Public Hunting

Wildlife Management Area Permit Requirements

• To hunt on wildlife management areas (WMAs), you must possess a management area permit and a hunting license, unless exempt (see License and permit exemptions). A management area permit is not required to hunt on Eglin, Avon Park and Tyndall military bases, Apalachicola River Wildlife and Environmental Area, Kissimmee River Public Use Area, Kissimmee Chain of Lakes Area and Kissimmee Chain of Lakes – Rolling Meadows Unit.
• Limited entry/quota permits are required on WMAs during certain time periods (see Limited entry/quota permits on this same page).
• Permits for ADA accommodations are available under specific conditions for select Wildlife Management Areas. For eligibility details and application guidelines, visit the FWC’s ADA accommodations page.

Wildlife Management Area Regulation Changes

• Hunters are encouraged to review the WMA brochures for their intended hunting area, where the most recent rule changes are highlighted in bold. These brochures are the official source for up-to-date Wildlife Management Area information.

Public Small-Game Hunting Areas

These small-game public hunting areas provide opportunities to hunt wild hogs, doves, waterfowl, and other small game. To learn more about specific regulations and maps, refer to the Wildlife Management Area brochures, available exclusively online.

Hunting Florida’s Military Bases

Three military bases in Florida are open to public hunting. For information on hunting these lands, contact:

• Eglin Natural Resources, Jackson Guard, 107 Hwy. 85 North, Niceville, FL 32578; 850-882-4164.
• Avon Park Air Force Range, Hunt Information, 347 RQW, DET1, OLA/CEVN, 29 South Blvd., Avon Park Air Force Range, FL 33825-5700; 863-452-4254.
• Tyndall Air Force Base, Natural Resources Flight, 325 CES/CEN, 119 Alabama Ave., Tyndall Air Force Base, FL 32403; 850-527-2009.

Hunting Florida’s National Wildlife Refuges (NWR)

The following national wildlife refuges in Florida are open to public hunting. These refuges are operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Hunting permits for some of these areas are issued by the FWC (see National Wildlife Refuge hunts on this same page).

• Chassahowitzka NWR, 1502 Southeast Kings Bay Dr., Crystal River, FL 34429; 352-563-2088.
• Florida Panther and Ten Thousand Islands NWR, 12085 State Road 29 South, Immokalee FL 34142; 239-657-8001.
• A.R.M. Loxahatchee NWR, 10216 Lee Road, Boynton Beach, FL 33437; 561-732-3684.
• Lower Suwannee NWR, 16450 NW 31st Place, Chiefland, FL 32626; 352-493-0238.
• Lake Woodruff NWR, 2045 Mud Lake Road, DeLeon Springs, FL 32130; 386-985-4673.
• Merritt Island NWR, 1987 Scrub Jay Way, Titusville, FL 32815; 321-861-0669, Waterfowl only.
• St. Marks NWR, 1255 Lighthouse Road, St. Marks, FL 32355; 850-925-6121.
• St. Vincent NWR, 3100 County Road 30A, Apalachicola, FL 32329; 850-653-8808.

Limited Entry/ Quota Permits

To determine if or when a limited entry permit is required, refer to the brochure for the specific Wildlife Management Area (WMA) you plan to hunt. Applications for limited entry or quota permits may be submitted online through the Go Outdoors Florida system, or completed worksheets can be submitted in person at an authorized license agent or tax collector’s office. Additional details and application worksheets are available on the FWC’s Limited Entry/Quota Hunts page. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission issues various limited entry permits throughout the year for species such as alligator, dove, quail, deer, waterfowl, wild hog, and wild turkey.

Statewide Alligator Harvest Program

These limited permits allow the harvest of alligators on specific public water bodies or within specific counties. Each permit authorizes the take of two alligators on a specific harvest unit (see Florida is the alligator hunting capital of the world).

National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) hunts

These are U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hunt permits issued by FWC. For more information on NWR hunting opportunities, contact the local NWR office (see Hunting Florida’s national wildlife refuges on this same page).

• Lake Woodruff archery, muzzleloading gun and family spring turkey hunts
• Merritt Island waterfowl and archery hunts
• St. Marks archery, general gun, spring turkey and mobility-impaired hunts
• Lower Suwannee archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun, family/senior/disabled veterans, wild hog, small game, waterfowl, raccoon/opossum, youth spring turkey and spring turkey hunts
• A.R.M. Loxahatchee duck and coot hunt airboat use, deer/wild hog hunts
• Florida Panther spring turkey hunts
• St. Vincent Island Sambar and white-tailed deer hunts

Quota Permits

Quota permits are a specific type of limited entry permit with their own rules and application requirements. For a complete list of details, including permit-specific information and application worksheets, visit the Limited Entry/Quota Hunts section of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s website for each of these quota permit types:

• Archery*
• Dove
• General gun*
• Family hunt
• Mobility impaired hunt*
• Muzzleloading gun*
• Quail hunt
• Spring turkey*
• Track vehicle
• Wild hog*
• Youth spring turkey

* Guest permits are available for these types of permits. For more details and to access application worksheets, visit the Limited Entry/Quota Hunts section of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s website.

Recreational Use Permits

Recreational use permits are designed to provide revenue to private landowners in the Wildlife Management Area (WMA) System. These permits include a management area permit that may be used when hunting other public lands not in the recreational use program. Recreational use permits are only valid on the area designated on the permit and may not be used on other recreational use program areas.

The two recreational use areas and their annual permit fees are:

Waterfowl and Snipe Hunt Permits

Waterfowl permits are available for early and regular seasons on the following areas:

• T.M. Goodwin and Broadmoor Marsh Unit
• Ocklawaha Prairie
• Guana River
• Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs)
• A-1 Flow Equalization Basin (A-1 FEB)

Snipe permits also are available at Goodwin/Broadmoor Marsh and Ocklawaha Prairie.

Merritt Island NWR offers waterfowl permits for regular season hunts for $27.50.

Antlerless Deer Permits – Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs)

Antlerless deer permits are available in limited numbers on some WMAs. These permits are transferable and mailed in September. To be eligible for antlerless deer permits:

• Check the antlerless deer question check box next to a specific hunt on your phase I quota permit application.
• If awarded a quota permit during the phase I random drawing for an area that allows antlerless deer permits, you will be included in an additional drawing for antlerless deer permits.
• Special-opportunity and recreational use permit holders will automatically be included in the antlerless deer permit drawing (if permits are available for an area).

Special-Opportunity Permits

The FWC offers special-opportunity hunt permits. Fees range up to $175 per permit. Hunters may submit as many applications as they want, but there is a $5 non-refundable application fee that must be submitted with each individual application.

Special-Opportunity Fall Hunts

• Fort Drum WMA: One seven-day general gun deer/hog hunt — $50; 20 hunters on 20,858 acres.
• Green Swamp WMA West Unit: Two archery and three general gun deer/hog hunts. Each four-day hunt — $100; 54 hunters on 34,335 acres.
• Lake Panasoffkee WMA: Eight archery deer/hog hunts. Each four-day hunt — $100; 20 hunters on 8,676 acres.
• Triple N Ranch WMA: Two seven-day general gun and one four-day muzzleloading gun hunt for deer/hogs — $175; 15 hunters on 16,295 acres.

Special-Opportunity Spring Turkey Hunts

• Fisheating Creek WMA East: Two seven-day hunts. Each hunt — $175; 10 hunters on 3,741 acres.
• Fort Drum WMA: Three seven-day hunts. Each hunt — $50; five hunters on 20,858 acres.
• Green Swamp WMA West Unit: 34,335 acres divided into three units with eight hunters per unit. Five hunts per unit. Each four-day hunt — $100.
• Homosassa WMA: Two seven-day hunts. Each hunt — $175; five hunters on 5,675 acres.
• Lake George WMA Dexter/Mary Farm Unit: 14,377 acres divided into three zones with four hunters per zone. Three hunts per zone. Each seven-day hunt — $175.
• Lake Panasoffkee WMA: Three four-day hunts. Each hunt — $100; 10 hunters on 8,676 acres.
• Triple N Ranch WMA: Three seven-day hunts. Each hunt — $175; 10 hunters on 16,295 acres.

Alligator Super Hunt

These no-cost limited permits allow the harvest of two alligators at any legally accessible alligator management unit. (see Florida is the alligator hunting capital of the world).

Limited Entry/Quota Permits – Application Periods

Florida offers limited entry and quota permit opportunities throughout the year. For the most current information, visit the Limited Entry/Quota Hunts section of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s website.