. Fires are prohibited.
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 the recreational use permit requirement. - Public Access and Vehicles
Public Access and Vehicles:
1. Recreational access is allowed only during periods open to hunting and 7 days before each open hunting season (except access for the wild hog-still season is restricted to hunt dates only) by individuals possessing a valid recreational use permit except that the spouse and dependent children of a permittee may engage in outdoor recreational activities other than hunting while in the company of the permittee. The area is closed to the public at all other times.
2. All persons must enter and exit at designated entrances (see map).
3. Vehicles may only be operated on designated roads.
4. The use of all-terrain vehicles is prohibited.
5. Parked vehicles may not obstruct a road, gate or firelane.
6. No motor vehicle shall be operated in areas designated as closed to vehicular traffic. - Hunters
Hunters and Harvest Reporting:
1. Hunting equipment may not be taken onto the area until after 8 a.m. the day before the opening of any season and shall be removed by 6 p.m. 1 day after the end of every season.
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 with a gun or archery equipment on or from the rights-of-way of Highway 98 or S.R. 59 is prohibited.
2. Hunting at night with a gun is prohibited.
3. 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.
4. Hunting deer with rimfire or non-expanding, full metal jacket (military ball) ammunition is prohibited.
5. Hunting wildlife (other than deer, turkey, quail or migratory birds) with air guns is allowed. Hunting with air guns is prohibited during archery and muzzleloading gun seasons.
6. Hunting wildlife (other than migratory birds) with air guns is allowed. See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook for details.
7. 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.
8. Hunting turkey with air guns is prohibited, except PCP air guns propelling a bolt or arrow are allowed.
9. Children under the age of 16 hunting with a firearm or air gun must be in the presence of a supervising adult.
10. No person shall discharge a firearm or have a loaded firearm in hand while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
11. For hunting non-migratory game, only shotguns, rifles, pistols, air guns, bows, crossbows or falconry may be used.
12. For hunting migratory game, only 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.
13. Hunting with full-automatic firearms, centerfire semi-automatic rifles having a magazine capable of holding more than 5 rounds, explosive or drug-injecting devices and set guns is prohibited.
14. 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, other than bird dogs or retrievers, is prohibited.
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. For purposes other than hunting, dogs are allowed, but must be kept under physical restraint at all times. - Camping
- Bag and Possession Limits
Bag and Possession Limits:
1. Deer - No person shall exceed statewide bag limits.
A. Area limits - See statewide limits below.
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 size or bag limit.
3. Turkey - No person shall exceed statewide bag limits.
A. Area limits - Daily limit 1.
B. Statewide limits - All fall seasons combined limit 2, spring season limit 2, daily limit 2, possession limit 2.
4. Gray squirrel, quail and rabbit - Daily limit 12, possession limit 24 for each.
5. Raccoon, opossum, armadillo, beaver, coyote, skunk and nutria - No bag limits.
6. Bobcat and otter - Possession limit 1 unless in possession of a trapping license.
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. The Nature Conservancy's land management activities for this area may include prescribed burning and timber harvesting during most months of the year. For personal safety reasons, area users should be aware of activities in the area. Notice of prescribed burning will be posted at designated entrances. The Nature Conservancy has no responsibility or obligation to identify and/or protect personal property while undertaking its land management activities.
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. If you have any questions about this material, please call the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 850-265-3676 (TDD 800-955-8771).
5. 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 hunting deer or accompanying another person hunting 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 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, man-made 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 head and evidence of sex shall remain with any deer harvested on the area and shall not be removed from the carcass of any turkey harvested on the area.
14. The planting or introduction of any non-native 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. Fires are prohibited.
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 the recreational use permit requirement. |
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Public Access and Vehicles:
1. Recreational access is allowed only during periods open to hunting and 7 days before each open hunting season (except access for the wild hog-still season is restricted to hunt dates only) by individuals possessing a valid recreational use permit except that the spouse and dependent children of a permittee may engage in outdoor recreational activities other than hunting while in the company of the permittee. The area is closed to the public at all other times.
2. All persons must enter and exit at designated entrances (see map).
3. Vehicles may only be operated on designated roads.
4. The use of all-terrain vehicles is prohibited.
5. Parked vehicles may not obstruct a road, gate or firelane.
6. No motor vehicle shall be operated in areas designated as closed to vehicular traffic.
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Hunters and Harvest Reporting:
1. Hunting equipment may not be taken onto the area until after 8 a.m. the day before the opening of any season and shall be removed by 6 p.m. 1 day after the end of every season.
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 with a gun or archery equipment on or from the rights-of-way of Highway 98 or S.R. 59 is prohibited.
2. Hunting at night with a gun is prohibited.
3. 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.
4. Hunting deer with rimfire or non-expanding, full metal jacket (military ball) ammunition is prohibited.
5. Hunting wildlife (other than deer, turkey, quail or migratory birds) with air guns is allowed. Hunting with air guns is prohibited during archery and muzzleloading gun seasons.
6. Hunting wildlife (other than migratory birds) with air guns is allowed. See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook for details.
7. 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.
8. Hunting turkey with air guns is prohibited, except PCP air guns propelling a bolt or arrow are allowed.
9. Children under the age of 16 hunting with a firearm or air gun must be in the presence of a supervising adult.
10. No person shall discharge a firearm or have a loaded firearm in hand while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
11. For hunting non-migratory game, only shotguns, rifles, pistols, air guns, bows, crossbows or falconry may be used.
12. For hunting migratory game, only 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.
13. Hunting with full-automatic firearms, centerfire semi-automatic rifles having a magazine capable of holding more than 5 rounds, explosive or drug-injecting devices and set guns is prohibited.
14. 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, other than bird dogs or retrievers, is prohibited.
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. For purposes other than hunting, dogs are allowed, but must be kept under physical restraint at all times. |
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Bag and Possession Limits:
1. Deer - No person shall exceed statewide bag limits.
A. Area limits - See statewide limits below.
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 size or bag limit.
3. Turkey - No person shall exceed statewide bag limits.
A. Area limits - Daily limit 1.
B. Statewide limits - All fall seasons combined limit 2, spring season limit 2, daily limit 2, possession limit 2.
4. Gray squirrel, quail and rabbit - Daily limit 12, possession limit 24 for each.
5. Raccoon, opossum, armadillo, beaver, coyote, skunk and nutria - No bag limits.
6. Bobcat and otter - Possession limit 1 unless in possession of a trapping license.
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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