Florida WMA Non-Resident Restriction - UPDATE

[Swampmonkey]

Got email from FWC. All changes passed. 9-day nonresident ban on south Florida wma's, gotta buy annual license to hunt turkeys and 10% non resident quota.

[MStrky]

It was fun while it lasted.. Now, while I am young to most and didn't find out about south Florida until 2018 when I was 18, I've been going for 3 years and this will be my 4th and for some reason it has sunk its claws in me. I know people that have went and had luck and will never go back. That wasn't my experience, I can say with confidence that it's my favorite place to hunt. What happened probably needed to happen, but I would like to see a draw system put in place like here in Mississippi for nonresidents.

[joey46]

Seems extreme but it is what it is.

[Jbird22]

Seems extreme but it is what it is.

Reciprocity awaits!!!

I told you last year when you brought that word up to be careful what you wish for.

[deerhunt1988]

Like I said, other states will take notice. Now we get to wait and see what state will be first in the chain reaction!!

We had a good run, unfortunately a few have caused it to come crashing down for us all in recent years. I'll get to tell my kid "Back in my day, we could actually hunt public land across the U.S. without having to draw!!! Can you believe that!!"

[joey46]

It won't be reciprocity but just a general non-resident attack throughout the country.  Any state that balks will be overrun.  Be an interesting next few years for those able to travel.  Makes a joke out of the word "National" when the National Forest and National Recreation Areas are involved.

[arkrem870]

Just remember how we got to this point.  You can't adapt to a closed season. Unless you poach it

llss

[Ridge]

Cove, where you at?

[kytrkyhntr]

can a florida resident on here give me an honest thumb up or thumb down on these changes?

do you approve of these changes?

[Jbird22]

It won't be reciprocity but just a general non-resident attack throughout the country.  Any state that balks will be overrun.  Be an interesting next few years for those able to travel.  Makes a joke out of the word "National" when the National Forest and National Recreation Areas are involved.

Make no mistake, it WILL indeed be reciprocity! FL just set the precedent. They could've opted for a non-res draw like MS but they decided to up the stakes instead. It's imminent that other states will soon call their raise.

[Ranger]

I bet it would be interesting to sit at one of these State Gub'ment tables and listen to the conversation.

In Georgia they lowered the limit because of lowering turkey numbers, at the same time paying THP to hunt GA WMAs and pimp the resource with advertising. On purpose. Paid to do it. Almost like they want more licenses to sell and more of the resource to do it with. Hats off to FL for at least doing something to do the opposite.

[Ridge]

can a florida resident on here give me an honest thumb up or thumb down on these changes?

do you approve of these changes?

Why would residents be anything but elated? If I were a resident, I'd be doing cartwheels down Alligator Alley.

[cracker4112]

I'm a Florida native and resident.  I have mixed feelings about this. I have no problem with the 10% quotas for non-residents, we should have first dibs and the majority of permits.

Even though I rarely hunt public land, I do like to travel and hunt some seasons, and this will eventually impact when I am able to travel as I'm sure other states will follow.

I'd also like to point out that the WMAs that were restricted are NOT all in the South zone.  3 of the 5 are above SR 70.

[joey46]

It won't be reciprocity but just a general non-resident attack throughout the country.  Any state that balks will be overrun.  Be an interesting next few years for those able to travel.  Makes a joke out of the word "National" when the National Forest and National Recreation Areas are involved.

Make no mistake, it WILL indeed be reciprocity! FL just set the precedent. They could've opted for a non-res draw like MS but they decided to up the stakes instead. It's imminent that other states will soon call their raise.

Wanna bet?  No individual state will single out Florida residents specifically.  They will start targeting all the non-residents from any state with shorter seasons and exorbitant fees.  Even the magnanimous MS residents will suffer.

[Jbird22]

It won't be reciprocity but just a general non-resident attack throughout the country.  Any state that balks will be overrun.  Be an interesting next few years for those able to travel.  Makes a joke out of the word "National" when the National Forest and National Recreation Areas are involved.

Make no mistake, it WILL indeed be reciprocity! FL just set the precedent. They could've opted for a non-res draw like MS but they decided to up the stakes instead. It's imminent that other states will soon call their raise.

Wanna bet?  No individual state will single out Florida residents specifically.  They will start targeting all the non-residents from any state with shorter seasons and exorbitant fees.  Even the magnanimous MS residents will suffer.

MS didn't single out non-residents from FL with their decision just as FL didn't single out non-residents from MS with their decision. Other states will reciprocate your state's decision (including ALL non residents) is what I was implying, not that it would just affect non-residents from a particular state. You knew this already though.