Email from FWC

original post by Iluv2hunt: As someone who has hunting privileges in Florida we thought you may be interested in the following information. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved a Strategic Plan for Deer Management in Florida: 2008-2018 on February 2008. FWC’s Deer Management Program has been working since to initiate high priority components of the strategic plan. Please visit http://myfwc.com/deer to review several updates regarding deer management in Florida.

These include:

New deer hunting zones and seasons – The Commission approved changes to deer hunting zones and seasons on February 17. New season dates will apply to the 2010-2011 hunting season for private lands. The process of aligning WMAs and other public lands with new zonal seasons has begun and public meetings have been scheduled around the state.

This is a done deal. The dates are set for the 2010-2011 season as stated. Public land dates will be worked on and imlpemented for 2011-2012. As our DMTAG group works on these changes we will keep you all posted as to what is happening. Good things are coming.

Originally posted by Pirouge:
Crossbows during archery season – The Commission is considering allowing the use of crossbows during the regular archery season. Be sure to take the survey.

Not sure is this is a certainty yet. Lots of discussion and dissention among the DMTAG group. I can tell you the surveys so far are reporting 70.4% in favor of private land crossbow use during archery season and 64.9% in favor of including crossbows during public land archery season. We'll see how those numbers pan out as things progress. FWC plans on e-mailing the questionare out to approx. 50,000 e-mail addresses linked to licensed hunters in the state. Be on the look out for public hearing reagarding this issue.

Originally posted by Pirouge:
Proposed deer harvest reporting system - The FWC is proposing to implement a deer harvest reporting system for Florida in an effort to collect accurate harvest data. The proposal would require hunters to report any deer harvested using a telephone or computer. Hunters would need to enter some basic information regarding their harvest within a certain amount of time of taking a deer. More information will be available on the Deer Program’s website in the near future. Be sure to look at the public meeting schedule.

Lots more to go over on this issue as well. We are in the very early stages of developing this harvest report form. Suggestions have been to link it to the new deer stamp so that your harvest log is attached. It would also reduce the possibility of people printing out more deer harvest logs and keeping duplicates since each replacement form would be attached to the stamp and cost $2 per copy. It would immeidately create a record of duplication and send red flags up for people constantly replacing their stamp in order to get a fresh log sheet. Still arguing over reporting time. Some suggestions have been made to allow for a 48 or 72 hour window to report. Other arguments made to report by midnight of the same day in order to ensure compliance. We'll see what direction this goes.

Originally posted by Pirouge:
Rut maps - Mean conception date maps for Florida's panhandle and peninsula.

2009 Deer breeding chronology study - A preliminary report on a project looking at breeding chronology of deer in the panhandle.

All good info for your information and a useful resource to identify rut dates across the regions. Could be helpful in planning when and where you hunt.

Originally posted by Pirouge:
Please continue to monitor the Deer Management Program’s website for updates regarding deer hunting regulations.

Also be on the look out for new information regarding Deer Management Units (DMUs) which will break up each zone into terrain and herd characteristics. The FWC will be monitoring deer within these DMUs and use the information to better manage the herds in these areas. Eventually, once a tag system is in place and season bag limits are set, varying DMUs will have different harvest parameters so that overharvest does not occur in any one area.

The science is finally catching up in our state. I expect great strides forward and more robust deer herds in the years to come.

In the meantime, keep helping us fight for more access in more areas. I and a group of hunters holding seats on the stakeholder group for SWFWMD are beginning to put together a proposal for more hunting on more district lands. I'll make that public once we finish hammering out the details and get some guidance from FWC. More good stuff to come.

If anyone has info on any district lands as to traditional hunting use prior to SWFWMD taking and closing those areas down, please email me with that info so I can make use of it in our proposal.

Got that email too.

what you want a cracker? lol

yea ill take a cracker 😆 with a side of :tequila

Thanks huntmaster,It's nice to know our voices are actually heard sometimes.

i got the email also