General Information

The possession of a hunting license does not authorize a person to trespass onto private land. Obtain landowner’s permission before entering private land. Trespassing while possessing a firearm or other dangerous weapon is a felony punishable by imprisonment up to five years and/or a fine of up to $5,000.

It is illegal in Florida for convicted felons to possess firearms, including muzzleloading guns, unless the convicted felon has had his/ her civil rights restored by the state's Clemency Board or the firearm qualifies as an antique firearm under Florida Statute 790.001(1). Properly licensed convicted felons may hunt with bows, crossbows or antique firearms per Florida Statute 790 during hunting seasons when such devices are legal for taking game. The 2015 Florida Statutes Title XLVI, Section, 790.001(1) states "Antique firearm means any firearm manufactured in or before 1918 (including any matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap or similar early type of ignition system) or replica thereof, whether actually manufactured before or after the year 1918, and also any firearm using fixed ammunition manufactured in or before 1918, for which ammunition is no longer manufactured in the United States and is not readily available in the ordinary channels of commercial trade." Convicted felons should be aware that being in a location where a firearm is present may constitute constructive possession of that firearm. Constructive possession occurs when the person knows about the firearm and is in a position to exert control over that firearm or where they have concealed the firearm. Possession may also be joint, that is, two or more persons may jointly possess a firearm, exercising control over it, each person is considered to be in possession.

Persons who own, lease or otherwise have written permission to take deer on properties of at least 640 contiguous acres, or not less than 150 contiguous acres if adjoining land with a current permit, may apply for antlerless deer permits and tags to authorize the harvest of a specific number of antlerless deer on the enrolled property during the established deer hunting season. A group with adjoining lands may apply together, provided the total combined acreage meets the acreage requirements. Learn more about the Antlerless Deer Permit Program.

Free-ranging, unprotected non-native deer of either sex may be harvested during established seasons for taking deer and are not subject to antler requirements, bag or possession limits, and harvest reporting requirements.

On private property with landowner permission, wild hogs may be hunted year-round day or night without restriction (i.e., by all lawful methods with no bag/possession limits, no size limits and no licenses/permits required). They also may be trapped but cannot be transported alive without a Feral Swine Dealer Permit from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services by calling 850-410-0900. Wild hogs can only be taken on WMAs during specified seasons, where bag and size limits may apply. For more information on hunting wild hogs on WMAs, consult the specific WMA brochure for the area you want to hunt.

One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset except when hunting turkeys during spring turkey season. Shooting hours during spring turkey season on private lands and most WMAs are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. On some WMAs, spring turkey shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to 1 p.m.

It is unlawful to hunt deer or to accompany another person hunting deer on public lands unless each person is wearing a minimum of 500 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange material as an outer garment. Such clothing must be worn above the waistline and can include a head covering. This rule does not apply during an archery-only season, or when hunting on private lands at any time.

Dogs may be used as an aid in taking game mammals and game birds, unless otherwise prohibited. Persons owning or using dogs shall not knowingly or negligently permit such dogs to trail, pursue or otherwise molest wildlife during closed seasons. When using archery equipment and muzzleloaders during their respective archery, crossbow and muzzleloading gun seasons, the taking of deer by the use or aid of dogs is prohibited. Dogs on leashes may be used to trail wounded game mammals during all seasons. Taking turkeys by aid of dogs at any time is prohibited. Hunters who use dogs for hunting, including bird dogs or retrievers, are required to have their dogs wear collars that identify their owner’s name and address. This regulation also requires dog hunters to possess landowners’ written permission before using their dogs to pursue game on private property. On private land rabbit, raccoon, opossum, skunk, nutria, beaver, coyote, hog, fox and bobcat may be chased throughout the year with free running dogs. For more information, contact an FWC regional office.

Statewide deer-dog registration

Deer hunters using dogs on private properties in Florida must obtain a no-cost registration from the FWC. Registration requirements apply to the deer-dog training season and during any open deer hunting season when it is legal to take deer with dogs. Applications must be submitted no later than 30 days prior to the final day of general gun season in the hunting zone where the property is situated. To comply with the registration rule, deer-dog hunters on private lands must have registration numbers on their dogs’ collars; possess copies of the registration; and keep their dogs on registered properties. Find more information and apply.

Deer Dogs

Deer dogs can be trained during closed seasons when dogs are constantly attached to leashes or ropes in the hands of their trainers for training purposes. Deer dogs are permitted to run free for training purposes only during deer-dog training seasons. Taking deer or any other wildlife with a gun is prohibited while training deer dogs.

Remote Tracking Devices

All dogs not under physical restraint used for pursuing deer, wild hog, fox, or coyote must be equipped and monitored with devices that allow remote tracking. Removing, tampering, or otherwise interfering with any collar or tag (including remote tracking and behavior correction devices) of a dog used for hunting without the owner’s permission is prohibited. Violating this rule is a second-degree misdemeanor that carries a fine of up to $500. For more information, contact an FWC regional office.

On July 1, 2022, an additional corrective device will also be required on the collars of such hunting dogs.

Bird Dogs

On private lands during closed seasons, bird dogs may be trained with pistols firing blanks or balls or by taking pen-raised quail (with shotguns only), when birds have been banded with owners’ names prior to releasing them.

Fox Dogs

Foxes cannot be killed but may be chased year-round with dogs. For more information, see the furbearer regulations.

Taking game on lands or waters upon which corn, wheat, grain, food or other substances have been deposited by means other than normal agricultural harvesting or planting is prohibited, except as noted below.

Non-migratory game may be hunted in proximity of year-round game-feeding stations on private lands, provided the feeding station has been maintained with feed for at least six months prior to taking game.
Wild turkey may not be taken if the hunter is less than 100 yards from a game feeding station when feed is present.
Placing, offering or allowing the placement of feed or garbage that is likely to create or creates a public nuisance by attracting bears is prohibited after receiving written notification from the FWC. The intentional feeding of bears is prohibited.

Buying or selling game is prohibited except as provided for on licensed game farms (see Rule 68A-12.011, F.A.C.) and hunting preserves (see Rule 68A-12.010) at www.flrules.org. When lawfully taken, the feathers or skins of resident game birds or the skins of deer, squirrels, or rabbits may be sold.

Deer and turkeys may be dismembered in field or camp, however, tags must be attached to each portion identifying names, addresses, FWC issued customer number of the persons who harvested them with date and location at which they were taken. These tags must be readily traceable to the portion of the animal bearing
sex identification, head and, if applicable, beard.

Deer harvest reporting requirement

After harvesting a deer and prior to moving it from the point of harvest, all hunters must record the harvest in their harvest log and report it to the FWC’s harvest reporting system within 24 hours of harvest and prior to final processing of the deer, any parts of it being transferred to a meat processor or taxidermist, or the deer leaving the state. Hunters can obtain printable harvest logs and get more information on harvest reporting at MyFWC.com/HarvestReport. Harvest may be reported online at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or through the Fish|Hunt FL mobile app. Hunters can also choose to report harvest by calling 888-HUNT-FLORIDA (486-8356) anytime day or night. Reporting is not complete until a confirmation number is given and recorded. An FWC Customer ID number is needed when reporting deer harvest and can be found by logging into a customer account or creating a new account at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.

Once a harvested deer is reported through the FWC’s harvest reporting system and prior to that deer being transferred to another party, the deer, or portions or parts thereof, must be labeled by the harvester with their first and last name and the harvest reporting confirmation number. Such labeling shall remain on the deer, or portions or parts thereof, until final processing or until stored at the domicile of its possessor.

As an alternative to labeling, a processor may use a logbook and numbering or other tracking system. The logbook shall contain the same information that is required on the label (first and last name and the harvest reporting confirmation number).

Infographic about labeling a deer carcass when transferring it to another party after it's been reported.

Positive evidence of sex identification, including the head, shall remain on deer taken or killed within the state and on all turkeys taken during any gobbler season when taking of turkey hens is prohibited, so long as such deer or turkey is kept in camp or forest or is in route to the domicile of its possessor or until such deer or turkey has been cooked or stored at the domicile of its possessor.

A person may transport the possession limit of lawfully taken game.
A person may at any time possess mounted specimens of lawfully taken game, including the heads, antlers, hides/skins, feathers or feet.
Lawfully taken game may be shipped by the person who took such game provided that each package shall be marked on the outside to show the names and addresses of both the shipper and the addressee, and the numbers and kinds of game contained therein.

It is illegal to import into Florida or possess whole carcasses or high-risk carcass parts of any species of the family Cervidae (deer, elk, moose, caribou) originating from anywhere outside of Florida. The only exception to this rule is deer harvested from a property in Georgia or Alabama that is bisected by the Florida state line AND under the same ownership may be imported into Florida.

Under these rules, people may import into Florida:

De-boned meat
Finished taxidermy mounts
Clean hides and antlers
Skulls, skull caps and teeth if all soft tissue has been removed

Find more information about carcass importation requirements and see this infographic about the new rules.

Visit MyFWC.com/CWD for more information on chronic wasting disease.

It is unlawful for anyone to throw or dump trash or in any way litter highways, public lands and waters of the state or private properties.

All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and off-highway motorcycles (OHMs) purchased after July 1, 2002 must be titled with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. ATVs and OHMs must be titled when used for recreational purposes on lands within the state that are available for public use and that are owned, operated or managed by federal, state, county or municipal governmental entities. Applications for title may be made at county tax collectors’ offices.

Using tree stands to take wildlife is permitted.