North
Central Region Wildlife Management Areas
Hunting | Northeast | North Central | Northwest | South | Southwest
Contact: Division of Wildlife (904) 758-0531
Andrews Wildlife Management Area: (3,501 acres in Levy
County)
Habitat: bottomland and river bluff hardwoods. Deer Hunting, Good; Hog Hunting,
Excellent; Migratory Bird Hunting, Poor; Small Game Hunting, Excellent; Turkey
Hunting, Good; Camping, Dogs and ATVs, Prohibited; All hunts are short duration
with a quota hunt permit required. Hunts include archery, muzzleloading gun,
supervised youth hunt, general gun, small game, and spring turkey hunt. The
area is open throughout the year; however, during periods when hunting is allowed,
only those participating in the hunt are allowed on the area.
Alligator Lake Small Game Area: (484 acres in Columbia
County)
Habitat: restored marsh and lake bottom. Deer Hunting, none; Hog Hunting, None;
Migratory Bird Hunting, good; Small Game (other than migratory birds) Hunting,
prohibited; Turkey Hunting, none; Camping, Prohibited; Dogs, Waterfowl Retrievers
allowed; ATVs, Prohibited. This area is open to waterfowl hunting on Tuesdays
and Thursdays of the regular waterfowl season.
Big Bend Wildlife Management Area - Hickory Mound Unit:
(14,427 acres in Taylor County)
Habitat: pine flatwoods, coastal hardwoods and cypress swamp. Deer Hunting,
Fair; Hog Hunting, Fair; Migratory Bird Hunting, Poor; Small Game Hunting, Good;
Turkey Hunting, Fair; Camping, Prohibited; Dogs, Yes/throughout the area; ATVs,
Yes/designated roads. A regular quota hunt permit is required to hunt from Nov.
9 - 17 and Nov 18 - 24. A daily hunt permit is required during the archery,
general gun, small game and spring turkey seasons. Daily permits are issued
at check stations on a first-come, first-served basis and must be in the hunter's
possession while on the area.
Big Bend Wildlife Management Area - Jena Unit: (12,522
acres in Dixie County)
Habitat: coastal hardwood, cypress swamp and pine plantations. Deer Hunting,
Poor; Hog Hunting, Poor; Migratory Bird Hunting, Poor; Small Game Hunting, Fair;
Turkey Hunting, Poor; Camping, Prohibited; Dogs, Yes; ATVs, Yes/designated roads.
Dog hunting is allowed throughout the area, but is restricted to dogs with a
shoulder height of 17 inches or less. Hunts scheduled include general gun, small
game and spring turkey seasons. A quota permit is required to hunt the first
nine days of the general gun season.
Big Bend Wildlife Management Area - Snipe Island Unit:
(10,600 acres in Taylor County)
Habitat: natural pine, coastal hardwoods and some cypress swamp. Deer Hunting,
Good; Hog Hunting, Good; Migratory Bird Hunting, Poor; Small Game Hunting, Good;
Turkey Hunting, Fair; Camping, Prohibited; Dogs, Prohibited; ATVs, Prohibited.
This is the first year the area is open to big game hunting, and it should prove
productive. Hunts scheduled include archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun,
small game and spring turkey. A quota hunt permit is required for the first
nine days of the archery season, the muzzleloading gun season, first nine days
of general gun season and the first 16 days of the spring turkey season.
Big Bend Wildlife Management Area - Spring Creek Unit:
(14,600 acres in Taylor County)
Habitat: planted pine plantations and some hardwood. Deer Hunting, Poor; Hog
Hunting, Poor; Migratory Bird Hunting, Poor; Small Game Hunting, Good; Turkey
Hunting, Fair; Camping, Prohibited; Dogs, Yes; ATVs, Yes/Restricted to Roads.
The total area is open to dog hunting, and there is no still hunt area. Hunts
scheduled include archery, general gun, small game and spring turkey. A quota
hunt permit is required for the first nine days of general gun season. There
also is a designated dove field on the area, and dove hunting is allowed on
Saturdays during the first phase of the mourning dove season. During other phases,
doves may be hunted throughout the area, but only on Saturdays in designated
dove fields.
Big Bend Wildlife Management Area - Tide Swamp Unit:
(20,298 acres in Taylor County)
Habitat: coastal hardwood, turkey oak ridges, pine plantations and lowland hardwood
swamp. Deer Hunting, Good; Hog Hunting, Good; Migratory Bird Hunting, Poor;
Small Game Hunting, Good; Turkey Hunting, Fair; Camping, Dogs and ATVs, Prohibited.
Hunts scheduled include archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun, small game,
and spring turkey. A quota hunt permit is required for muzzleloading gun and
the first nine days of the general gun hunt. A daily permit, available at the
check station, is required to be in possession of the hunter for all hunts.
Dove field permits are available at the Dallus' Creek check station.
Big Shoals Wildlife Management Area: (2,140 acres in
Hamilton County)
Habitat: river bottom hardwoods, upland hardwoods and pine flatwoods. Several
creeks flow through the area. Deer Hunting, Good; Hog Hunting, Poor; Migratory
Bird Hunting, none; Small Game Hunting, Good; Turkey Hunting, Fair; Camping,
Prohibited; Dogs, Prohibited; ATVs, Prohibited; Hiking, horses, biking, allowed.
All hunts are short duration, and a quota hunt permit is required to hunt the
area. Hunts include archery, muzzleloading gun, small game and spring turkey.
Still hunts only.
Camp Blanding Wildlife Management Area: (56,197 acres
in Clay County)
Habitat: planted pines, mature pines, turkey oak ridges and bottomland hardwoods.
Deer Hunting, Good; Hog Hunting, Poor; Migratory Bird Hunting, Poor; Small Game
Hunting, Fair; Turkey Hunting, Excellent; Camping, Prohibited; Dogs, Dog Hunt
Area or bird dogs; ATVs, Prohibited. The area is currently closed due to military
security. However, limited hunting is planned for the still portion of the area
during the established seasons. If security demands remain at the current level,
no hunting will be allowed south of S.R. 16. Hunting is planned in a portion
of the archery only area during the general gun season. Hunters should check
with the FWC's Lake City Regional Office at (386) 758-0525 for current status
of the area.
Cedar Key Scrub Wildlife Management Area: (4,988 acres
in Levy County)
Habitat: coastal scrub oak and cypress swamp. Deer Hunting, Fair; Hog Hunting,
Poor; Migratory Bird Hunting, Poor; Small Game Hunting, Poor; Turkey Hunting,
Poor; Camping, Dogs and ATVs, Prohibited; Hunts are short duration and a quota
hunt permit is required on all hunts. Scheduled hunts include archery, muzzleloading
gun and general gun.
Chassahowitzka Wildlife Management Area: (33,919 acres
in Citrus and Hernando counties)
Habitat: coastal hardwood hammock, planted pines, cutover sandhill scrub and
wet prairies. Deer Hunting, Fair; Hog Hunting, Poor; Migratory Bird Hunting,
Fair; Small Game Hunting, Fair; Turkey Hunting, Fair (archery only); Camping,
Prohibited; Dogs, Yes; ATVs, Prohibited. Dog hunting and still hunting opportunities
are available on this area. Hunts schedule include archery, muzzleloading gun,
general gun, small game and spring turkey. Quota hunt permits are required for
the first nine days of archery season, muzzleloading gun season, first nine
days of general gun and the spring turkey hunt.
Citrus Wildlife Management Area: (41,294 acres in Citrus
and Hernando counties)
Habitat: rolling sandhills, longleaf pine and turkey oak. Deer Hunting, Fair;
Hog Hunting, Poor; Migratory Bird Hunting, Fair; Small Game Hunting, Fair; Turkey
Hunting, Closed; Camping, Yes (at designated campsites); Dogs, Prohibited; ATVs,
Prohibited. Changes in the regulations for this year's archery season will limit
legal game to deer having one or more antlers at least five-inches long. Antlerless
deer are not legal during archery season. Hunts scheduled include archery, muzzleloading
gun, modern gun and small game seasons. A quota hunt permit is required to hunt
on this area, except during the small game hunt and after the first nine days
of archery season.
Croom Wildlife Management Area: (20,555 acres in Hernando
and Sumter counties)
Habitat: turkey oak ridges, natural pine stands and cypress swamps. Deer Hunting,
Good; Hog Hunting, Poor; Migratory Bird Hunting, Poor; Small Game Hunting, Good;
Turkey Hunting, No fall season; Camping, Yes; Dogs, Bird Dogs and small game;
ATVs, Motorcycle Area. A special quota hunt permit is required to hunt during
the muzzleloading gun season and a regular quota hunt permit is required for
the first nine days of the general gun season. A spring turkey quota hunt permit
is required for the spring turkey season. No quota permit is required for the
small game season. Camping requires permit from Division of Forestry at (352)
754-6896.
Cypress Creek Wildlife Management Area: (1,328 acres
in Hamilton County)
Habitat: river bottom and upland hardwoods with some pines. Deer Hunting, Fair;
Hog Hunting, Poor; Migratory Bird Hunting, Poor; Small Game Hunting, Good; Turkey
Hunting, Fair; Camping, Dogs and ATVs, Prohibited. All hunts are short duration
and a quota hunt permit is required to hunt on this area (no exemptions). Hunts
scheduled include archery, muzzleloading gun and spring turkey. No quota permit
is required for the small game season.
Devil's Hammock Wildlife Management Area: (7,635 acres
in Levy County)
Habitat: bottomland hardwoods, cutover pine and cypress swamp. Deer Hunting,
Excellent; Hog Hunting, Excellent; Migratory Bird Hunting, Poor; Small Game
Hunting, Excellent; Turkey Hunting, Good; Camping, Dogs and ATVs, Prohibited.
The property was recently purchased by Suwannee River Water Management District
and Levy County, and this is the first year of public hunting. Hunts scheduled
for the area include archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun, small game and
spring turkey. All hunts except small game season require a quota hunt permit.
There are no exemptions for this area.
Flying Eagle Wildlife Management Area: (10,247 acres
in Citrus County)
Habitat: freshwater marsh, dry oak hammock and improved pasture. Deer Hunting,
Good; Hog Hunting, Good; Migratory Bird Hunting, Good; Small Game Hunting, Good;
Turkey Hunting, Good; Camping, Prohibited when open to hunting; Dogs, Prohibited;
ATVs, Prohibited. All hunts scheduled for the area require a quota hunt permit
(except small game). Hunts scheduled include archery, muzzleloading gun, general
gun, small game and spring turkey.
Geothe Wildlife Management Area: (45,217 acres in Levy
County)
Habitat: pine flatwoods, cypress swamp and creekside hardwoods. Deer Hunting,
Fair; Hog Hunting, Fair; Migratory Bird Hunting, Poor; Small Game Hunting, Poor;
Turkey Hunting, Fair; Camping, Prohibited when open to hunting; Dogs, Yes/General
Gun-Dog Hunt; ATVs, Prohibited; No quota permit required for archery and small
game season. Quota permit required for muzzleloading gun, general gun-still
hunt, general gun-dog hunt and spring turkey seasons.
Gulf Hammock Wildlife Management Area: (24,625 acres
in Levy County)
Habitat: pine plantations, cypress swamp and coastal hardwood. Deer Hunting,
Fair; Hog Hunting, Fair; Migratory Bird Hunting, Poor; Small Game Hunting, Fair;
Turkey Hunting, Fair; Camping, Only at designated sites; Dogs, Yes; ATVs, Yes,
on established roads; Hunts scheduled for the area include archery, general
gun and spring turkey seasons. A quota hunt permit is required for the first
nine days of the general gun season.
Holton Creek Wildlife Management Area: (2,531acres in
Hamilton County)
Habitat: river bluff hardwoods and pine plantations. Deer Hunting, Excellent;
Hog Hunting, Poor; Migratory Bird Hunting, None; Small Game Hunting, Good; Turkey
Hunting, Good; Camping, Prohibited; Dogs, Prohibited; ATVs, Only for mobility-impaired
hunts; Hiking, horses and bicycles allowed. Holton Creek is open only for mobility-impaired
hunts. Hunters must possess a mobility-impaired quota hunt permit. There are
40 available for the general gun hunt and 10 for each spring turkey hunt.
Homosassa Wildlife Management Area: (5,514 acres in Citrus
County)
Habitat: forested wetlands, planted pine and improved pasture. Deer Hunting,
Closed; Hog Hunting, Good; Migratory Bird Hunting, Good; Small Game Hunting,
Good; Turkey Hunting, Excellent; Camping, Dogs and ATVs, Prohibited. This area
offers a small game hunt, and hunters must sign in and out daily and record
all game taken. The general gun hog hunt requires a quota permit and the special-opportunity
turkey hunt requires the $175 special-opportunity quota hunt permit. Participants
are required to register at the hunt headquarters and check all game.
Jennings Forest Wildlife Management Area: (20,263 acres
in Clay County)
Habitat: creek-bottom hardwoods, pines and turkey oak ridges. Deer Hunting,
Good; Hog Hunting, Fair; Migratory Bird Hunting, Poor; Small Game Hunting, Good;
Turkey Hunting, Excellent; Camping, Primitive camping with permit; Dogs, Prohibited;
ATVs, Prohibited. Hunts scheduled on the area include archery, supervised small
game, muzzleloading gun, general gun, small game and spring turkey. All hunts
except small game require a quota hunt permit.
Lake Butler Wildlife Management Area: (29,779 acres in
Baker and Union counties)
Habitat: planted pines, cypress swamp and creek-side hardwoods. Deer Hunting,
Fair; Hog Hunting, Poor; Migratory Bird Hunting, Poor; Small Game Hunting, Fair;
Turkey Hunting, Good; Camping, Primitive/Florida Trail; Dogs, Yes; ATVs, Yes/Named
& Numbered Roads; Hunts scheduled on the area include archery, general gun,
small game and spring turkey. Quota hunt permit required first nine days of
general gun season.
Lochloosa Wildlife Management Area: (27,443 acres in
Alachua County)
Habitat: planted pine plantations, water oak and live oak ridges. Deer Hunting,
Good; Hog Hunting, Fair; Migratory Bird Hunting, Fair; Small Game Hunting, Good;
Turkey Hunting, Good; Camping, Yes/Permit required; Dogs, Yes; ATVs, Yes/Established
Roads. Hunts scheduled on the area include archery, muzzleloading gun, general
gun, and spring turkey. A quota hunt permit is required to hunt the first nine
days of the general gun season. Permits are divided by dog hunt and still hunt
area.
Mallory Swamp Wildlife Management Area: (29,463 acres
in Lafayette County)
Habitat: dense vegetation resulting from a 2001 wildfire and hardwood hammock.
Deer Hunting, Fair; Hog Hunting, Fair; Migratory Bird Hunting, Fair; Small Game
Hunting, Poor; Turkey Hunting, Poor; Camping, Prohibited; Dogs, Yes in Designated
Areas; ATVs, Prohibited.
Orange Creek Small Game Area: (1,767 acres in Alachua
and Marion counties)
Habitat: freshwater marsh. Deer Hunting, Closed; Hog Hunting, Closed; Migratory
Bird Hunting, Good; Small Game Hunting, Closed; Turkey Hunting, Closed; Camping,
Dogs and ATVs, Prohibited. The area is owned and operated by the St. Johns Water
Management District and the District sells a $25 hunt permit that is good for
one weekend hunt. The permit is available through the Marion County Tax Collector's
Office.
Osceola Wildlife Management Area: (266,270 acres in Baker
and Columbia counties)
Habitat: pine flatwoods and cypress swamps. Deer Hunting, Good; Hog Hunting,
Fair; Migratory Bird Hunting, Poor; Small Game Hunting, Fair; Turkey Hunting,
Excellent; Camping, Designated sites; Dogs, Yes; ATVs, Off-road only/limited
area. Hunts scheduled include archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun, small
game and spring turkey. There also is a fox, raccoon, opossum and bobcat season
in the dog hunt portion of the area, which is set for Aug. 3 - Sept. 24. Osceola
has a unique muzzleloading gun season that lasts eight days. This is an excellent
hunting opportunity for black powder enthusiasts.
PCS-Phosphate Wildlife Management Area: (3,992 acres
in Hamilton County)
Habitat: phosphate slime ponds and settling ponds. Deer Hunting, Closed; Hog
Hunting, Closed; Migratory Bird Hunting, Excellent; Small Game Hunting, Closed;
Turkey Hunting; Closed; Camping, Prohibited; Dogs, Retrievers; ATVs, Prohibited;
Boats, restricted to electric motors. The area is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays
for duck and coot hunting during the seasons established by the FWC. Check stations
open at 5 a.m., and hunters must exit the area by 1 p.m. each hunt day.
Potts Wildlife Management Area: (8,507 acres in Citrus
County)
Habitat: forested wetlands, mixed upland forest and improved pasture. Deer Hunting,
Good; Hog Hunting, Good; Migratory Bird Hunting, Fair; Small Game Hunting, Excellent;
Turkey Hunting, Good; Camping, Designated Campsites; Dogs, Hog-Dog season; ATVs,
Prohibited. Hunts scheduled include archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun
hog-dog, small game and spring turkey. A special quota hunt permit is required
to hunt during the archery and muzzleloading gun seasons. A regular quota hunt
permit is required for each group of two hunters to hunt during the general
gun hog-dog hunt (no exemptions).
Raiford Wildlife Management Area: (16,200 acres in Bradford
and Union counties)
Habitat: natural pines, pine plantations and lowland hardwoods. Deer Hunting,
Good; Hog Hunting, Poor; Migratory Bird Hunting, Poor; Small Game Hunting, Poor;
Turkey Hunting, Good; Camping, Prohibited; Dogs, Prohibited; ATVs, Designated
Roads. Hunts scheduled include archery, muzzleloading gun, archery/muzzleloading
gun and spring turkey. A quota hunt permit is required to hunt during the muzzleloading
gun, archery/muzzleloading gun and spring turkey seasons.
San Pedro Bay Wildlife Management Area: (46,528 acres
in Madison and Taylor counties)
Habitat: Cypress swamp, limited hardwood and pine plantations. Deer Hunting,
Fair; Hog Hunting, Fair; Migratory Bird Hunting, Poor; Small Game Hunting, Poor;
Turkey Hunting, Poor; Camping, Prohibited; Dogs, Yes; ATVs, Yes/Established
Roads. This is a User-Pay area with a cost of $225 per person. San Pedro Bay
WMA is total dog hunt area and offers no still hunt area.
Santa Fe Swamp Wildlife and Environmental Area: (5,627
acres in Bradford County)
Habitat: dense swamp with approximately 640 acres of upland pines and hardwood.
Deer Hunting, Poor; Hog Hunting, Poor; Migratory Bird Hunting, Poor; Small Game
Hunting, Poor; Turkey Hunting, Poor; Camping, Dogs and ATVs, Prohibited. This
area is the headwaters of the Santa Fe River, and most land area is dense vegetation
with little value to game wildlife. The upland portion is about 640 acres, and
some deer travel through the area. No quota permit is required for this area.
Steinhatchee Falls Wildlife Management Area: (7,046 acres
in Dixie County)
Habitat: natural pines, limited hardwood forest and pine plantation. Deer Hunting,
Fair; Hog Hunting, Fair; Migratory Bird Hunting, Poor; Small Game Hunting, Good;
Turkey Hunting, Fair; Camping, Dogs and ATVs, Prohibited. Hunts scheduled include
archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun, small game, and spring turkey. A quota
hunt permit is required for the general gun hunt.
Twin Rivers Wildlife Management Area: (9,288 acres in
Hamilton and Suwannee counties)
Habitat: river bottom hardwoods, upland hardwoods, natural pines and planted
pine plantations. Deer Hunting, Excellent; Hog Hunting, Fair; Migratory Bird
Hunting, None; Small Game Hunting, Good; Turkey Hunting, Good; Camping, Prohibited;
Dogs, Prohibited; ATVs, Prohibited; Hiking, horses and bicycles allowed. The
area is known for producing quality deer. Hunts scheduled include archery, muzzleloading
gun, general gun, small game and spring turkey. A quota permit is required to
hunt on this area with 30 issued per hunt. Additionally, 30 daily permits are
issued first-come, first-serve at the check station.
Twin Rivers Wildlife Management Area - Blue Springs Unit:
(1,973 acres in Hamilton County)
Habitat: mature pines, pine plantations and wiregrass. Deer Hunting, Closed;
Hog Hunting, Closed; Migratory Bird Hunting, Closed; Small Game Hunting, Closed;
Turkey Hunting, Closed; Bird Dog Training allowed; Camping, Prohibited; Dogs,
Bird Dogs allowed; ATVs, Prohibited; Hiking, horseback riding and bicycling
allowed. The area is open to bird dog training and a free daily permit is required.
One bird dog training permit entitles one group of up to four persons and six
dogs to participate in one dog-training day from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.