Great radio from the Apalachicola Bay in North Florida
Friday, January 20, 2017
Youth hunting opportunities!
January
FWC’s Hunting Hot Sheet
The latest hunting and conservation news and events from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
Youth waterfowl hunting days
Mark your calendar for Florida’s Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days, held Feb. 4-5. This Saturday-Sunday hunt gives youth 15 years old and younger an opportunity to hunt ducks and geese while supervised by an adult. Only youth are allowed to harvest waterfowl. Neither the youth nor the supervising adult need a license or permit.
The hunt can take place on private property with landowner permission and on most water bodies that have public access. Check with local law enforcement agencies or FWC regional offices prior to hunting on public water bodies. The FWC also has managed hunts at T.M. Goodwin, STA 1W and Guana River. These fun, family-oriented events include free food and waterfowl hunting opportunities. For more information on the Guana River hunt, call 904-825-6877. For more information on the T.M. Goodwin and STA 1W hunts, call 321-726-2862.
Did you know FWC manages nine public shooting ranges across Florida, with two more in the works? FWC is committed to safely supporting the needs of recreational target shooters, hunters and hunter safety students with future shooting ranges under construction at Triple ’N Ranch in Osceola County and Palm Beach County.
The Triple ’N Ranch Shooting Range will feature four different supervised rifle and pistol ranges offering more than 100 firing positions. It will be one of the largest target shooting ranges in Florida. The FWC expects to make the rifle and pistol ranges available for weekend target shooting this spring. When complete, this range will feature a 19-station sporting clays course, a 5-stand sporting clays field, and an education classroom.
Construction is underway for the rifle and pistol ranges at the Palm Beach County Shooting Sports Park. This FWC project is located directly across the road from the main entrance to the J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area. The facility promises to be a world-class complex on 150 acres that will meet the growing demand for safe target shooting by providing opportunities for people to participate in a variety of shooting disciplines, allow practice for Olympic-style shooting events and host hunter safety courses. Phase 1 of this facility – rifle and pistol ranges – is expected to open in 2017.
In addition, FWC staff also are working on design plans for a new sporting clays course at the Tenoroc Shooting Center in Lakeland. This improvement is expected to be available to shooting sports enthusiasts this fall.
Once you’ve heard the whistle of a northern bobwhite, it’s like a popular song you can’t get out of your head. And if you’ve ever experienced a covey rise, you know why it’s such a popular game bird.
FWC and its partners are committed to ensuring healthy habitats for northern bobwhite. Since the Upland Ecosystem Restoration Project was developed in 2006, we’re managing over 190,000 acres of public land for bobwhites. Proven scientific management strategies such as frequent prescribed fire, roller chopping and timber harvest are helping ensure the long-term sustainability of this iconic species - thanks to cooperation between the FWC, Florida Forest Service, Department of Environmental Protection, U.S. Forest Service and Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy.
Providing sustainable hunting opportunities is also a goal. Quail season runs throughMarch 5 on private lands. And there are still opportunities for non-quota Quail Enhancement Areas.
Wood ducks are one of North America’s most beautiful ducks and seeing one in Florida’s wild outdoors is a treat. One way you can increase your chances of viewing them and enhance the local area’s wildlife value is to add nest boxes. While woodies normally nest in tree cavities near lakes, rivers, ponds, and other wetlands, where nest cavities are in short supply they will accept nest boxes.
In Florida, wood duck nesting happens from late January into August with most nesting occurring February through June. So now is the perfect time to put up nest boxes or clean and repair existing ones.
Spring turkey hunting provides an exciting introductory experience for new hunters. Even the chance to hear a gobbler sound off in the woods is enough to make a young hunter’s eyes open wide and heart race. FWC’s Youth Spring Turkey Hunt Weekend gives youth 15 years old and younger an opportunity to turkey hunt while supervised by an adult. This year, the Youth Spring Turkey Hunt Weekend in Florida is Feb. 25-26 south of State Road 70, and March 11-12 in the rest of the state. This Saturday-Sunday hunt occurs the weekend prior to the opening of spring turkey season on private property and on many wildlife management areas (WMAs).
Looking for a more mentored turkey hunting experience? Check out FWC’s Youth Hunting Program of Florida, which offers safe, mentored educational hunts for those new to the experience. Young men and women between 12 and 17 years old who are accompanied by a parent or guardian can receive expert training in how to be safe, responsible hunters, learn about conservation, and take part in an organized hunt. See the calendar for mentored youth turkey hunts available this spring.
To participate in a Youth Hunting Program of Florida hunt, you must complete a Florida hunter safety course (regardless of your age) and be able to provide a copy of your completion card. FWC offers free hunter safety courses. These courses are a great way to learn about hunting, wildlife, safe firearms handling and conservation.
Hunting and fishing licenses: There’s an app for that!
Have you ever accidentally left your hunting or fishing license in your vehicle? Or realized on your way to your hunting or fishing destination that you needed to renew your license? With the Fish/Hunt FL app, it’s easy to buy your fishing and hunting licenses and keep them with you. Sign up for the auto-renew feature and make license buying even easier.
In addition to using the app to buy and store a copy of your licenses, you also can use the app to look up hunting and fishing regulations, current sunrise and sunset times, and coastal waters forecasts. Plus, use the app to find boat ramps and read the latest FWC news.
Download the Fish Hunt FL app on your Apple, Android or Windows smart phone by searching FWC in the app store and never be without your license again.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of Florida’s wildlife management area (WMA) system, one of state’s greatest natural treasures. Florida’s first WMA was the Fred C. Babcock/Cecil M. Webb WMA. It was established in late 1941 in Charlotte and Lee counties. Today, we have one of the largest systems of public lands in the country at nearly 6 million acres. We’re the lead manager or landowner on over 1.4 million acres and work in partnership with other governmental or private landowners on another 4.5 million acres.
This statewide network of remote and scenic lands is managed for conservation and recreation. Healthy habitats and abundant game populations are the result of dedicated professionals – wildlife biologists, land managers, partners and volunteers – who work hard to ensure wildlife have the conditions needed to thrive. WMAs offer a wide range of hunting opportunities from quota/limited hunts, special opportunity hunts, and public hunting areas where hunters can walk on to hunt.
As a hunter, you’re often in Florida’s most remote areas and have firsthand knowledge of wildlife and habitat conditions, game law violations and other information that can help protect and conserve the state’s natural resources. You can make a big difference by reporting:
See all the hunting license options. Order yours today by visiting GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or call toll free 888-HUNT-FLORIDA (888-486-8356) or by visiting your local tax collector or outdoor retailer.
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