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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 Punta Gorda Public Small Game
Hunting 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.
Permit, Stamp and License Information: Persons using Public Small Game Hunting 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:Dove Hunt 45, no-cost, quota
permits (no exemptions) for each of 4 hunts. Hog Management Hunt 8, no-cost,
quota permits (no exemptions).
Dove hunt permit
applications: Hunters must submit electronic applications for quota permits
through 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 June 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. 1. Prior to the hunts,
individuals may be issued no more than two permits and each permit must be for
a different hunt date. 2. Individuals issued a
quota permit prior to the hunts must check-in at the check station between
11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. during Daylight Saving Time (DST, hunts before Nov. 5)
or between 11 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. during Eastern Standard Time (EST, hunts on or
after Nov. 5) on the day of their scheduled hunt or their permit will be voided.
Any voided permits may be obtained first-come, first-served at the check station
beginning at 3:00 p.m. DST or 2:00 p.m. EST. Each permit allows one adult and
one child under age 16 to hunt and each may take a daily bag limit. 3. Quota permits are valid
only for the date listed on the permit.
Hog management hunt permit
applications: Hunters must submit electronic applications for quota permits
through 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 May 15; please refer to the hunting handbook or MyFWC.com for
specific dates. Worksheets will be available about 2 weeks prior to each
application period. To apply for this hunt, hunters should obtain a “Quota Wild
Hog” worksheet. These permits will be eligible for guest permits. The guest and
host must enter and exit the area together and must share a vehicle while
hunting on the area.
Transfer of permits: Dove
permits are transferable. Wild hog quota permits are NOT transferable. |
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Area Regulations
- General
General Area Regulations:In addition to the regulations that follow, all
general laws and regulations relating to wildlife and fish shall apply unless
specifically exempted for this area. 1. Driving a metal object into any tree, or
hunting from a tree in which a metal object has been driven is prohibited. 2. Fires are prohibited. 3. Construction or use of permanent blinds or
structures is prohibited. 4. Tampering with or destruction of equipment,
improvements, and water control structures is prohibited. 5. Public access is prohibited in portions of
public hunting areas that are posted as “Closed” or “Restricted.” 6. The release of any animal is prohibited,
except by permit from FWC or written authorization from the landowner or
primary land manager. 7. 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 wild hog. 8. A hunting license is not required for the
take of wild hog. 9. The wanton and willful waste of wildlife is
prohibited. 10. Littering is prohibited. 11. A Law Enforcement Officer may search any
camp, vehicle or boat, in accordance with law.
- Public Access and Vehicles
Public Access and Vehicles:1. Public access is allowed on hunt days only. 2. Vehicles may be operated only on named and
numbered roads and may be parked in designated parking areas or within 25 feet
of a named or numbered road. 3. Vehicles may not be operated on named and
numbered roads designated as closed to vehicular traffic. 4. Horses, airboats, outboard motors larger than
10 horsepower, tracked vehicles, motorcycles, and all-terrain vehicles are
prohibited. 5. Class 1 electric bicycles may be operated
according to rules for traditional, non-motorized bicycles. All other electric bicycles may be operated
only on named or numbered roads open to motorized vehicles. For more
information visit MyFWC.com/ebike.
- Hunters
Hunters, Check Stations and Harvest Reporting:1. Hunters must check in at the check station
upon entering and check out upon leaving the area and check all game harvested. 2. Dove hunters may enter the area no earlier
than 11 a.m. and shall exit the area no later than one hour after sunset. Hog
hunters may enter the area no earlier than one hour before sunrise and shall
exit the area no later than one hour after sunset.
- Guns
Guns:1. Hunting with guns other than shotguns,
crossbows and bows is prohibited. 2. The take of wildlife with ammunition other
than buckshot is prohibited during the hog management hunts. 3. While hunting migratory birds, shotguns
capable of holding more than three shells must be plugged to a three-shell capacity
with a one-piece filler which cannot be removed without disassembling the gun. 4. Hunting at night with a gun is prohibited. 5. Children under the age of 16 hunting with a
firearm must be in the presence of a supervising adult. 6. No person shall discharge a firearm or have a
loaded firearm in hand while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. 7. Hunting with full-automatic firearms, rifles, handgun,
explosive or drug-injecting devices
and set guns is prohibited. 8. 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 wild hogs with dogs is prohibited. 2. Dogs may be used for hunting during
dove season. 3. Dogs are allowed during periods or in areas
closed to hunting, but must be kept under physical restraint at all times.
- Camping
- Bag and Possession Limits
Bag and Possession Limits:1. Wild hog - No size or bag limit. 2. Dove (aggregate of mourning and white-winged doves)
– Daily limit 15. Only one daily bag limit of mourning/white-winged
dove may be possessed while in the field or while returning from the field. A
hunter may leave their birds with another person if the birds are tagged with
the hunter’s signature, address, the total number of birds by species, and the
date of the harvest. 3. African and Eurasian collared-doves, common
pigeon – No bag limits.
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General Area Regulations:In addition to the regulations that follow, all
general laws and regulations relating to wildlife and fish shall apply unless
specifically exempted for this area. 1. Driving a metal object into any tree, or
hunting from a tree in which a metal object has been driven is prohibited. 2. Fires are prohibited. 3. Construction or use of permanent blinds or
structures is prohibited. 4. Tampering with or destruction of equipment,
improvements, and water control structures is prohibited. 5. Public access is prohibited in portions of
public hunting areas that are posted as “Closed” or “Restricted.” 6. The release of any animal is prohibited,
except by permit from FWC or written authorization from the landowner or
primary land manager. 7. 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 wild hog. 8. A hunting license is not required for the
take of wild hog. 9. The wanton and willful waste of wildlife is
prohibited. 10. Littering is prohibited. 11. A Law Enforcement Officer may search any
camp, vehicle or boat, in accordance with law. |
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Public Access and Vehicles:1. Public access is allowed on hunt days only. 2. Vehicles may be operated only on named and
numbered roads and may be parked in designated parking areas or within 25 feet
of a named or numbered road. 3. Vehicles may not be operated on named and
numbered roads designated as closed to vehicular traffic. 4. Horses, airboats, outboard motors larger than
10 horsepower, tracked vehicles, motorcycles, and all-terrain vehicles are
prohibited. 5. Class 1 electric bicycles may be operated
according to rules for traditional, non-motorized bicycles. All other electric bicycles may be operated
only on named or numbered roads open to motorized vehicles. For more
information visit MyFWC.com/ebike.
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Hunters, Check Stations and Harvest Reporting:1. Hunters must check in at the check station
upon entering and check out upon leaving the area and check all game harvested. 2. Dove hunters may enter the area no earlier
than 11 a.m. and shall exit the area no later than one hour after sunset. Hog
hunters may enter the area no earlier than one hour before sunrise and shall
exit the area no later than one hour after sunset.
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Guns:1. Hunting with guns other than shotguns,
crossbows and bows is prohibited. 2. The take of wildlife with ammunition other
than buckshot is prohibited during the hog management hunts. 3. While hunting migratory birds, shotguns
capable of holding more than three shells must be plugged to a three-shell capacity
with a one-piece filler which cannot be removed without disassembling the gun. 4. Hunting at night with a gun is prohibited. 5. Children under the age of 16 hunting with a
firearm must be in the presence of a supervising adult. 6. No person shall discharge a firearm or have a
loaded firearm in hand while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. 7. Hunting with full-automatic firearms, rifles, handgun,
explosive or drug-injecting devices
and set guns is prohibited. 8. 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 wild hogs with dogs is prohibited. 2. Dogs may be used for hunting during
dove season. 3. Dogs are allowed during periods or in areas
closed to hunting, but must be kept under physical restraint at all times. |
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Bag and Possession Limits:1. Wild hog - No size or bag limit. 2. Dove (aggregate of mourning and white-winged doves)
– Daily limit 15. Only one daily bag limit of mourning/white-winged
dove may be possessed while in the field or while returning from the field. A
hunter may leave their birds with another person if the birds are tagged with
the hunter’s signature, address, the total number of birds by species, and the
date of the harvest. 3. African and Eurasian collared-doves, common
pigeon – No bag limits. |
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