68A-17.005: Specific Regulations for Wildlife and Environmental Areas
PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The purpose of the proposed rule changes is to revise specific area regulations on Wildlife and Environmental Areas (WEAs) and conform to calendar year date changes. The effect of the proposed rule changes will be to enable the agency to better manage fish and wildlife resources and public use on WEAs.
SUMMARY: The proposed rule changes would adjust season dates to conform to calendar year changes and revise area specific regulations on Wildlife and Environmental Areas (WEAs) as follows:
Suwannee Ridge WEA – Clarify that guest permit holders may be on the WEA during hunting periods and clarify that guest permit holders must attend the mobility-impaired pre-hunt meeting.
Dupuis WEA – Clarify that guest permit holders may be on the WEA during hunting periods.
SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS: No Statement of Estimated Regulatory Cost was prepared.
Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.
SPECIFIC AUTHORITY: Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution 379.2223 FS.
LAW IMPLEMENTED: Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution 379.2223 FS.
IF REQUESTED WITHIN 21 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS NOTICE, A HEARING WILL BE SCHEDULED AND ANNOUNCED IN FAW.
Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this workshop/meeting is asked to advise the agency at least 5 days before the workshop/meeting by contacting: The ADA Coordinator, at (850)488-6411. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 1(800)955-8771 (TDD) or 1(800)955-8770 (Voice).
THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Diane Eggeman, Director, Division of Hunting and Game Management, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 620 South Meridian Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1600
THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:
68A-17.005 Specific Regulations for Wildlife and Environmental Areas.
(1) Southwest Region.
(a) through (e) No change.
(f) Lake Wales Ridge Wildlife and Environmental Area – Royce Unit – Highlands County.
1. Open season:
a. Archery – October 16-18 10-12 and 23-25 17-19.
b. General gun – November 20-22 14-16.
c. Small game – December 11-13, 5-7 and 25-27 19-21, January 22-24 16-18 and 29-31 23-25.
d. General gun hog – January 9-10 3-4 and 16-17 10-11.
e. Spring turkey – March 19-21 20-22 and April 2-4 3-5.
f. No change.
2. through 3. No change.
(g) through (h) No change.
(2) North Central Region.
(a) Santa Fe Swamp – Bradford County.
1. Open season (hunting prohibited at other times):
a. Archery – September 26 20 through October 25 19.
b. Muzzleloading gun – October 30 through November 1 24-26.
c. Archery and muzzleloading gun – November 14 8 through January 10 4.
d. Spring turkey – March 20 21 through April 25 26.
e. No change.
2. through 3. No change.
(b) No change.
(c) Suwannee Ridge – Hamilton County.
1. Open season:
a. Mobility-impaired general gun – October 16-18 10-12, October 30 through November 1 24-26, November 6-8 October 31 through November 2 and December 18-20 12-14.
b. Mobility-impaired spring turkey – March 26-28 27-29 and April 16-18 17-19.
2. Legal to take: Any deer (except spotted fawn), wild hog, bearded turkey (during spring turkey season only), gray squirrel, and rabbit. The bag limit shall be two deer or two bearded turkeys per quota permit. Only certified mobility-impaired hunters may take an antlerless deer.
3. General regulations:
a. No change.
b. During periods open to hunting public access is restricted to individuals with valid quota hunt permits and those persons identified in Rule 68A-15.005, F.A.C. During hunting periods, access will be restricted to certified mobility-impaired hunters with quota hunt permits and one additional person per permit holder who may also participate in the hunt. Only one quota hunt permit may be utilized per individual per hunt.
c. No change.
d. The use of tracked vehicles, airboats, motorcycles, or all-terrain vehicles is prohibited, except all-terrain vehicles may be used during mobility-impaired hunts only, during all hunts.
e. No change.
f. All mobility-impaired hunters and guests hunt participants are required to attend a pre-hunt orientation meeting.
g. through h. No change.
(d) No change.
(3) No change.
(4) South Region.
(a) Southern Glades – Dade County.
1. Open season:
a. Archery – September 12 6 through October 11 5.
b. Muzzleloading gun – October 16-18 10-12.
c. General gun – October 31 25 through December 6 November 30.
d. Small game – November 14 8 through March 7 1.
e. through g. No change.
2. through 3. No change.
(b) John G. and Susan H. Dupuis Jr. – Palm Beach and Martin counties.
1. Open season:
a. Archery – September 11-13 5-7, 18-20 12-14 and 25-27 19-21.
b. Muzzleloading gun – October 9-11 3-5, 16-18 10-12 and 23-25 17-19.
c. General gun for mobility-impaired – October 31 through November 1 25-26.
d. General gun – November 6-8 October 31 through November 2 and 13-15 7-9.
e. General gun hog – November 17-19 11-13, 24-26 18-20, December 1-3 25-27 and 8-10 December 2-4. Wild hog only. No bag or size limit.
f. Spring turkey – March 9-11 10-12, 19-21 20-22 and 26-28 27-29.
g. Small game – December 12 6 through January 31 25.
h. through j. No change.
2. through 3. No change.
4. General regulations:
a. through j. No change.
k. During the archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun, general gun for mobility-impaired, spring turkey, and general gun hog seasons, no person shall enter or exit the area except through Gate 3 and all such persons shall possess a valid quota hunt permit for the area or be a guest of a valid quota permit holder as provided in Rule 68A-15.005, F.A.C.
l. through p. No change.
(c) CREW – Collier and Lee Counties.
1. Open season:
a. Archery – September 12-20 6-14.
b. Muzzleloading gun – October 17-19 11-13.
c. General gun – October 31 25 through November 8 2.
d. Small game – December 5 November 29 through January 1 December 26.
e. Spring turkey – March 6-9 7-10 and 10-14 11-15.
f. through g. No change.
2. through 4. No change.
(d) No change.
(e) John C. and Mariana Jones / Hungryland – Palm Beach and Martin Counties.
1. Open season:
a. Archery – September 12-15 6-9, 19-22 13-16, 26-29 20-23 and October 3-6 September 27-30.
b. Muzzleloading gun – October 17-19 11-13.
c. General gun – October 31 through November 2, 25-27 and November 7-9 1-3 and 14-16 8-10.
d. Small game – November 21 15 through December 20 14.
e. Migratory game birds – During the migratory game bird seasons as established by Rules 68A-13.003 and 68A-13.008, F.A.C.
f. No change.
2. through 4. No change.
(5) No change.
PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2009.
Specific Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const., 375.313 FS. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const., 379.2223, 375.313 FS. History– New 7-1-83, Amended 11-30-83, 7-1-84, 8-21-85, Formerly 39-17.05, Amended 6-1-86, 8-13-87, 8-18-88, 8-17-89, 4-11-90, 7-1-91, 10-31-91, 4-14-92, 4-20-93, 7-1-94, 9-15-94, 3-30-95, 8-15-95, 7-1-96, 4-3-97, 10-28-97, 7-1-98, 8-11-98, 7-1-99, Formerly 39-17.005, Amended 7-1-00, 5-1-01, 6-2-02, 5-25-03, 7-1-04, 7-1-05, 7-1-06, 7-1-07, 7-1-08, 7-1-09.
BE ADVISED THAT THESE PROPOSED RULES MAY BE FILED FOR ADOPTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE FOLLOWING THE COMMISSION MEETING AT WHICH THEY ARE CONSIDERED IF THE RULES ARE NOT CHANGED. IF CHANGED, THE RULES MAY BE FILED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER PUBLICATION OF A NOTICE OF CHANGE IN THE F.A.W.