Southwest Region Wildlife
Management Areas
2002-2003 WMA Forecasts
Hunting | Northeast | North Central | Northwest | South | Southwest
Contact: Division of Wildlife (863) 648-3205
Arbuckle Wildlife Management Area: (13,500 acres in Polk
County)
Habitat: pine flatwoods, scrub and bottomland hardwoods. Deer Hunting, Good;
Hog Hunting, Poor; Migratory Bird Hunting, Poor; Small Game Hunting, None; Turkey
Hunting, Fair; Dove Field, Yes; Camping, Yes; Dogs, No; ATVs, No. The area offers
very good deer hunting. This area already has one of the highest deer population
densities of any WMA in the Southwest Region.
Babcock/Webb Wildlife Management Area: (65,770 acres
in Charlotte County)
Habitat: palmetto and pine flatwoods interspersed with wet prairies. Deer Hunting,
Good; Hog Hunting, Excellent; Migratory Bird Hunting, Good (snipe, dove); Small
Game Hunting, Fair (quail); Turkey Hunting, None; Dove Field, Yes; Camping,
Yes; Dogs, Bird Dogs only; ATVs, No; Buggies, General Gun and Small Game only.
The deer population on this area is steadily improving.
Babcock/Webb Wildlife Management Area - Yucca Pens Unit:
(13,243 acres in Charlotte and Lee counties)
Habitat: palmetto and pine flatwoods interspersed with wet prairies. Deer Hunting,
Fair; Hog Hunting, Poor; Migratory Bird Hunting, Good (snipe); Small Game Hunting,
Poor; Turkey Hunting, None; Dove Field, Yes; Camping, No; Dogs, Bird Dogs only;
ATVs, No.
Green Swamp Wildlife Management Area: (48,488 acres in
Lake, Sumter, Polk and Pasco counties)
Habitat: habitat consists of pine flatwoods, cypress domes and swamps. Deer
Hunting, Good; Hog Hunting, Good; Migratory Bird Hunting, None; Small Game Hunting,
Fair; Turkey Hunting, Good; Camping, Yes; Dogs, No; ATVs, No.
Green Swamp Wildlife Management Area - West Unit: (34,335
acres in Pasco County)
Habitat: predominantly upland habitat. Deer Hunting, Good; Hog Hunting, Good;
Migratory Bird Hunting, None; Small Game Hunting, Fair; Turkey Hunting, Good;
Camping, Yes; Dogs, Bird Dogs only; ATVs, No; Special-Opportunity Hunts Only
(except for the short small game season).
Hilochee Wildlife Management Area: (4,922 acres in Lake
County)
Habitat: low cypress swamp to scrub and sandhill habitat. Deer Hunting, Fair;
Hog Hunting, Fair; Migratory Bird Hunting, Poor; Small Game Hunting, Poor; Turkey
Hunting, Good; Dove Field, Good; Camping, No; Dogs, Small Game only; ATVs, No;
Fishing, By Permit. Dove permits may be purchased at the K-Mart in Clermont
(352) 394-8667. Fishing on Saturdays only, limited to 10 anglers, free permits
available by calling the Hilochee WMA office at (352) 241-8501.
Kicco Wildlife Management Area: (7,426 acres in Polk
County)
Habitat: combination of marsh, oak hammock and hydric pine flatwoods. Deer Hunting,
Good; Hog Hunting, Good; Migratory Bird Hunting, Poor; Small Game Hunting, Good;
Turkey Hunting, Good; Dove Field, Yes; Camping, Yes; Dogs, No; ATVs, No.
Kissimmee River Public Use Area: (20,395 acres in Highlands
County)
Habitat: hardwood hammock and marsh-stretches along the Kissimmee River from
S.R. 60 south about 25 miles. Deer Hunting, Good; Hog Hunting, Good; Migratory
Bird Hunting, Good; Small Game Hunting, Fair; Turkey Hunting, Good; Dove Field;
Camping, Yes; Dogs, Yes; ATVs, No; Most areas accessible by boat only. The area
lies in both the south and central hunting zones and season dates differ.
Lake Marion Creek Wildlife Management Area: (8,083 acres
in Polk and Osceola counties)
Habitat: hardwood swamp, pine flatwoods and scrub. Deer Hunting, Fair; Hog Hunting,
Poor; Migratory Bird Hunting, Poor; Small Game Hunting, Good - Squirrel; Turkey
Hunting, Poor; Dove Field, Yes; Camping, No; Dogs, Small Game only; ATVs, No.
Lake Wales Wildlife and Environmental Area - Ridge Royce
Unit: (2,639 acres in Highlands County)
Habitat: open pasture, pine flatwoods, bay swamp, scrub and oak hammocks. Deer
Hunting, None; Hog Hunting, New Area; Migratory Bird Hunting, New Area; Small
Game Hunting, New Area; Turkey Hunting, None; Dove Field, Yes; Camping, No;
Dogs, Small Game only; ATVs, No. This is a new area with dove hunts and small
game hunts. Hogs are legal to take during small game season.
Tenoroc Fish Management Area: (50-acre public dove field
in Polk County)
Habitat: The area is a fabled fishing hot spot in Lakeland, however, it is also
home to a public dove field. The field is open on Saturdays only. A limited
number of permits are available on a first-come, first-served basis at the new
Wal-Mart at 5800 North U.S. 98 at Daughtery Road. For more information, call
the Wal-Mart sporting goods section at (863) 859-3626.
Upper Hillsborough Wildlife Management Area: (5,178 acres
in Polk and Pasco counties)
Habitat: river swamp and palmetto flatwoods. Deer Hunting; Good; Hog Hunting,
Good; Migratory Bird Hunting, None; Small Game Hunting, Fair; Turkey Hunting,
Good; Camping, Yes; Dogs, Bird Dogs only; ATVs, No.
Walk-In-The-Water Wildlife Management Area: (5,801 acres
in Polk County)
Habitat: pine flatwoods and scrub habitat. Deer Hunting, Good; Hog Hunting,
Poor; Migratory Bird Hunting, Poor; Small Game Hunting, None; Turkey Hunting,
Fair; Dove Field, Yes; Camping, Yes; Dogs, No; ATVs, No. Deer harvest increased
last year.