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Due to high water
conditions, the Rotenberger Wildlife Management Area is closed to all public
access until further notice Please see the WMA Open/Close page for more information.
This brochure is designed to provide the public with information and a summary of regulations pertaining to hunting and other recreational use on the Rotenberger 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 also 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, at 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:
Quota permits are not required for this area. |
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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 or swimming deer 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 . 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 other than campfires are prohibited.
19. A Law Enforcement Officer may search any camp, vehicle, or boat in accordance with law.
20. The construction of docks of any type is prohibited.
21. Falconers may hunt during the statewide falconry season any time a management area is open for public access. - Public Access and Vehicles
Public Access and Vehicles:
1. Open to public access year-round.
2. Persons may only enter and exit the area from the L-4, Powerline, Miami Canal, and Manley Ditch levees.
3. During the archery, muzzleloading gun, and general gun-walk seasons, airboats are prohibited.
4. The use of recreational off-highway vehicles and all-terrain vehicles is prohibited, except for the purposes of hunting and scouting from 6 a.m. 2 weeks prior to archery season until 6 p.m. 1 day prior to the opening day of general gun-walk season. During the archery, muzzleloading gun, and general gun-walk seasons, all vehicles except motor vehicles, swamp buggies, and tracked vehicles are prohibited, except on levees designated as open to vehicles. 6. Motor vehicles
(including ATVs and side-by-sides) are prohibited outside of hunting seasons
and designated scouting periods. Swamp buggies and tracked vehicles are allowed
year round. During archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun-walk seasons, and
from the day after the close of small game season through 5:59 a.m. two weeks
prior to archery season, motor vehicles, swamp buggies, and tracked vehicles
are allowed only on designated levees, except all-terrain vehicles and ROVs
(side-by-sides) may operate off-road. Track vehicles are allowed by permit only
during general gun-vehicle season. Street legal vehicles are allowed on
designated levees open to vehicles.
5. While recreational off-highway vehicles and all-terrain vehicles are in motion, no person shall occupy any platform or structure attached to it. No all-terrain vehicle may be equipped with a steering mechanism that would enable the recreational off-highway vehicle and all-terrain vehicle to be operated from a platform or structure attached to it.
6. No person shall operate any motor vehicle, swamp buggy, or tracked vehicle off-road unless it is equipped with an orange rectangular flag at least 10 inches wide and 12 inches long displayed at a minimum height of 6 feet above the top of the seat.
7. Parked vehicles may not obstruct a road, gate, or firelane.
8. Motor vehicles, swamp buggies, and tracked vehicles are prohibited on tree islands, tree strands, and wildlife islands.
9. No vessel shall be operated outside of Water Management District canals unless it is equipped with an orange rectangular flag at least 10 inches wide and 12 inches long displayed at a minimum height of 10 feet above the bottom of the vessel.
10. Persons participating in the statewide alligator harvest program may operate airboats and tracked vehicles throughout the area during alligator hunts. 11. 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. Tree stands, deer stands, and elevated shooting platforms are prohibited except from 6 a.m. 2 weeks prior to the opening of archery season until 6 p.m. the Sunday following the end of general gun-walk season.
2. When check stations are staffed on weekends during the archery, muzzleloading gun, and general gun-walk seasons, deer may not be quartered, dismembered, or removed from the area until checked at the check station located at the southeast corner of the Holey Land Wildlife Management Area.
3. Deer may be
dismembered in the field or camp, after being checked at a staffed check
station on weekends, but each portion shall have a tag affixed to it
identifying the name, address, and hunting license number of the person who
killed it; the date and location at which it was taken; and shall be readily
traceable to the skull plate with any attached antler.
4. In addition to checking all game at an area check station, hunters must log each harvested deer prior to moving it from the point of recovery and report any deer they harvest within 24 hours of recovery. See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook or MyFWC.com for deer harvest reporting instructions. - Guns
Guns:
1. All boat ramps, parking areas, roads, camping areas, levees, and adjacent powerline pads are closed to hunting.
2. Hunting with a gun on, from, or across a levee is prohibited.
3. Hunting at night with a gun is prohibited.
4. 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.
5. Hunting deer with rimfire or non-expanding, full metal jacket (military ball) ammunition is prohibited.
6. Hunting wildlife (other than migratory birds) with airguns is allowed. See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook for details.
7. Hunting deer with airguns is prohibited, except pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) airguns propelling a bolt, arrow, or bullet .30 caliber or larger 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,
airguns, 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 must be 10 gauge or smaller and 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, or set guns is prohibited. 13. Beginning the day after the end of small game season, the take of wildlife using centerfire rifles is prohibited. 14. The discharge of a
firearm outside periods open to hunting or in areas designated as closed to
hunting is prohibited per s. 790.15 FS.
- Dogs
Dogs:
1. Hunting with dogs is prohibited, except that bird dogs and retrievers may be used to hunt snipe, waterfowl, and non-protected birds during their respective statewide seasons; and any dog may be used to hunt gray squirrel, migratory birds in season, non-protected birds, quail, and rabbits during small game season.
2. Dogs used for hunting may be taken onto the WMA after 8 a.m. the day before the opening of a season and shall be removed by 6 p.m. 1 day after the end of the season.
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
Camping:
1. Camping is allowed only on the Miami Canal, Manley Ditch, and Powerline levees.
2. Camps may be set up in the area no earlier than 7 days prior to the archery season and all vehicles, camps, tents, and other camping equipment must be removed by 6 p.m. 7 days after the close of general gun-walk season. During the remainder of the year, camping is allowed only on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and camps may not be left unattended for more than 24 hours.
3. Each camper shall assure that their campsite is clean at all times.
4. The erection of any permanent structure is prohibited.
5. Only tents, trailers, or self-propelled camping vehicles may be used for camping. - Bag and Possession Limits
Bag and Possession Limits:
1. Deer - No person shall exceed statewide bag limits.
A. Area limits -
Archery, muzzleloading gun, and general gun-walk seasons: Season limit 1 antlered deer.
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. Turkey - Prohibited.
3. Wild hog - No bag limits or size restrictions.
4. Gray squirrel and rabbits - Daily limit 12 per person, possession limit 24 for each.
5. Quail - Daily limit 12, possession limit 24.
6. Armadillo, beaver, coyote, nutria, opossum, raccoon, and skunk - No bag limits.
7. Bobcat and otter - Possession limit 1 unless in possession of a Trapping License.
8. Migratory birds (except mourning and white-winged doves) - See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook.
9. Non-native reptiles - No bag limits.
10. 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 561-625-5122 (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 and arrow during archery season.
2. Taking of spotted fawn or swimming deer 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 . 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 other than campfires are prohibited.
19. A Law Enforcement Officer may search any camp, vehicle, or boat in accordance with law.
20. The construction of docks of any type is prohibited.
21. Falconers may hunt during the statewide falconry season any time a management area is open for public access. |
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Public Access and Vehicles:
1. Open to public access year-round.
2. Persons may only enter and exit the area from the L-4, Powerline, Miami Canal, and Manley Ditch levees.
3. During the archery, muzzleloading gun, and general gun-walk seasons, airboats are prohibited.
4. The use of recreational off-highway vehicles and all-terrain vehicles is prohibited, except for the purposes of hunting and scouting from 6 a.m. 2 weeks prior to archery season until 6 p.m. 1 day prior to the opening day of general gun-walk season. During the archery, muzzleloading gun, and general gun-walk seasons, all vehicles except motor vehicles, swamp buggies, and tracked vehicles are prohibited, except on levees designated as open to vehicles. 6. Motor vehicles
(including ATVs and side-by-sides) are prohibited outside of hunting seasons
and designated scouting periods. Swamp buggies and tracked vehicles are allowed
year round. During archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun-walk seasons, and
from the day after the close of small game season through 5:59 a.m. two weeks
prior to archery season, motor vehicles, swamp buggies, and tracked vehicles
are allowed only on designated levees, except all-terrain vehicles and ROVs
(side-by-sides) may operate off-road. Track vehicles are allowed by permit only
during general gun-vehicle season. Street legal vehicles are allowed on
designated levees open to vehicles.
5. While recreational off-highway vehicles and all-terrain vehicles are in motion, no person shall occupy any platform or structure attached to it. No all-terrain vehicle may be equipped with a steering mechanism that would enable the recreational off-highway vehicle and all-terrain vehicle to be operated from a platform or structure attached to it.
6. No person shall operate any motor vehicle, swamp buggy, or tracked vehicle off-road unless it is equipped with an orange rectangular flag at least 10 inches wide and 12 inches long displayed at a minimum height of 6 feet above the top of the seat.
7. Parked vehicles may not obstruct a road, gate, or firelane.
8. Motor vehicles, swamp buggies, and tracked vehicles are prohibited on tree islands, tree strands, and wildlife islands.
9. No vessel shall be operated outside of Water Management District canals unless it is equipped with an orange rectangular flag at least 10 inches wide and 12 inches long displayed at a minimum height of 10 feet above the bottom of the vessel.
10. Persons participating in the statewide alligator harvest program may operate airboats and tracked vehicles throughout the area during alligator hunts. 11. 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. Tree stands, deer stands, and elevated shooting platforms are prohibited except from 6 a.m. 2 weeks prior to the opening of archery season until 6 p.m. the Sunday following the end of general gun-walk season.
2. When check stations are staffed on weekends during the archery, muzzleloading gun, and general gun-walk seasons, deer may not be quartered, dismembered, or removed from the area until checked at the check station located at the southeast corner of the Holey Land Wildlife Management Area.
3. Deer may be
dismembered in the field or camp, after being checked at a staffed check
station on weekends, but each portion shall have a tag affixed to it
identifying the name, address, and hunting license number of the person who
killed it; the date and location at which it was taken; and shall be readily
traceable to the skull plate with any attached antler.
4. In addition to checking all game at an area check station, hunters must log each harvested deer prior to moving it from the point of recovery and report any deer they harvest within 24 hours of recovery. See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook or MyFWC.com for deer harvest reporting instructions.
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Guns:
1. All boat ramps, parking areas, roads, camping areas, levees, and adjacent powerline pads are closed to hunting.
2. Hunting with a gun on, from, or across a levee is prohibited.
3. Hunting at night with a gun is prohibited.
4. 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.
5. Hunting deer with rimfire or non-expanding, full metal jacket (military ball) ammunition is prohibited.
6. Hunting wildlife (other than migratory birds) with airguns is allowed. See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook for details.
7. Hunting deer with airguns is prohibited, except pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) airguns propelling a bolt, arrow, or bullet .30 caliber or larger 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,
airguns, 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 must be 10 gauge or smaller and 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, or set guns is prohibited. 13. Beginning the day after the end of small game season, the take of wildlife using centerfire rifles is prohibited. 14. The discharge of a
firearm outside periods open to hunting or in areas designated as closed to
hunting is prohibited per s. 790.15 FS.
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Dogs:
1. Hunting with dogs is prohibited, except that bird dogs and retrievers may be used to hunt snipe, waterfowl, and non-protected birds during their respective statewide seasons; and any dog may be used to hunt gray squirrel, migratory birds in season, non-protected birds, quail, and rabbits during small game season.
2. Dogs used for hunting may be taken onto the WMA after 8 a.m. the day before the opening of a season and shall be removed by 6 p.m. 1 day after the end of the season.
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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Camping:
1. Camping is allowed only on the Miami Canal, Manley Ditch, and Powerline levees.
2. Camps may be set up in the area no earlier than 7 days prior to the archery season and all vehicles, camps, tents, and other camping equipment must be removed by 6 p.m. 7 days after the close of general gun-walk season. During the remainder of the year, camping is allowed only on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and camps may not be left unattended for more than 24 hours.
3. Each camper shall assure that their campsite is clean at all times.
4. The erection of any permanent structure is prohibited.
5. Only tents, trailers, or self-propelled camping vehicles may be used for camping. |
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Bag and Possession Limits:
1. Deer - No person shall exceed statewide bag limits.
A. Area limits -
Archery, muzzleloading gun, and general gun-walk seasons: Season limit 1 antlered deer.
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. Turkey - Prohibited.
3. Wild hog - No bag limits or size restrictions.
4. Gray squirrel and rabbits - Daily limit 12 per person, possession limit 24 for each.
5. Quail - Daily limit 12, possession limit 24.
6. Armadillo, beaver, coyote, nutria, opossum, raccoon, and skunk - No bag limits.
7. Bobcat and otter - Possession limit 1 unless in possession of a Trapping License.
8. Migratory birds (except mourning and white-winged doves) - See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook.
9. Non-native reptiles - No bag limits.
10. Non-protected birds (African and Eurasian collared-doves, common pigeon, Egyptian goose, house sparrow, and common starling) - No bag limits. |
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