The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has approved several rule changes for the 2025-26 hunting season. These changes, discussed at the FWC’s February meeting, focus on areas managed by the commission. The proposals were developed based on input from staff, cooperators, and stakeholders. Summaries of these proposed amendments were made available online for public comment starting October 2, 2024, resulting in over 14,000 responses.
Among the changes is the establishment of three new wildlife management areas: Deep Creek in St. Johns County, Dinner Island Ranch – Caracara Unit in Hendry County, and Rice Creek in Putnam County.
Additional significant changes include new hunting opportunities across 25 wildlife management areas (WMAs) statewide. This includes establishing new hunts, expanding current seasons, or removing quotas.
For nonresident turkey hunters, new rules will prohibit them from hunting wild turkey during the first nine days of the zonal spring turkey season at specific locations including Big Cypress (non-quota units only), Herky Huffman/Bull Creek, Jumper Creek, Three Lakes, and J.W. Corbett. Nonresidents will also be required to purchase an annual hunting license instead of a 10-day license. Additionally, there will be a limit set where only 10% of spring turkey quota permits can be issued to nonresidents.
Changes to improve the quota hunt program have also been introduced. Individuals can now apply for a preference point during Phase I of the application process. When returning a quota permit, individuals will retain only their original number of preference points prior to applying. Those who return a permit obtained in Phase I are prohibited from reapplying for that same hunt during Phase IV reissues. Furthermore, individuals will lose their preference points after five years of inactivity instead of two.
For more details about these rule changes and the rulemaking process itself, visit MyFWC.com/About and click on “Rules & Regulations.”
