Crazy there is always something we miss 😉 I just found out you don't need a hunting license to hunt hogs in WMAs.
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i like to see that one on the hog and wmas. I know you dont need orange to hunt them.
you need to verify the license for hunting hogs on WMA. The first line is to hunt a WMA you mush have - a management permit and a hunting license?
i like to see that one on the hog and wmas. I know you dont need orange to hunt them.
you need to verify the license for hunting hogs on WMA. The first line is to hunt a WMA you mush have - a management permit and a hunting license?
Check the Sept 5-6 FWC meeting Agenda:
This proposal would give the Commission the authority to require a hunting license to hunt wildlife, not just game, on public lands. This issue was originally proposed to deal with hunting hogs on wildlife management areas, but it was expanded to include all wildlife should a similar situation happen in the future.
Hogs are not a game species, but are the second most hunted species in Florida, after white-tail deer. They are popular to hunt on public and private lands. While it was assumed by many that hunting hogs on public lands require a license, that is not the case. This proposal would authorize the Commission to require a hunting license on public lands, on a species by species basis.
The requirement would have to be implemented by Commission rule or by an Executive Order.
The fiscal impact is unknown, but is anticipated to be small, since it is estimated that most who hunt on public lands either already have a hunting license to hunt other game species, or think that one is required to hunt (hogs) on public lands.
http://myfwc.com/media/2617051/9B2-SessionProposals-Presentation.pdf
http://myfwc.com/media/2615484/9B2-HuntingLicenseonPublicLands.pdf
2014 Session Legislative Proposal Agenda Item 9B (2) September 6, 2013 Attachment 5
Title: Authorizing the Commission to Require Hunting Licenses to Take Wildlife on Public Lands
Submitted by: Division of Hunting and Game Management
I. Summary of the Proposal
This proposal would give the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (Commission) clear authority to require a person to get a hunting license to take wildlife, not just statutorily defined game species, on Florida’s public lands. No species would be added to the current hunting license and hunter safety education requirements without Commission rulemaking or order of the Executive Director.
II.Present Situation
Section 379.354(1)(a), F.S., requires a person to obtain a hunting license (unlessspecifically exempted by statute) to take “game” animals in Florida. Game is defined insection 379.101(20), F.S., to include “deer, bear, squirrel, rabbits, and, where designatedby [Fish and Wildlife Conservation] commission rules, wild hogs, ducks, geese, rails,coots, gallinules, snipe, woodcock, wild turkeys, grouse, pheasants, quail, and doves.”Therefore, unless the Commission designates wild hogs, ducks, geese, rails, coots,gallinules, snipe, woodcock, wild turkeys, grouse, pheasants, quail, or doves as game, ahunting license is not required by statute to take them.
Section 379.3581, F.S., provides that no person born after June 1, 1975 (unlessspecifically exempted by statute), may be issued a license to take wild animal life withthe use of a firearm, gun, bow, or crossbow in Florida without having first successfullycompleted the hunter safety course described in that section, or unless with a specialauthorization to hunt under supervision (mentor option). The course includes bothclassroom and shooting range instruction in the competent and safe handling of firearms,conservation, and hunting ethics. Persons who are not required to have a hunting licensedo not have to complete the hunter safety course.
Wild hogs (Sus scrofa), also called wild pigs, wild boars, or feral pigs, are the secondmost popularly hunted animal in Florida, second only to white-tailed deer. They are notnative to Florida, but they occur in all of Florida's 67 counties within a wide variety ofhabitats. Wild hogs can reach weights of more than 150 pounds and be 5-6 feet long.
The Commission has not designated wild hogs as game, and therefore a hunting license is not required to take wild hogs. In 2012, however, the Commission became aware that most of the public (including many of those hunters who hunt wild hogs), already assumed that a hunting license was required for wild hog hunting on public lands; most of the hunters hunting on public lands already possessed a hunting license, and if required, had completed the hunter safety education course. This discrepancy was such a common misunderstanding that Commission law enforcement had acted in some areas (in terms of communication and enforcement) under the assumption that a hunting license was required for wild hog hunting on Wildlife Management Areas and other public lands they patrol.
Law enforcement officers also have encountered situations where hunters have asserted they were only hunting wild hogs when, in truth, they were hunting additional species - making misrepresentations to officers in order to avoid the hunting license and hunter safety education requirements of which they were in violation.
The issue with a large number of hunters not being required to be licensed or educated on hunter safety requirements to hunt wild hogs could also occur with other non-game species.
Specifically on public lands, Commission and other law enforcement are charged with protecting the public. The hunter safety education course or the mentor option is critical to ensuring that hunters using public lands are safe and act responsibly.
The Commission desires consistency and fairness in licensing and hunter safety education requirements.
For all of these reasons, Commission staff began moving forward with a proposal that Commissioners designate wild hogs as a game species in rule in 2012 (thus requiring hunters of wild hogs to be licensed under section 379.354(1)(a), F.S., and to complete the hunter safety education requirements of section 379.3581, F.S.). This proposal was met with opposition by hunting stakeholders. They expressed concerns that defining hogs as game would begin a new regulation scheme eventually leading to increasing restrictions on harvest (for example, managing hogs to ensure sustainable populations by limiting the number of wild hogs a hunter can harvest, regulating seasons, or regulating the methods by which wild hogs could be hunted) or less access to the take of wild hogs on public lands.
The stakeholders opposed to the designation of wild hogs as game had no objections to being required to be licensed or to complete hunter safety education course requirements to hunt hogs. The Commission and staff, understanding the concerns of these stakeholders began to develop an alternative solution.
Interesting. I truly like to see them as game so they can over populate.
I noticed that in the wma flyers this year and was just speechless.
Completely insane to think some of these hunters are not going to shot whatever walks in front of them and then decide how to get it out without getting snagged. Why would anyone think the guy loading up a nice buck didn't have a hunting license on a wma, so they should be good to go. So much for fees to help our hunting lands, and pay the officers and puplic workers. They got a deer for free!
ANY ONE WALKING INTO A WMA WITH A GUN TO HUNT SHOULD HAVE A LICENSE. It's called a hunting license not a deer license, or a hog license. The whole issue with not calling a hog a game animal lead to this, are they insane! So this year should be real fun, yeah more unlicensed, no safety class, crazies running around. The last two years I've seen a noticeble increase in hunters with poor ethics, and respect. And yes I am pigeon holeing hunters that would take advantage of this as maybe not the best of people, so go ahead to jump on me.
