Hunting in Florida

[cartwo]

 I would like to turkey hunt for a few days on my way back home from vacationing in Naples, Fl. I can hunt on the opening weekend of the 18th. I'm looking for suggestions on a WMA that doesn't require a permit to hunt it. I realize opening weekend and public hunting ground is not an ideal hunt, but it's my only option at this time. I'll be traveling from Naples towards Jacksonville on my way home if that helps. Thanks in advance for any help I receive!

[Dtrkyman]

Call Florida game and fish, forums will not likely put out that info anymore!  I have never hunted down there so I am of no help.

Can't kill em from the hotel!

[cartwo]

I sent them an email today asking some questions, haven't heard back yet.

[roberthyman14]

Gotta do some leg work.
Myfwc.com
Search wma  then itll give you a region map. From that map click on each wma and check to see if you need a quota for that time of season.  Make a list of all the wma that fit your needs.  Start map scouting and googling to find out if they have any birds.  But after last season I think florida is fresh out of turkeys.  Goodluck

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[joey46]

FWC has the 2023 Spring Turkey Hunting Guide available on their web site.  It will answer all your questions.  There is even a map showing the WMAs that don't require a quota permit.  Remember the season opens earlier south of State Route 70.  Naples is in the south zone.  The same web site will list the harvest numbers for some (not all) WMAs. Good luck.

[joey46]

Found it for you if it will post. 
It appears to have posted super sized.  Oh well.  You'll get the idea and the link.

[btodd00]

the recent hurricanes picked them all up and took them north, the best place to get an Osceola is now Georgia....

All jokes aside the map above should give you everything you need to know, there is more land on that map than you could hunt in a lifetime. I will say I think the Osceola/eastern line is much further south than the FWC likes to illustrate it is but that's a whole different subject

[Tail Feathers]

The graphic that Joey posted, double check those by name in the FWC site, I think I see an error or two on there.  Some are open fully to the public on after a period of "permit holders only".  Narrow it down by preferred location and research any you are interested in fully.

[saltysenior]

unless you find public land , you will be very disappointed.....however if you put away the gun and take your call and a camera there is much public land (state parks) that do not allow hunting and have a better population of birds.

[joey46]

The graphic that Joey posted, double check those by name in the FWC site, I think I see an error or two on there.  Some are open fully to the public on after a period of "permit holders only".  Narrow it down by preferred location and research any you are interested in fully.

Very true.  I see one right off that is incorrect in this regard.  The FWC should add an asterisk to their map.  The info on the WMA finder pages should be accurate as to dates etc.  BTW - some are not open to hunting all seven days of the week.  Check and then double check.  Good luck.

[cartwo]

 I think what happened is, when I looked at FWC I was only looking at Quota Permits for WMA and thought that Quota Permits was for the entire WMA areas and that was the only way you could hunt in a WMA. After looking at the maps of each WMA area I see the WMA are broken down by units, that's when I saw the Quota permits were for a listed unit inside the WMA area, not the whole WMA area. Do I have this correct? Obvious this is the first-time dealing with WMA and units.

[joey46]

Very few WMAs will have units within units with quota and non quota hunts within them.  Big Cypress the glaring exception.  There may be a few others.  Over the years some, with check stations,  did limit the daily number of hunters.  The individual WMA regs will clearly state anything special regarding access.

[cartwo]

Very few WMAs will have units within units with quota and non quota hunts within them.  Big Cypress the glaring exception.  There may be a few others.  Over the years some, with check stations,  did limit the daily number of hunters.  The individual WMA regs will clearly state anything special regarding access.

I see that now, other than Big Cypress, it looks like most are either a quota or limited the first part of the season which would keep me from hunting those during the time that I could hunt. I'll focus on Big Cypress for now.

[ChiefBubba]

Seems like that subspecies line has migrated north a good bit. Bubba

[joey46]

Seems like that subspecies line has migrated north a good bit. Bubba

Ya think - Lol
Btw - don't ever mention the word "hybrid".