Hunting in Florida

The tropical and subtropical climate of the Sunshine State makes Florida a challenging and interesting place to hunt. White-tailed deer and wild hogs are the most commonly hunted species, but Florida also offers a number of unique hunting opportunities, including alligators, Burmese pythons, and Osceola turkeys. There are plenty of whitetails throughout the state, and more than 100,000 deer are taken by hunters each season, making whitetails the most widely hunted species. Second in popularity are wild pigs. On private property with landowner permission, wild pigs may be trapped and hunted year-round with no bag limit and no hunting license required. Hogs may also be taken during most hunting seasons on public land, but a permit is required and there are additional restrictions. One of the most sought-after game species in Florida is the Osceola turkey. This unique bird lives on the Florida peninsula and nowhere else in the world, making it extremely popular with out-of-state hunters. It's similar to the eastern subspecies (found in the Panhandle) but tends to be a bit smaller and typically a darker shade with less white barring on the flight feathers of its wings. Black bear populations have grown significantly in recent years and a limited season was held in 2015. While the state has proposed plans to hold additional hunting seasons, these have not yet been implemented. Florida’s alligator harvest has been internationally recognized as a model program for the sustainable use of a natural resource. Each year, alligator management units are established with appropriate harvest quotas; up to two alligators can be taken per permit. CITES permits and an alligator trapping license are required. The Burmese python is a large nonvenomous constrictor that is an invasive species in Florida. Burmese pythons are found primarily in and around the Everglades ecosystem in south Florida where the snake represents a threat to native wildlife. Pythons can be killed on private lands at any time with landowner permission and no permit required, and they may also be taken at any time throughout the year from Wildlife Management Areas, Public Small Game Hunting Areas, and Wildlife and Environmental Areas where pythons are known to exist. Ducks, geese, and upland birds round out Florida’s excellent hunting opportunities, and of course many hunting trips can be combined with Florida’s famous fishing. Learn more about hunting in Florida at http://myfwc.com/hunting/.