2010-2011 Hunting Regulations

    * Resident game birds and game mammals may be hunted between one-half hour before sunrise and one-half hour after sunset. However, shooting hours during spring turkey season are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset on private lands. On wildlife management areas, shooting hours during spring turkey season are one-half hour before sunrise to 1 p.m.

    * Migratory game birds may be hunted between one-half hour before sunrise and sunset; however, during the first phase of dove season, shooting hours are noon to sunset.

Hunter orange requirement:

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 archery season.

Feeding game:

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

    * Resident game (except turkeys) and wild hogs may be hunted over 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 resident game.

    * Wild turkeys may not be taken over feed or if the hunter is less than 100 yards from a game-feeding station when feed is present.

    * The intentional placement of feed in a manner that is likely to create or creates a public nuisance by attracting black bears, foxes or raccoons is prohibited.

In addition to normal agricultural harvesting or planting methods, mourning and white-winged doves may be hunted over agricultural crops that have been harvested or manipulated and over natural vegetation that has been manipulated

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Prohibited methods and equipment for taking game

    * Centerfire semi-automatic rifles having magazine capacities of more than five rounds

    * Nonexpanding full metal case (military ball) ammunition for taking deer

    * Firearms using rimfire cartridges for taking deer

    * Rifles or pistols for taking migratory game birds

    * Fully automatic or silencer-equipped firearms

    * Explosive or drug-injecting arrows or bolts

    * Taking or attempting to take game with live decoys, recorded game calls or sounds, set guns, artificial lights, nets, traps, snares, drugs or poisons

    * Shooting from vehicles, powerboats or sailboats moving under power. Motors must be shut off or sails furled, and the vessel’s progress must cease from such motor or sail before hunters may shoot wildlife.

    * Herding or driving wildlife with vehicles, boats or aircraft

    * Hunting turkeys with dogs

    * Shooting turkeys while they are on the roost

    * Taking migratory game birds over baited areas

    * Taking turkeys over baited areas

    * Taking turkeys when the hunter is within 100 yards of a game-feeding station when feed is present

    * Taking spotted fawn deer or swimming deer

    * Hunting with bows equipped with sights or aiming devices with electronic computational capabilities or light projection (laser) features during the archery season

    * Hunting resident game using bows and crossbows with draw weights less than 35 pounds

    * Using dogs without collars that identify the owner’s name and address

    * Using dogs on private lands without written landowner permission

    * Taking game with modern firearms while hunting during the archery, crossbow and muzzleloading gun seasons

    * Placing, exposing or distributing soporific, anesthetic, tranquilizer, hypnotic or similar drugs or chemicals; preparation by baits; or by other means where game birds or game animals may be affected, unless authorized by permit from the FWC executive director