FWC considering changes to North Florida deer hunting rules

            The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is considering possible changes to deer hunting in northwest Florida for the 2014-15 hunting season.

Under the proposed changes, the commission is looking at antler-point regulations in the areas south of I-10 that would require that antlered deer have at least one antler with two or more antler points on one side to be eligible for harvest.

North of I-10, antlered deer would need at least one antler with three or more points on one side to be eligible for harvest.

Hunters under the age of 16 would be exempt from the proposed antler-point regulations on private lands and on some wildlife management areas.

The purpose of the antler-point regulations is to protect the majority of one and a half-year-old bucks from harvest while allowing the harvest of two and a half-year-old and older bucks.

Other changes under consideration are to shift the antlerless deer season on private lands from the current seven consecutive days to four weekend days during the general gun season.

The changes are based on detailed input from hunters, landowners, farmers and others over the past months.

The proposed changes are only recommendations at this time and have not yet been presented to Commissioners for consideration. 

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