2013 Florida Spring Turkey Season

What you need to know

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) offers 42 public hunting areas statewide where hunters need only to “walk on” to hunt spring turkeys.

Hunters need a hunting license ($17 for residents, $46.50 for nonresident 10-day license), management area permit ($26.50) andturkey permit ($10 for residents, $125 for nonresidents) to spring turkey hunt on the following areas.

These licenses and permits can be purchased while in Florida at county tax collectors’ offices and at most retail outlets that sell hunting/fishing supplies.  They also can be bought with a credit card by calling 888-486-8356 or going online at License.MyFWC.com.

Shooting hours during spring turkey season on these areas are one-half hour before sunrise to 1 p.m.  The only firearms allowed to take a spring turkey on wildlife management areas (unless otherwise noted below) are shotguns and muzzleloading shotguns, using shot no larger than No. 2.  Bows and crossbows also may be used.

Only gobblers (male) and bearded turkeys may be taken.  The daily bag limitis one turkey, and the season limit is two.  Baiting is against the law, but using decoys is allowed.
 You may not use dogs to hunt turkeys, use recorded turkey calls or sounds, or shoot turkeys while they are on the roost (in a tree).

Spring turkey season runs March 16 – April 21 in the following wildlife management areas, unless otherwise noted below.  Click on an area’s link to download its rules and regulations, including a map of the area.

Osceola turkeys inhabit these areas

Arbuckle WMA - 13,531 acres in Polk County.  Season runs March 19-21 and April 2-4.  There are 5 no-cost, daily quota permits available at the check station on a first-come, first-served basis.  Camping allowed only by permit from the Division of Forestry by calling 863-635-7801.

Big Bend WMA - Jena Unit - 12,522 acres in Dixie County.

Big Cypress WMA - 565,848 acres in Collier, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.  Season runs March 2 – April 7.  Camping allowed.

Devil's Hammock WMA - 7,635 acres in Levy County.  Season runs March 16-24.  There are 15 no-cost, daily quota permits available at the check station on a first-come, first-served basis.

Green Swamp WMA - 50,692 acres in Polk, Sumter and Lake counties.  Hunters must have a quota permit to hunt the first weekend, but there are 200 no-cost, daily quota permits available at the check station on a first-come, first-served basis for the remainder of season.  Camping allowed only by special permit from the FWC.

Herky Huffman/Bull Creek WMA - 23,646 acres in Osceola County.  Camping allowed.

J.W. Corbett WMA - 60,288 acres in Palm Beach County.  Season runs March 2 – April 7, Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays only.  Camping allowed.

Jumper Creek WMA - 10,552 acres in Sumter County.  Camping allowed but only accessible by boat.

Kissimmee Chain of Lakes Area - 21,000 acres in Polk and Osceola counties.  Camping allowed first-come, first-served only at designated campsites.  Management area permit not required.

Kissimmee River Public Use Area - 30,804 acres in Glades, Highlands, Okeechobee, Osceola and Polk counties.  Area is split between hunting zones A and C.  When hunting Zone A, the season runs March 2 – April 7.  For camping information only, call the South Florida Water Management District at 866-433-6312, option 2.  Management area permit not required. 

Lake Monroe WMA - 3,098 acres in Volusia and Seminole counties.

Lochloosa WMA - 11,149 acres in Alachua County.

Log Landing WMA - 5,048 acres in Dixie, Gilchrist and Lafayette counties.  Season runs March 16-17, 22-24 and 29-31, and April 5-7, 12-14 and 19-21.

Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge - 53,000 acres in Dixie and Levy counties.  Management area permit not required, but hunter must sign copy of area’s hunting brochure and have in his possession.  

Richloam WMA - 58,146 acres in Hernando, Pasco, Sumter and Lake counties.  Hunters must have a quota permit to hunt the first nine days, but those without one may hunt the remainder of the season: March 25 through April 21.  Camping allowed only by permit from Division of Forestry by calling 352-754-6896.

Santa Fe Swamp Wildlife and Environmental Area - 7,272 acres in Alachua and Bradford counties.  Only bows and muzzleloaders (including muzzleloading rifles) are legal.

Three Lakes WMA - 63,470 acres in Osceola County.  Camping allowed.

Upper Hillsborough WMA - 5,178 acres in Polk and Pasco counties.  Wednesdays and Thursdays only.  There are 75 no-cost, daily quota permits available at the check station on a first-come, first-served basis.  Camping allowed. 

Upper St. Johns River Marsh WMA - 120,386 acres in Brevard and Indian River counties.  Camping allowed.

Eastern turkeys inhabit these areas

Apalachicola National Forest - 581,290 acres in Franklin, Leon, Liberty and Wakulla counties.  Camping allowed.

Apalachicola River Wildlife and Environmental Area - 86,140 acres in Franklin and Gulf counties.  Camping allowed.  Management area permit not required.  

Aucilla WMA - 50,471 acres in Jefferson and Taylor counties.  Camping allowed.

Big Bend WMA:

Hickory Mound Unit - 14,427 acres in Taylor County. 

Snipe Island Unit - 11,687 acres in Taylor County.  Hunters must have a quota permit to hunt the first 16 days, but those without one may hunt the remainder of the season: April 1-7.

Spring Creek Unit - 14,600 acres in Taylor County.

Tide Swamp Unit - 19,538 acres in Taylor County.

Blackwater WMA - 191,651 acres in Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties.  Camping allowed.

Chipola River WMA - 9,094 acres in Jackson and Calhoun counties.  Quota permit required to hunt Altha Tract only.  Camping allowed at designated campsite only.

Choctawhatchee River WMA - 57,688 acres in Bay, Walton and Washington counties.  Southern (non-spring turkey quota area) portion of the area may be hunted without quota permit.  Camping allowed.

Econfina Creek WMA - 41,424 acres in Washington, Bay and Jackson counties.  Quota permit not required to hunt after the first nine days, except in the Cat Creek and Fitzhugh Carter areas (where quota permit is needed).  Camping allowed first-come, first-served at designated primitive campsites; group camping is allowed only by permit from Northwest Florida Water Management District by calling 850-539-5999.

Eglin Air Force Base - 265,000 acres in Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties.  Hunting and camping allowed only by permit from Jackson Guard Natural Resource Office by calling 850-883-1152. 

Escambia River WMA - 35,413 acres in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.  Camping allowed.

Joe Budd WMA - 11,039 acres in Gadsden County.  Saturdays and Sundays only.  There are 20 no-cost, daily quota permits available at the check station on a first-come, first-served basis.  Only bows and muzzleloaders (including muzzleloading rifles) are legal.  Camping allowed at High Bluff campground by permit from Division of Forestry on a first-come, first-served basis by calling 850-488-1871.

Lower Econfina River WMA - 3,004 acres in Taylor County.  Season runs March 16-24.

Mallory Swamp WMA - 31,318 acres in Lafayette County.  Season runs March 16-31.

Ochlockonee River WMA - 2,790 acres in Leon County.  Saturdays and Sundays only.

Osceola WMA - 266,270 acres in Baker and Columbia counties.  For camping information, call 386-752-2577, 904-259-3997 or click on area link and see “Camping.”

Pine Log WMA - 6,911 acres in Bay and Washington counties.  Season runs March 16 – April 7.  Camping allowed.

Point Washington WMA - 15,247 acres in Walton County.

Steinhatchee Springs WMA - 24,422 acres in Lafayette, Taylor and Dixie counties.  Season runs March 16 – April 7.  Hunters must have a quota permit to hunt the first nine days, but those without one may hunt the remainder of the season beginning March 25.  The Dixie County portion of the area is inhabited by Osceola turkeys. 

Talquin WMA - 3,053 acres in Leon County.  Saturdays and Sundays only.

Yellow River WMA - 29,676 acres in Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties.  Quota permit not required except when hunting Grassy Point area.  Season runs March 16-18, March 29-31, April 5-7 and April 19-21 in the Burnt Grocery Creek and Grassy Point areas; and March 16 – April 21 in the remainder of the management area.    Camping allowed in non-quota areas and at designated campsites in Grassy Point area.