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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 Gulf Hammock 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 User Permit worksheet 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, WMA deer-dog 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 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.
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 $610 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. A youth hunter (less than 16 years of age) must be supervised by a person at least 18 years of age. The number of available recreational use permits will be indicated on the recreational use 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 each 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 or 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 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. Fires are prohibited.
19. A Law Enforcement Officer may search any camp, vehicle or boat, in accordance with law.
20. Falconers may hunt anytime this area is open for recreational use permit holders. Falconers are not exempt from the recreational use permit requirement. - Public Access and Vehicles
Public Access and Vehicles:
1. Access is allowed only during periods open for hunting, the consecutive Friday, Saturday and Sunday prior to each hunting season and on the consecutive Friday, Saturday and Sunday following the last day of each hunting season by individuals possessing a valid Gulf Hammock 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. One minor dependent, under 16 years of age, may hunt with the permittee.
2. Trespass laws are enforced.
3. Access is allowed only from 1½ hours before sunrise until 1½ hours after sunset, except during spring turkey season when persons must exit the area by 1 hour after sunset and during small game season in the dog hunt area when raccoon or opossum may be hunted at night.
4. Entry and exit is allowed only at designated entrances.
5. The area on the map indicated as “Private Property (Weyerhaeuser Company)” is private property closed to public access except travel through the area is allowed on existing roads only. This travel allowance may be withdrawn by Weyerhaeuser Company at any time.
6. Vehicles may be operated only on established roads.
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. Motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles may only be operated on roads open to other motor vehicles, except not on Buck Head Road or that portion of Butler Road south of King Road.
9. Logging and mining operations may occur anytime during the year. Please drive carefully when you encounter these activities and be courteous to trucks wanting to pass.
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 roads open to motorized vehicles. For more
information visit MyFWC.com/ebike. - Hunters
Hunters and Harvest Reporting:
1. Tree stands and elevated shooting platforms may not be taken onto the area until the consecutive Friday, Saturday and Sunday prior to the opening of any season and shall be removed by the Sunday following the last day of each hunting 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.
3. Hancock Timber Resource Group and Weyerhaeuser Company may conduct timber management at any time, including hunting seasons. - Guns
Guns:
1. Hunting with a firearm or archery equipment on or from the right-of-way of Butler Road, south of its intersection with Buck Head Road, is prohibited.
2. Hunting at night with a gun is prohibited (see exception for small game season).
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.
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 air gun 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.
13. 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 deer or wild hog with dogs is allowed only during the general gun season, and only in the dog hunt area (see map).
2. The taking or pursuing of
deer, wild hog, fox or coyote with dogs is prohibited unless each dog is
equipped and monitored with devices that allow remote tracking and behavior
correction.
3. Hunting with dogs, other than bird dogs or waterfowl retrievers, is prohibited in the still hunt area, except as allowed during small game season.
4. During small game season, dogs may be used throughout the area for hunting small game (quail, rabbit, squirrel and migratory birds) and non-protected birds.
5. Hunting raccoon and opossum at night with dogs is allowed only during small game season in the dog hunt area.
6. 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.
7. Dogs on leashes may be used for trailing wounded game.
8. Dogs are allowed during periods or in areas closed to hunting with dogs, but must be kept under physical restraint at all times. 9. A valid WMA deer-dog hunting permit is required to hunt deer with the aid of dogs. - 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. 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 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 or 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 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. Fires are prohibited.
19. A Law Enforcement Officer may search any camp, vehicle or boat, in accordance with law.
20. Falconers may hunt anytime this area is open for recreational use permit holders. Falconers are not exempt from the recreational use permit requirement. |
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Public Access and Vehicles:
1. Access is allowed only during periods open for hunting, the consecutive Friday, Saturday and Sunday prior to each hunting season and on the consecutive Friday, Saturday and Sunday following the last day of each hunting season by individuals possessing a valid Gulf Hammock 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. One minor dependent, under 16 years of age, may hunt with the permittee.
2. Trespass laws are enforced.
3. Access is allowed only from 1½ hours before sunrise until 1½ hours after sunset, except during spring turkey season when persons must exit the area by 1 hour after sunset and during small game season in the dog hunt area when raccoon or opossum may be hunted at night.
4. Entry and exit is allowed only at designated entrances.
5. The area on the map indicated as “Private Property (Weyerhaeuser Company)” is private property closed to public access except travel through the area is allowed on existing roads only. This travel allowance may be withdrawn by Weyerhaeuser Company at any time.
6. Vehicles may be operated only on established roads.
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. Motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles may only be operated on roads open to other motor vehicles, except not on Buck Head Road or that portion of Butler Road south of King Road.
9. Logging and mining operations may occur anytime during the year. Please drive carefully when you encounter these activities and be courteous to trucks wanting to pass.
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 roads open to motorized vehicles. For more
information visit MyFWC.com/ebike.
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Hunters and Harvest Reporting:
1. Tree stands and elevated shooting platforms may not be taken onto the area until the consecutive Friday, Saturday and Sunday prior to the opening of any season and shall be removed by the Sunday following the last day of each hunting 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.
3. Hancock Timber Resource Group and Weyerhaeuser Company may conduct timber management at any time, including hunting seasons.
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Guns:
1. Hunting with a firearm or archery equipment on or from the right-of-way of Butler Road, south of its intersection with Buck Head Road, is prohibited.
2. Hunting at night with a gun is prohibited (see exception for small game season).
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.
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 air gun 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.
13. 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 deer or wild hog with dogs is allowed only during the general gun season, and only in the dog hunt area (see map).
2. The taking or pursuing of
deer, wild hog, fox or coyote with dogs is prohibited unless each dog is
equipped and monitored with devices that allow remote tracking and behavior
correction.
3. Hunting with dogs, other than bird dogs or waterfowl retrievers, is prohibited in the still hunt area, except as allowed during small game season.
4. During small game season, dogs may be used throughout the area for hunting small game (quail, rabbit, squirrel and migratory birds) and non-protected birds.
5. Hunting raccoon and opossum at night with dogs is allowed only during small game season in the dog hunt area.
6. 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.
7. Dogs on leashes may be used for trailing wounded game.
8. Dogs are allowed during periods or in areas closed to hunting with dogs, but must be kept under physical restraint at all times. 9. A valid WMA deer-dog hunting permit is required to hunt deer with the aid of dogs. |
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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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