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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 Guana River 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.
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Quota Permit Information:
Archery - 60, no-cost, quota permits for each of 2 hunts.
Muzzleloading Gun - 60, no-cost, quota permits for each of 2 hunts.
General Gun - 60, no-cost, quota permits for each of 2 hunts.
Small Game - 75, no-cost, daily quota permits are available first-come, first-served at the check station each day of the season.
Spring Turkey - 6, no-cost, quota permits for each of 3 hunts (no exemptions).
Permit applications: Hunters must submit electronic applications for quota and special-opportunity 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 non-transferable 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. 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, non-hunters 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 (not including special-opportunity) for which quota permits are issued, at least 1 person in the party must be in possession of a quota permit. During a hunt that allows exemptions, a non-exempt supervisor of a youth must have a quota permit to hunt.
Transfer of permits: Quota and guest permits are not transferable. A positive form of identification is required when using a non-transferable 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 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 under 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 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. 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 as follows:
During quota permitted hunting dates (when the upland portion is open for archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun, and spring turkey seasons), public access to the upland portion is restricted to quota permit holders, hunting guests and exempt hunters only and only from the Guana Dam entrance.
During scouting and small game season dates (when the upland portion is open for scouting or small game season), public access to the upland portion is restricted to access only from the Guana Dam entrance.
During non-hunting dates (when the upland portion is NOT open for scouting or archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun, small game and spring turkey seasons), public access to the upland portion is restricted to non-motorized access only, and only from the Guana Dam and Roscoe Boulevard Extension entrances.
2. Persons accessing, parking or launching boats at the Guana Dam are required to pay an access fee to the Department of Environmental Protection. During periods open to scouting and during archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun, small game, waterfowl, and spring turkey seasons, the following persons are not required to pay the fee for vehicular access to the upland portion of the management area: exempt hunters, persons in possession of a valid management area permit and persons in possession of a Sportsman’s license.
3. Public access to the Guana Dam Water Control Structure or any portion of it is prohibited.
4. Vehicles may be operated only on named or numbered roads.
5. Vehicle access for scouting is allowed 1 day prior to each hunt (except waterfowl hunts - see Guana River - Lake Ponte Vedra PSGHA brochure) from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. during Eastern Standard Time. During the hunts, vehicle access is only allowed from 5 a.m. until 9 p.m. during Daylight Savings Time and from 5 a.m. until 8 p.m. during Eastern Standard Time.
6. No motor vehicle shall be operated in areas designated as closed to vehicular traffic.
7. Horses and bicycles may be used only on named or numbered roads or trails. Horses are prohibited during the archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun, small game and spring turkey seasons. Class 1 electric bicycles may be operated according to rules for
traditional, nonmotorized 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/. 8. Parked vehicles may not
obstruct a road, gate or firelane.
9. Use of airboats, all-terrain vehicles, tracked vehicles or unlicensed and unregistered motorcycles is prohibited.
10. Vessels with internal combustion engines larger than 10 h.p. are prohibited on Lake Ponte Vedra, except alligator hunt participants may use airboats and outboard motors larger than 10 h.p. when hunting alligators.
11. The use of boats within 50 yards of the Guana Dam water control structure is prohibited.
12. Lake Ponte Vedra is open for recreational use from Guana Dam to a line 2 miles north of the dam at all times, and on the remainder of Lake Ponte Vedra and the interior lakes from February 10 through November 10. - Hunters
Hunters, Check Stations 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 (except public water alligator hunt participants and falconers hunting outside of the archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun, small game, and waterfowl seasons) must check in at a check station upon entering and check out upon leaving the area and check all game harvested.
3. The upland check station opens at 5 a.m. for each archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun, spring turkey and small game hunt. Hunters shall check out at the check station by 9 p.m. during Daylight Savings Time and 8 p.m. during Eastern Standard Time.
4. All waterfowl must be checked at a check station prior to 1 p.m.
5. That portion of Lake Ponte Vedra from the Guana Dam to a point ½ mile north is closed to hunting except for alligator hunting.
6. Hunting at the visitor interpretive center, wildlife observation towers or nature trail boardwalks is prohibited.
7. In addition to checking all game at an area check stations, hunters must log each harvested deer or turkey prior to moving it from the point of recovery and report any deer or turkey within 24 hours of recovery. See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook or MyFWC.com for deer and turkey harvest reporting instructions. - 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. 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 migratory birds) with air guns is allowed. See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook for details on hunting with air guns.
6. 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.
7. Hunting turkey with air guns is prohibited, except PCP air guns propelling a bolt or arrow are allowed.
8. Children under the age of 16 hunting with a firearm or airgun must be in the presence of a supervising adult.
9. No person shall discharge a firearm or have a loaded firearm in hand while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
10. For hunting non-migratory game, only shotguns, rifles, muzzleloading guns, pistols, air guns, bows, crossbows or falconry may be used.
11. 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.
12. 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. - Dogs
Dogs:
1. Hunting deer with dogs is prohibited.
2. Hunting with dogs is prohibited, except bird dogs or retrievers are allowed during the waterfowl season and dogs may be used to hunt small game (quail, rabbit, squirrel and migratory birds) and non-protected birds during the small game season. The take of wild hog with dogs is prohibited.
3. 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.
4. Dogs on leashes may be used for trailing wounded game.
5. 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 and 1 antlerless deer per quota permit or per exempt hunter.
Muzzleloading gun and general gun seasons - 1 antlered deer per quota permit or per exempt hunter.
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 - 1 per spring turkey 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. Bobcat and otter - Possession limit 1 unless in possession of a trapping license.
8. Migratory birds - See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook.
9. 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. Water in wells is not certified for human consumption.
2. Information for persons with disabilities can be found at MyFWC.com/ADA.
3. If you have any questions about this material, please call the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 352-732-1225 (TDD 800-955-8771).
4. The FWC is not responsible for protection of personal property and will not be liable for theft of or damage to personal property.
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 under 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 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. 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 as follows:
During quota permitted hunting dates (when the upland portion is open for archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun, and spring turkey seasons), public access to the upland portion is restricted to quota permit holders, hunting guests and exempt hunters only and only from the Guana Dam entrance.
During scouting and small game season dates (when the upland portion is open for scouting or small game season), public access to the upland portion is restricted to access only from the Guana Dam entrance.
During non-hunting dates (when the upland portion is NOT open for scouting or archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun, small game and spring turkey seasons), public access to the upland portion is restricted to non-motorized access only, and only from the Guana Dam and Roscoe Boulevard Extension entrances.
2. Persons accessing, parking or launching boats at the Guana Dam are required to pay an access fee to the Department of Environmental Protection. During periods open to scouting and during archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun, small game, waterfowl, and spring turkey seasons, the following persons are not required to pay the fee for vehicular access to the upland portion of the management area: exempt hunters, persons in possession of a valid management area permit and persons in possession of a Sportsman’s license.
3. Public access to the Guana Dam Water Control Structure or any portion of it is prohibited.
4. Vehicles may be operated only on named or numbered roads.
5. Vehicle access for scouting is allowed 1 day prior to each hunt (except waterfowl hunts - see Guana River - Lake Ponte Vedra PSGHA brochure) from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. during Eastern Standard Time. During the hunts, vehicle access is only allowed from 5 a.m. until 9 p.m. during Daylight Savings Time and from 5 a.m. until 8 p.m. during Eastern Standard Time.
6. No motor vehicle shall be operated in areas designated as closed to vehicular traffic.
7. Horses and bicycles may be used only on named or numbered roads or trails. Horses are prohibited during the archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun, small game and spring turkey seasons. Class 1 electric bicycles may be operated according to rules for
traditional, nonmotorized 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/. 8. Parked vehicles may not
obstruct a road, gate or firelane.
9. Use of airboats, all-terrain vehicles, tracked vehicles or unlicensed and unregistered motorcycles is prohibited.
10. Vessels with internal combustion engines larger than 10 h.p. are prohibited on Lake Ponte Vedra, except alligator hunt participants may use airboats and outboard motors larger than 10 h.p. when hunting alligators.
11. The use of boats within 50 yards of the Guana Dam water control structure is prohibited.
12. Lake Ponte Vedra is open for recreational use from Guana Dam to a line 2 miles north of the dam at all times, and on the remainder of Lake Ponte Vedra and the interior lakes from February 10 through November 10.
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Hunters, Check Stations 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 (except public water alligator hunt participants and falconers hunting outside of the archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun, small game, and waterfowl seasons) must check in at a check station upon entering and check out upon leaving the area and check all game harvested.
3. The upland check station opens at 5 a.m. for each archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun, spring turkey and small game hunt. Hunters shall check out at the check station by 9 p.m. during Daylight Savings Time and 8 p.m. during Eastern Standard Time.
4. All waterfowl must be checked at a check station prior to 1 p.m.
5. That portion of Lake Ponte Vedra from the Guana Dam to a point ½ mile north is closed to hunting except for alligator hunting.
6. Hunting at the visitor interpretive center, wildlife observation towers or nature trail boardwalks is prohibited.
7. In addition to checking all game at an area check stations, hunters must log each harvested deer or turkey prior to moving it from the point of recovery and report any deer or turkey 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. 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. 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 migratory birds) with air guns is allowed. See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook for details on hunting with air guns.
6. 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.
7. Hunting turkey with air guns is prohibited, except PCP air guns propelling a bolt or arrow are allowed.
8. Children under the age of 16 hunting with a firearm or airgun must be in the presence of a supervising adult.
9. No person shall discharge a firearm or have a loaded firearm in hand while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
10. For hunting non-migratory game, only shotguns, rifles, muzzleloading guns, pistols, air guns, bows, crossbows or falconry may be used.
11. 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.
12. 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. |
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Dogs:
1. Hunting deer with dogs is prohibited.
2. Hunting with dogs is prohibited, except bird dogs or retrievers are allowed during the waterfowl season and dogs may be used to hunt small game (quail, rabbit, squirrel and migratory birds) and non-protected birds during the small game season. The take of wild hog with dogs is prohibited.
3. 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.
4. Dogs on leashes may be used for trailing wounded game.
5. 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: 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 and 1 antlerless deer per quota permit or per exempt hunter.
Muzzleloading gun and general gun seasons - 1 antlered deer per quota permit or per exempt hunter.
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 - 1 per spring turkey 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. Bobcat and otter - Possession limit 1 unless in possession of a trapping license.
8. Migratory birds - See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook.
9. Non-protected birds (African and Eurasian collared-doves, common pigeon, Egyptian goose, house sparrow and common starling) - No bag limits. |
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