Florida Institutes First Annual Deer Bag Limit

by
posted on August 6, 2019
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
floridadeerbaglimit_lead.jpg

Florida hunters need to be aware of two new hunting regulation changes for the 2019–2020 deer season: The implementation of a statewide bag limit on deer and a mandatory reporting requirement for all harvested deer.

The state’s new annual deer bag limit is set at five deer and allows only two of those five deer to be antlerless. The new bag limit applies to all hunters, including those who are exempt from hunting licenses and permit requirements, and includes the combined total of all deer taken on private and public lands. Youth hunters’ bag limits can also now include one antlered deer that doesn’t meet the state’s deer management unit antler regulations.

The antlerless deer permit program, the deer depredation program and the private lands deer management program are exempt from the new bag-limit rule.

“This adaptive approach to deer management is intended to improve hunting opportunities by encouraging harvest among more hunters as well as greater selectivity, while helping maintain a healthy and reasonably balanced deer herd,” explained Cory Morea, Florida’s deer management program coordinator.

Prior to the regulation change, Florida was the only state in the Southeast without a specified annual bag limit for deer.

The other regulation requires all hunters, regardless of age and license type, to report all deer killed and enter specific information in their harvest logs before moving any deer from the point of harvest. This includes deer killed on private property. Log information must then be reported to the FWC’s harvest reporting system within 24 hours of harvesting. Harvest log information must be submitted before the final processing of the deer or any parts of it are transferred to a processor or a taxidermist, or before the deer leaves the state. Deer taken with depredation permits, from a game farm or from a licensed hunting preserve are the only exceptions.

“A harvest reporting system will foster bag limit compliance and give the FWC another source of deer harvest data,” Morea said.

The new rules go into effect statewide Aug. 3. Possession limits and daily bag limits are still in effect and hunters are encouraged to check with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for specific regulation guidelines and details.

Latest

Oklahoma Department Of Wildlife Conservation Logo
Oklahoma Department Of Wildlife Conservation Logo

Oklahoma Wildlife Commission Passes Rules for Nonresident Hunters, Public Hunting Lands

New emergency rules and resolutions for public hunting lands were approved last month by the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission.

First Look: Premium and Premium Deluxe Die Sets From Redding Reloading Equipment

Redding Reloading Equipment has expanded its Premium Die Set and Premium Deluxe Die Set product lines, including over seventy of the most popular cartridges in the industry today.

Junior Hunter Gear: Get Your Kids Into the Field

Looking for ways to get your fields out from behind the screens and into the great outdoors this summer? Check out these great pieces of outdoor kit to help spur the process.

Stealth Cam Adds On-Demand Livestream

Shortly after teasing the launch of its new trail camera functionality at the 2025 SHOT Show, Stealth Cam has announced that On Demand Live Stream is available via the Command Pro app.

#SundayGunday: Benelli Super Black Eagle 3 A.I.

On this week's #SundayGunday, Digital Associate Editor David Herman talks with Benelli Vice President Tim Joseph about Benelli's new Super Black Eagle 3 with A.I. barrel technology.

NRA Foundation Awards $13,500 in College Scholarships

The National Rifle Association is proud to announce the Grand Scholarship winners from the 2024 Youth Education Summit (Y.E.S.)—a group of exceptional students selected for their leadership, initiative, and dedication to advancing NRA programs within their communities.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.