Florida Hunting: Licenses, Seasons and Rules
General public information only — not legal advice. Hunting regulations, seasons, quotas, and license rules change. Confirm with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and current official materials before you hunt.
Buy / renew a Florida hunting license (official) → FWC calls Go Outdoors Florida "the approved and authorized provider of online fishing and hunting licenses for the state of Florida." You can also buy: - in person at a license agent or county tax collector's office - by phone at 888-HUNT-FLORIDA (888-486-8356) - through FWC's Fish|Hunt FL app
See FWC's how to order page.
| Fact box | |
|---|---|
| Who regulates | Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The Florida Wildlife Code (Florida Administrative Code, Division 68A) is the final authority. |
| Official license site | GoOutdoorsFlorida.com |
| Resident hunting license | $17.00 a year, or $79.00 for five years |
| Non-resident hunting license | $151.50 a year |
| Hunter safety | Required to buy a license if you were born on or after June 1, 1975 (a supervised deferral exists) |
| Season year on this page | 2026-2027 |
| Public land | Over 6 million acres of wildlife management areas (WMAs). Each WMA has its own rules. |
| Right now (Oct. 28, 2026) | Deer seasons are open or opening by zone. Statewide bear hunt is Dec. 5–27, by permit only, and applications have closed. |
Who this page is for
- New Florida hunters who need to know what to buy and what course to take first.
- Visitors from other states. Florida accepts hunter safety cards from other states.
- Returning hunters who want the 2026-2027 dates in one place, with links to the official rules.
This page is a starting point. The full rules are in FWC's 2026-2027 Florida Hunting Regulations and, for public land, in each area's WMA brochure.
Step 1: Hunter safety
FWC: "Persons born on or after June 1, 1975, must have successfully completed a hunter safety course to buy a license allowing them to hunt in Florida with a firearm, gun (including a muzzleloading gun), bow or crossbow."
- Out-of-state cards count. A hunter safety card from another state is accepted in Florida.
- Mentoring deferral. If you are 16 or older and haven't taken the course, you can buy a license with a deferral. You must then hunt under the supervision of a licensed (or exempt) adult 21 or older who has met the hunter safety requirement. The license will say so.
- Military and law enforcement are not exempt from the course just because of their jobs.
- Military bases require hunter safety completion under federal rules.
- Find a class: FWC hunter safety courses.
Step 2: Buy the right license and permits
Prices from FWC's license page, checked 2026-10-28. FWC says listed prices include an issuance fee allowed by statute; a vendor may add another 50 cents. All sales are final.
Licenses
| License | Price |
|---|---|
| Resident hunting, annual | $17.00 |
| Resident hunting, five-year | $79.00 |
| Non-resident hunting, annual | $151.50 |
| Resident hunting + freshwater fishing, annual | $32.50 |
| Resident hunting + freshwater + saltwater fishing, annual | $48.00 |
| Resident Sportsman's (hunting, freshwater fishing and the main hunting permits) | $80.50 |
| Resident Gold Sportsman's (adds saltwater fishing, snook and lobster) | $100.00 a year, or $494.00 for five years |
| Military Gold Sportsman's (Florida residents, active duty or retired) | $20.00 |
| Silver Sportsman's 64+ (Florida residents 64 and older) | $13.50 a year, or $61.50 for five years |
| Resident youth hunting (optional, ages 8–15 with hunter safety; valid until 17th birthday) | $17.00 |
| Furbearer (trapping) license, resident or non-resident | $26.50 |
Permits you add to a license
| Permit | When you need it | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Management area permit | Hunting on WMAs and some public small-game hunting areas | $26.50 a year; $126.50 for five years (residents only) |
| Deer permit | Taking or attempting to take deer | $5.00 |
| Turkey permit | Taking or attempting to take turkeys | Residents $10.00; non-residents $125.00 |
| Archery season permit | Hunting during archery season | $5.00 |
| Crossbow season permit | Hunting during crossbow season | $5.00 |
| Muzzleloading gun season permit | Hunting during muzzleloading season | $5.00 |
| Migratory bird permit | Ducks, geese, doves, rails, snipe, woodcock and similar birds | No cost (valid Sept. 1–March 31) |
| Florida waterfowl permit | Ducks and geese (with the migratory bird permit) | $5.00 |
| Federal Duck Stamp | Waterfowl hunters 16 and older | $28.50, sold by the federal government, not FWC |
| WMA deer-dog permit | Hunting deer with dogs on WMAs | No cost |
Five-year versions of the $5 permits cost $25.00 (residents only). On GoOutdoorsFlorida.com you can also buy bundled "packages," such as a deer hunter or waterfowl hunter package.
Who needs a license, and common exemptions
FWC says licenses and permits are also required to help with the take. Someone setting decoys or calling birds needs a license even without a gun.
Florida Statute 379.353 exempts these people from the hunting license and the main state permits. FWC lists them; this is a summary.
- Youth under 16. They are also exempt from the federal duck stamp.
- Florida residents 65 and older with proof of age and residency. A no-cost Resident 65+ Hunt/Fish Certificate is optional.
- Hunting on your own homestead in your county of residence. This also covers your spouse's or minor child's homestead, and a minor child on a parent's homestead.
- Florida residents with a Resident Disabled Person's Hunting and Fishing License.
- Florida residents in the U.S. Armed Forces stationed outside Florida and home on leave for 30 days or less. Carry your orders.
- Hunting wild hogs on private land.
- Customers of a hunting preserve that holds a Blanket Hunt Preserve License.
Exemptions from the license do not automatically cover the federal duck stamp. Read the full exemption list before relying on one.
2026-2027 deer seasons (private land, statewide)
FWC: "Seasons, dates and bag limits do not apply to wildlife management areas." On a WMA, use that area's brochure.
Florida is split into four hunting zones, A through D. Antler rules vary by deer management unit (DMU). Find your zone on FWC's zone map.
| Zone | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloading gun | General gun | Youth deer weekend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Aug. 1–30 | Aug. 1–Sept. 4 | Sept. 5–18 | Sept. 19–Oct. 18; Nov. 21–Jan. 3 | Sept. 12–13 |
| B | Oct. 17–Nov. 15 | Oct. 17–Nov. 20 | Nov. 21–Dec. 4 | Dec. 5–Feb. 21 | Nov. 28–29 |
| C | Sept. 19–Oct. 18 | Sept. 19–Oct. 23 | Oct. 24–Nov. 6 | Nov. 7–Jan. 24 | Oct. 31–Nov. 1 |
| D | Oct. 24–Nov. 25 | Oct. 24–Nov. 25; Nov. 30–Dec. 4 | Dec. 5–11; Feb. 22–28 | Nov. 26–29; Dec. 12–Feb. 21 | Dec. 5–6 |
These are the antlered deer dates. Antlerless deer have shorter windows that differ by zone and DMU. See FWC's season dates page.
Deer bag limits: - Daily: 2 deer - Possession: 4 deer - Annual: 5 deer, of which only 2 can be antlerless. In DMU D2, 3 of the 5 may be antlerless. - Youth deer weekend: hunters 15 and younger, supervised by an adult 18 or older, may take 1 deer of any kind except a spotted fawn. It counts toward the youth's annual limit and does not apply on WMAs.
What each season allows: - Archery: bows only. - Crossbow: crossbows, bows and airbows. - Muzzleloading gun: muzzleloaders, crossbows, bows and airbows. - General gun: centerfire rifles, shotguns, centerfire handguns, muzzleloaders, pre-charged pneumatic air guns, crossbows and bows.
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been detected in Florida. FWC has carcass import rules and a CWD management zone with extra rules. Report a sick or abnormally thin deer to the CWD hotline: 866-CWD-WATCH (866-293-9282). See FWC's deer page.
Turkey
Only gobblers and bearded turkeys may be taken.
| Season | Where | Dates (2026-2027) | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall turkey | Zone A | Oct. 5–18; Nov. 21–Jan. 3 | 2 a day; 2 for all fall seasons combined |
| Fall turkey | Zone B | Dec. 5–Jan. 31 | Same |
| Fall turkey | Zone C | Nov. 7–Jan. 3 | Same |
| Fall turkey | Zone D | Nov. 26–29; Dec. 12–Jan. 17 | Same |
| Youth spring hunt | North of State Road 70 | March 12–15 | Within the spring limit |
| Spring turkey | North of State Road 70 | March 20–April 25 | 2 a day; 2 for all spring seasons |
| Youth spring hunt | South of State Road 70 | Feb. 26–March 1 | Within the spring limit |
| Spring turkey | South of State Road 70 | March 6–April 11 | 2 a day; 2 for all spring seasons |
Turkeys may also be taken during the archery, crossbow and muzzleloading seasons for each zone. Hunting turkeys with dogs, shooting them on the roost, and shooting within 100 yards of a feeding station with feed present are all prohibited.
Small game and furbearers
| Species | Season | Daily bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quail | Nov. 14–March 7 | 12 | 24 |
| Gray squirrel | Year-round | 12 | 24 |
| Rabbit | Year-round | 12 | 24 |
| Bobcat | Dec. 1–March 31 | No limit | No limit |
| Otter | Dec. 1–March 1 | No limit | No limit |
| Raccoon, opossum, skunk, beaver, coyote | Year-round | No limit | No limit |
Wild hogs
FWC does not treat wild hogs as game animals.
- Private land: with landowner permission, wild hogs can be hunted year-round, day or night. No license, no permit, and no size or bag limit.
- Dogs: you need written landowner permission in hand. Each dog needs an owner name-and-address collar. Dogs not under physical restraint need a collar that allows remote tracking and behavior correction.
- WMAs: no hunting license is needed for hogs, but a management area permit usually is, and a quota permit may be. Hog hunting on WMAs is limited to set seasons, except on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes Area and its Rolling Meadows Unit.
- Live hogs: trapped hogs can't be released on public land. Transporting or holding live hogs needs permits from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
See FWC's wild hog page.
Ducks, geese, doves and other migratory birds
Migratory bird seasons are set within federal limits. You need a hunting license plus the no-cost migratory bird permit. For ducks and geese you also need the $5 Florida waterfowl permit and the federal duck stamp.
| Species | 2026-2027 dates | Daily bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mourning and white-winged dove | Sept. 26–Oct. 18; Nov. 14–Dec. 6; Dec. 19–Jan. 31 | 15 | 45 |
| Ducks: early teal and wood duck | Sept. 19–23 | 6 (only 2 wood ducks) | 3 times daily |
| Ducks: regular season | Nov. 21–29; Dec. 12–Jan. 31 | 6 total, with species limits | 3 times daily |
| Canada goose | Sept. 5–27; Nov. 21–29; Dec. 1–Jan. 30 | 5 | 15 |
| Light geese (snow, blue, Ross's) | Nov. 21–29; Dec. 12–Jan. 31 | 15 | No limit |
| Coot | Nov. 21–29; Dec. 12–Jan. 31 | 15 | 45 |
| Woodcock | Dec. 18–Jan. 31 | 3 | 9 |
| Snipe | Nov. 1–Feb. 15 | 8 | 24 |
| Youth waterfowl days | Nov. 14 and Feb. 13 | Per species | Per species |
| Veterans and active military waterfowl days | Feb. 6–7 | Per species | Per species |
Federal rules that catch people out: - Non-toxic shot only for ducks, geese and coots. - Plugged shotguns: no more than three shells. - No baiting, and no recorded or electronic calls (except during certain light-goose and resident Canada goose periods). - Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until sunset unless noted.
See FWC's migratory bird regulations for duck species limits and the Leon County and Lake Miccosukee special rules.
Black bear
- 2026 statewide bear hunt: Dec. 5–27, by permit only.
- Permits: FWC lists 193 permits for 2026. It received 156,283 applications from 9,091 individual applicants. The application window (Sept. 11–21) and all claim windows have closed.
- Dogs may not be used to harvest bears in 2026.
- A separate private lands bear harvest program runs Oct. 1–Dec. 31 for enrolled properties.
See FWC's Florida black bear page and its 2026 Bear Hunting Guide for zones, WMAs and rules.
Wildlife management areas (WMAs) and public land
- Size: FWC says the WMA system covers more than 6 million acres, one of the largest in the country.
- What you need: to hunt a WMA you need a management area permit and a hunting license (unless exempt). Many areas need other permits too.
- Each WMA has its own rules. Seasons, hours, legal methods, check stations and quota requirements are set in that area's brochure. Statewide dates do not apply.
- Quota and limited entry hunts. Some hunts are by drawing, applied for on GoOutdoorsFlorida.com. Draws include deer, turkey, dove, alligator, bear and national wildlife refuge hunts. Check FWC's limited entry page for dates.
- Youth: many WMAs let youths under 16, supervised by an adult, hunt certain seasons without quota permits.
- Find an area: use WMA Finder and the brochures. FWC suggests downloading the brochure and map before you go, because many areas have no signal. FWC also points hunters to the free Avenza Maps app.
Rules that catch people out
- Hunter orange. On public lands, everyone hunting deer, or with someone hunting deer, must wear at least 500 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange above the waist. This doesn't apply during an archery-only season or on private land.
- Shooting hours. One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset for resident game, except spring turkey and migratory birds. Spring turkey on private land and most WMAs ends at sunset; some WMAs end at 1 p.m.
- A license is not permission to trespass. FWC says trespassing while possessing a firearm or other dangerous weapon is a felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to $5,000.
- Prohibited for deer: rimfire firearms, and non-expanding full metal case (military ball) ammunition. Centerfire semi-automatic rifles holding more than five rounds are prohibited for taking game.
- No hunting from roads. Taking wildlife from the right-of-way of a public road is illegal. So is shooting over a paved public road or occupied premises.
- No spotted fawns, no swimming deer.
- Deer hunting is closed in the Florida Keys, and in part of Collier County.
- Feeding stations: private-land rules allow hunting near year-round feeders in some cases, but not for turkey within 100 yards when feed is present. There are extra rules inside the CWD zone.
- Harvest reporting applies to everyone, including youth, seniors and others exempt from a license. For every deer and wild turkey you must:
- Log it before moving it.
- Report it within 24 hours, or sooner if it goes to a processor or taxidermist, is finally processed, or leaves the state.
Use the Fish|Hunt Florida app, GoOutdoorsFlorida.com, or 888-HUNT-FLORIDA. See FWC's harvest reporting page. - Felony convictions. Convicted felons generally can't possess firearms, including muzzleloaders, unless their rights have been restored. FWC's hunting with a felony conviction page covers the options.
Safety and ethics
- Take hunter safety even if you are exempt. FWC's Think S.A.F.E. tips cover the basics.
- Know your target and what's beyond it.
- Wear orange when others may be in the woods, even when it's not required.
- Tell someone where you'll be and when you'll be back.
- Practice at a range. FWC has a public shooting range directory.
- Recover game. For migratory birds, federal law prohibits wanton waste.
- New hunters can start with FWC's Get Started page, the Youth Hunting Program of Florida, and the hunter safety mentoring deferral.
Explore more on THIS IS FLORIDA
Pair a hunting trip with Florida's springs, parks and small-town food. More THIS IS FLORIDA guides will be linked here as they go live.
Find Florida hunting businesses in the THIS IS FLORIDA directory
Outfitters, shooting ranges, hunting lodges, gear shops, game processors and restaurants near the woods can list in the THIS IS FLORIDA directory.
- $8 passport: one $8 passport lists you as both a business and a member.
- You keep your prices and specials. This is not a coupon site.
- Referrals: businesses earn $2 a month for each $8 member they refer.
- Page advertising on high-traffic guides like this one may come later. Nothing is offered or priced yet.
- A listing is not required to hunt and is not an FWC endorsement.
THIS IS FLORIDA is independent and not affiliated with FWC or GoOutdoorsFlorida.