Skip to main content
Menu

Season Dates and Species

Maps of Hunting Areas
Hunting Zone Map

DMU A 1-3 | DMU B1 | DMU C 1-6 | DMU D 1-2
(including antler point regulation information)

2021-2022 Florida Resident Game and Furbearer Hunting Season Dates and Bag Limits

Seasons, dates and bag limits do not apply to wildlife management areas.

Find 2021-2022 Florida migratory bird hunting season dates and bag limits. 

See 2021-2022 Florida Hunting Regulations guide. 

Only bows may be used.

Only crossbows and bows may be used.

Only muzzle­loaders fired by wheel lock, flintlock, percussion cap or centerfire primer (including 209 primers) and crossbows and bows may be used. Muzzle­loading guns designed to allow accelerant (gun powder) to be loaded at the breech may be used during muzzleloading gun seasons.

Centerfire rifles, shotguns, centerfire pistols, muzzleloaders, pre-charged pneumatic air guns, crossbows and bows may be used.

Live traps and snares (including power snares) can be used to take furbearers and wild hogs, but must be checked every 24 hours. The use of steel leg-hold traps, dog-proof raccoon traps and body-grip (conibear) traps is prohibited, except when permitted by the FWC.
 

ANTLERED DEER - deer with at least one antler 5 inches or more in length (see DMU pages for additional antler regulations)

Zone A

  • Archery season: July 31 – Aug. 29
  • Crossbow season: July 31 – Sept. 3
  • Muzzleloading gun season: Sept. 4–17
  • Youth deer hunt weekend: Sept. 11–12 *
  • General gun season:
    • Sept. 18 – Oct. 17
    • Nov. 20 – Jan. 2

Zone B

  • Archery season: Oct. 16 – Nov. 14
  • Crossbow season: Oct. 16 – Nov. 19
  • Muzzleloading gun season: Nov. 20 - Dec. 3
  • Youth deer hunt weekend: Nov. 27–28 *
  • General gun season: Dec. 4 – Feb. 20

 

Zone C

  • Archery season: Sept. 18 – Oct. 17
  • Crossbow season: Sept. 18 – Oct. 22
  • Muzzleloading gun season: Oct. 23 – Nov. 5
  • Youth deer hunt weekend: Oct. 30–31 *
  • General gun season: Nov. 6 – Jan. 23

 

Zone D

  • Archery season: Oct. 23 – Nov. 24
  • Crossbow season: Oct. 23 – Nov. 24, Nov. 29 - Dec. 3
  • General gun season: Nov. 25–28, Dec. 11 – Feb. 20
  • Youth deer hunt weekend: Dec. 4–5*
  • Muzzleloading gun season: Dec. 4–10, Feb. 21–27

 

ANTLERLESS DEER – deer (except spotted fawn) without antlers or antlers less than 5 inches

Zone A

  • Archery season:
    • DMU A2: July 31 – Aug. 8
    • DMU A3: July 31 – Aug. 15
  • Crossbow season:
    • DMU A2: July 31 – Aug. 8
    • DMU A3: July 31 – Aug. 15
  • Youth deer hunt weekend:
    • DMU A2 and DMU A3: Sept. 11–12 *
  • General gun season:
    • DMU A2: Nov. 20–21
    • DMU A3: Nov. 20–23

Zone B

  • Archery season: Oct. 16 – Nov. 14
  • Crossbow season: Oct. 16 – Nov. 14
  • Youth deer hunt weekend: Nov. 27–28 *
  • General gun season: Dec. 31 – Jan. 2

Zone C

  • Archery season: Sept. 18 – Oct. 17
  • Crossbow season: Sept. 18 – Oct. 17
  • Muzzleloading gun season: DMU C5: Oct. 23–24
  • Youth deer hunt weekend: Oct. 30–31 *
  • General gun season:
    DMU C1: Nov. 19–22 
    DMU C2: Nov. 19–21 
    DMU C3: Nov. 19–21
    DMU C4: Nov. 19–22 
    DMU C5: Nov. 6–7, Nov. 20–21
    DMU C6: Nov. 19–22

Zone D

  • Archery season: Oct. 23 – Nov. 24
  • Crossbow season: Oct. 23 – Nov. 24
  • Muzzleloading gun season: DMU D2: Dec. 4–5 
  • Youth deer hunt weekend: Dec. 4–5 *
  • General gun season:
    DMU D1: Nov. 27–28, Jan. 1–2 
    DMU D2: Nov. 27–28, Dec. 18–19, Jan. 1–2

Bag Limit

Daily bag limit: 2 deer

  • During those portions of archery and crossbow seasons when antlerless deer can be taken, either deer may be antlered or antlerless.
  • During those portions of muzzleloading gun and general gun seasons when antlerless deer may be taken, only 1 deer may be antlerless.
  • During all other seasons, only antlered deer may be taken. Antlerless deer can only be taken by antlerless deer permit/tag.

Possession limit: 4 deer

Annual bag limit: 5 deer of which only 2 can be antlerless

Deer taken under the Deer Depredation Permit Program, Private Lands Deer Management Permit Program and Antlerless Deer Permit Program (antlerless deer only), and on licensed game farms and hunting preserves are excluded from bag (daily and annual) and possession limits.

Deer Dog Training Season

Zone A: Aug. 14 – Sept. 2

Zone B: Oct. 30 - Nov. 18

Zone C: Oct. 2–21

Zone D: Oct. 30 – Nov. 18

* Youth deer hunt weekend

Youth 15-years-old and younger can harvest any deer except spotted fawn, but youth must be supervised by an adult, 18 years or older. Youth may use any legal method of take (including dogs) for deer, with a limit of 1 deer for the weekend that counts towards the youth’s annual statewide bag limit. This weekend does not apply to wildlife management areas.

TURKEY (gobblers and bearded turkeys only)

Fall seasons

Zone A

  • Archery season: July 31 – Aug. 29
  • Crossbow season: July 31 – Sept. 3
  • Muzzleloading gun season: Sept. 4–17
  • Fall turkey season: Oct. 4–17, Nov. 20 – Jan. 2 *

Zone B

  • Archery season: Oct. 16 – Nov. 14
  • Crossbow season: Oct. 16 – Nov. 19
  • Muzzleloading gun season: Nov. 20 – Dec. 3
  • Fall turkey season: Dec. 4 – Jan. 30 *

 

Zone C

  • Archery season: Sept. 18 – Oct. 17
  • Crossbow season: Sept. 18 – Oct. 22
  • Muzzleloading gun season: Oct. 23 – Nov. 5
  • Fall turkey season: Nov. 6 - Jan. 2 *

 

Zone D (except in Holmes County, no fall harvest allowed)

  • Archery season: Oct. 23 – Nov. 24
  • Crossbow season: Oct. 23 – Nov. 24, Nov. 29 – Dec. 3
  • Muzzleloading gun season: Dec. 4–10
  • Fall turkey season: Nov. 25–28, Dec. 11 – Jan. 16 *

Daily bag limit: 2 turkeys

Season and possession limit: 2 for all fall seasons combined

 

Spring seasons *

North of State Road 70

  • Youth turkey hunt weekend: March 12–13 **
  • Spring turkey season: March 19 – April 24

 

South of State Road 70

  • Youth turkey hunt weekend: Feb. 26–27 **
  • Spring turkey season: March 5 – April 10

Daily bag limit: 2 turkeys

Season and possession limit: 2 for all spring seasons

In Holmes County, the daily bag and season limit is 1.

* Fall and spring turkey seasons – Shotguns, rifles, pre-charged pneumatic air guns, pistols, muzzleloaders, crossbows or bows may be used.

** Youth turkey hunt weekend – Youth 15-years-old and younger can harvest turkey, but youth must be supervised by an adult, 18 years or older. However, adult supervisors with a hunting license and turkey permit can “call in” the turkey and otherwise participate in the hunt, but they cannot shoot or shoot at turkey.

GRAY SQUIRREL

Statewide Oct. 9 – March 6

Daily bag limit: 12

Possession limit: 24

QUAIL

Statewide Nov. 13 – March 6

Daily bag limit: 12

Possession limit: 24

Rifles, shotguns, pistols, muzzleloaders, air guns, crossbows and bows may be used. Gray squirrel and quail also may be taken during archery, crossbow and muzzleloading gun seasons using the respective methods of take allowed during those seasons. 

BOBCAT

Statewide Dec. 1 – March 31

OTTER

Statewide Dec. 1 – March 1

Bobcats and otters may be taken by rifle, shotgun, pistol, muzzleloader, air gun, crossbow or bow.

Bag limits: No limit on bobcats and otters

may be taken year round by rifle, shotgun, pistol, muzzleloader, air gun, crossbow or bow.

Daily bag limits: 12 rabbits. No limits on other species.

Possession limits: 24 rabbits. No limits on other species.