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Southern Glades
  pfs  4139

Regulations Summary and Area Map

July 01, 2024 - June 30, 2025


 
 
This brochure is designed to provide the public with information and a summary of regulations pertaining to hunting and other recreational use on the Southern Glades Wildlife and Environmental 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 and the Florida Hunting Regulations handbook 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, 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 (available where hunting licenses are sold, at most post offices, or at www.duckstamp.com).

Quota Permit Information:
Quota permits are not required for this area.

Area Regulations
  • General
    General 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. Planting of trees, shrubs, or other vegetation is prohibited without written authorization from the landowner or the Commission.
    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 furbearers, wild hog, and crows.
    8. The wanton and willful waste of wildlife is prohibited.
    9. Hunting, fishing, or trapping is prohibited on any portion of the area posted as closed to those activities.
    10. People, dogs, vehicles, and other recreational equipment are prohibited in areas posted as “Closed to Public Access” by FWC or SFWMD administrative action. 
    11. 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.
    12. Most game may be hunted from ½ hour before sunrise until ½ hour after sunset (see exceptions under each season).
    13. The release of any animal is prohibited, except by permit from FWC or written authorization from the landowner or primary land manager.
    14. The skull plate with any attached antler, if applicable, shall remain with any harvested deer. See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook for details.
    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. No persons shall bring building materials onto the area or erect permanent or semi-permanent structures.
  • Public Access and Vehicles
    Public Access and Vehicles:
    1. Open to public access year-round.
    2. Motor vehicles may only be operated during daylight hours and only on the portions of SW 232nd Avenue and SW 424th Street before the locked gates.
    3. Parked vehicles may not obstruct a road, gate, firelane, or trail.
    4. No motor vehicle shall be operated in areas designated as closed to vehicular traffic.
    5. The use of airboats, ATVs, swamp buggies, tracked vehicles, and unlicensed and unregistered motorcycles is prohibited, except airboats may be used in units 3 and 4 from November 28 through March 1. All vessels except airboats may be used in canals.
    6. 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 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. All 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.
    3. Deer may be dismembered in the field or camp 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.
  • Guns
    Guns:
    1. Hunting with a firearm east of the C-109 levee or within 500 yards of the Dade Work Camp is prohibited. 
    2. Hunting within 100 yards of 232nd Avenue or in any area designated as closed to hunting is prohibited.
    3. Hunting with guns or archery equipment is prohibited on, from, or across any check station, levee, or improved road.
    4. Hunting at night with a gun is prohibited.
    5. 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.
    6. Hunting deer with rimfire or non-expanding, full metal jacket (military ball) ammunition is prohibited.
    7. Hunting wildlife (other than migratory birds) with airguns is allowed. See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook for details.
    8. Hunting deer with airguns is prohibited, except pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) airguns propelling a bolt, arrow, or bullet .30 caliber or larger are allowed. 
    9. Children under the age of 16 hunting with a firearm or airgun must be in the presence of a supervising adult.
    10. No person shall discharge a firearm or have a loaded firearm in hand while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
    11. For hunting non-migratory game, only shotguns, rifles, muzzleloading guns, pistols, airguns, bows, crossbows, or falconry may be used.
    12. 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.
    13. Hunting with full-automatic firearms, centerfire semi-automatic rifles having a magazine capable of holding more than 5 rounds, explosive or drug-injecting devices, or set guns is prohibited.
    14. The discharge of a firearm outside of periods open to hunting or in areas closed to hunting is prohibited per s.790.15 FS.
  • Dogs
    Dogs:
    1. Hunting deer or wild hog with dogs is prohibited.
    2. Hunting with dogs is prohibited, except bird dogs and retrievers may be used to hunt ducks, geese, coot, snipe, and non-protected birds during snipe and waterfowl seasons; and any dog may be used to hunt gray squirrel, migratory birds in season, quail, rabbits, and non-protected birds during small game season.
    3. No person shall knowingly or negligently 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 are allowed during periods or in areas closed to hunting with dogs, but must be kept under physical restraint at all times. 
  • Camping

    Camping:

    Prohibited.  
  • Bag and Possession Limits
    Bag and Possession Limits:
    1. Deer - No person shall exceed statewide bag limits.
    A. Area limits - See statewide limits below. Taking antlerless deer is prohibited on this area. 
    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, quail, and rabbits - Daily limit 12, possession limit 24 for each.
    5. Armadillo, beaver, coyote, nutria, opossum, raccoon, and skunk - No bag limits.
    6. Bobcat and otter - Prohibited.
    7. Migratory birds - See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook.
    8. Non-native reptiles - No bag limits or size restrictions.
    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. 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.
General 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. Planting of trees, shrubs, or other vegetation is prohibited without written authorization from the landowner or the Commission.
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 furbearers, wild hog, and crows.
8. The wanton and willful waste of wildlife is prohibited.
9. Hunting, fishing, or trapping is prohibited on any portion of the area posted as closed to those activities.
10. People, dogs, vehicles, and other recreational equipment are prohibited in areas posted as “Closed to Public Access” by FWC or SFWMD administrative action. 
11. 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.
12. Most game may be hunted from ½ hour before sunrise until ½ hour after sunset (see exceptions under each season).
13. The release of any animal is prohibited, except by permit from FWC or written authorization from the landowner or primary land manager.
14. The skull plate with any attached antler, if applicable, shall remain with any harvested deer. See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook for details.
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. No persons shall bring building materials onto the area or erect permanent or semi-permanent structures.
Public Access and Vehicles:
1. Open to public access year-round.
2. Motor vehicles may only be operated during daylight hours and only on the portions of SW 232nd Avenue and SW 424th Street before the locked gates.
3. Parked vehicles may not obstruct a road, gate, firelane, or trail.
4. No motor vehicle shall be operated in areas designated as closed to vehicular traffic.
5. The use of airboats, ATVs, swamp buggies, tracked vehicles, and unlicensed and unregistered motorcycles is prohibited, except airboats may be used in units 3 and 4 from November 28 through March 1. All vessels except airboats may be used in canals.
6. 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 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. All 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.
3. Deer may be dismembered in the field or camp 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.
Guns:
1. Hunting with a firearm east of the C-109 levee or within 500 yards of the Dade Work Camp is prohibited. 
2. Hunting within 100 yards of 232nd Avenue or in any area designated as closed to hunting is prohibited.
3. Hunting with guns or archery equipment is prohibited on, from, or across any check station, levee, or improved road.
4. Hunting at night with a gun is prohibited.
5. 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.
6. Hunting deer with rimfire or non-expanding, full metal jacket (military ball) ammunition is prohibited.
7. Hunting wildlife (other than migratory birds) with airguns is allowed. See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook for details.
8. Hunting deer with airguns is prohibited, except pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) airguns propelling a bolt, arrow, or bullet .30 caliber or larger are allowed. 
9. Children under the age of 16 hunting with a firearm or airgun must be in the presence of a supervising adult.
10. No person shall discharge a firearm or have a loaded firearm in hand while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
11. For hunting non-migratory game, only shotguns, rifles, muzzleloading guns, pistols, airguns, bows, crossbows, or falconry may be used.
12. 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.
13. Hunting with full-automatic firearms, centerfire semi-automatic rifles having a magazine capable of holding more than 5 rounds, explosive or drug-injecting devices, or set guns is prohibited.
14. The discharge of a firearm outside of periods open to hunting or in areas closed to hunting is prohibited per s.790.15 FS.
Dogs:
1. Hunting deer or wild hog with dogs is prohibited.
2. Hunting with dogs is prohibited, except bird dogs and retrievers may be used to hunt ducks, geese, coot, snipe, and non-protected birds during snipe and waterfowl seasons; and any dog may be used to hunt gray squirrel, migratory birds in season, quail, rabbits, and non-protected birds during small game season.
3. No person shall knowingly or negligently 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 are allowed during periods or in areas closed to hunting with dogs, but must be kept under physical restraint at all times. 

Camping:

Prohibited.  
Bag and Possession Limits:
1. Deer - No person shall exceed statewide bag limits.
A. Area limits - See statewide limits below. Taking antlerless deer is prohibited on this area. 
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, quail, and rabbits - Daily limit 12, possession limit 24 for each.
5. Armadillo, beaver, coyote, nutria, opossum, raccoon, and skunk - No bag limits.
6. Bobcat and otter - Prohibited.
7. Migratory birds - See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook.
8. Non-native reptiles - No bag limits or size restrictions.
9. Non-protected birds (African and Eurasian collared-doves, common pigeon, Egyptian goose, house sparrow, and common starling) - No bag limits.
 
Seasons ( Count: 8)
  • Archery Season
    August 3 - September 1
    Permit, Stamp, and License Requirements - Hunting license, management area permit, archery permit, deer permit (if hunting deer), and migratory bird permit (if hunting migratory birds).
    Legal to Hunt - Antlered deer having at least one antler measuring five inches or more in length with two or more points (each point being one inch or more in length)wild hog, gray squirrel, quail, rabbits, raccoon, opossum, armadillo, beaver, coyote, skunk, nutria, migratory birds in season, and non-protected birds.
    Regulations Unique to Archery Season - Only archery equipment may be used for hunting, except that centerfire and muzzleloading shotguns are allowed for hunting migratory birds and non-protected birds. Hunting with crossbows is prohibited (except by disabled crossbow permit).
  • Muzzleloading Gun Season
    September 13-15
    Permit, Stamp, and License Requirements - Hunting license, management area permit, muzzleloading gun permit, deer permit (if hunting deer), and migratory bird permit (if hunting migratory birds).
    Legal to Hunt - Antlered deer having at least one antler measuring five inches or more in length with two or more points (each point being one inch or more in length)wild hog, gray squirrel, quail, rabbits, raccoon, opossum, armadillo, beaver, coyote, skunk, nutria, migratory birds in season, and non-protected birds.
    Regulations Unique to Muzzleloading Gun Season - Hunting with archery equipment or guns other than muzzleloading guns is prohibited, except that centerfire shotguns are allowed for hunting migratory birds and non-protected birds.
  • General Gun Season
    September 21 - October 20, November 25 - December 1
    Permit, Stamp, and License Requirements - Hunting license, management area permit, deer permit (if hunting deer), migratory bird permit (if hunting migratory birds), and state waterfowl permit and federal duck stamp (if hunting waterfowl).
    Legal to Hunt - Antlered deer having at least one antler measuring five inches or more in length with two or more points (each point being one inch or more in length)wild hog, rabbits, raccoon, opossum, armadillo, beaver, coyote, skunk, nutria, gray squirrel, quail,  migratory birds in season, and non-protected birds
    Regulations Unique to General Gun Season - Hunting with dogs is prohibited during general gun season, except waterfowl retrievers and birds dogs may be used to hunt ducks, geese, coot, and snipe.
  • Small Game Season
    December 2 - February 23
    Permit, Stamp, and License Requirements - Hunting license, management area permit, migratory bird permit (if hunting migratory birds), state waterfowl permit and federal duck stamp (if hunting waterfowl), and military license or ID (if harvesting waterfowl during the veterans and military waterfowl hunt).

    Legal to Hunt - Wild hog, gray squirrel, quail, rabbits, raccoon, opossum, armadillo, beaver, coyote, skunk, nutria, migratory birds in season, and non-protected birds.
    Regulations Unique to Small Game Season -
    1. Dogs may be used to hunt gray squirrel, migratory birds in season, non-protected birds, quail, and rabbits only.
    2. Hunting with centerfire rifles is prohibited.
  • Trapping
    Prohibited.
  • Migratory Bird Season

    Migratory game birds (other than waterfowl and snipe) and crows may be hunted when their respective statewide seasons coincide with the seasons in this brochure for which migratory birds are listed as legal to hunt. Ducks, geese, coot, and snipe may be hunted during their respective statewide seasons. See migratory bird hunting regulations.
    Permit, Stamp, and License Requirements - Hunting license, management area permit, migratory bird permit, and state waterfowl permit and federal duck stamp (if hunting waterfowl), and military license or ID (if harvesting waterfowl during the veterans and military waterfowl hunt).

    Legal to Hunt - See migratory bird season dates, bag limits, and regulations. Non-protected birds may also be taken. 
    Regulations Unique to Migratory Bird Seasons - All Migratory Bird Regulations shall apply.
    1. Bird dogs and retrievers may be used for hunting ducks, geese, coot, snipe, and non-protected birds during their respective statewide seasons.
    2. Hunting ducks, geese, or coot with lead shot is prohibited.
    3. Centerfire and muzzleloading shotguns are allowed for hunting migratory birds during established area seasons when migratory birds are legal to hunt.
    4. Shooting hours for mourning and white-winged doves are 1/2 before sunrise until sunset.
    5. Non-hunting assistants with required licenses and permits may actively participate in Veterans and Active Military Waterfowl Hunting Days, provided they may not harvest wildlife.
    6. Adults with required licenses and permits may actively participate in Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days, provided they may not harvest wildlife.
  • Fishing and Frogging

    Fishing - Allowed year-round.
    Frogging - November 27 through March 1.
    Permit, Stamp, and License Requirements - Fishing license (if fishing) or management area permit (if frogging).
    Legal to Take - See Florida Freshwater Fishing Regulations Summary.
    Regulations Unique to Fishing and Frogging - All General Freshwater Fishing Regulations shall apply. Shooting frogs is allowed only during the listed open hunting seasons and only with the legal methods of take during each particular season. Frogs may be taken by firearm during daylight hours only.
  • Non-Native Reptiles
    Allowed year round.
    Permit, Stamp, and License Requirements - None.
    Legal to take - Non-native reptiles including, but not limited to, Conditional and Prohibited reptiles such as the Argentine black and white tegu, green iguana, and Burmese python. Note: Conditional and Prohibited reptiles shall not be removed from the area alive.
    Regulations unique to removal of non-native reptiles -
    1. Non-native reptiles may be taken by methods other than firearms year-round.
    2. Firearms (as allowed by season) may be used to take non-native reptiles only during open hunting seasons summarized in this brochure. Firearms other than centerfire rifles may also be used to take non-native reptiles from February 24 through April 13.
    3. Conditional and Prohibited reptiles shall not be removed from the area alive.
    4. Shooting hours are ½ hour before sunrise until ½ hour after sunset.
    5. Please report take and sightings of non-native reptiles at 888-IVE-GOT1 (888-483-4681) or online at IveGot1.org.
    6. Taking non-native reptiles with dogs is prohibited. 
 
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.
South Florida Water Management District Information:
This land was acquired under the Save Our Rivers (SOR) Program. The purpose of SOR is to conserve and protect unique and irreplaceable lands, restore areas to their original condition as much as possible, and allow controlled multiple recreational and educational uses consistent with this purpose.
Cooperation Requested:
If you see law violators or suspicious activities, contact your nearest Commission regional office or call 888-404-FWCC (*FWC or #FWC may also be used depending on your phone service provider). You may qualify for a cash reward from the Wildlife Alert Reward Association.
The FWC receives financial assistance from the Department of the Interior (DOI), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The DOI prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, or disability. If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility, or you need more information, please contact the FWC  at:  FWC, Office of Human Resources, 620 S Meridian  St., Tallahassee, FL 32399, (850) 488-6411, or write to:  Office of Diversity, Inclusion & Civil Rights, Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20240.