Florida

Florida Muzzleloader Hunting Season Regulations

 

During Florida Muzzleloader Hunting Season, the legal types of guns for use during the muzzleloading gun season use black powder or a non-nitro-cellulose substitute and are fired by wheel lock, flintlock or percussion cap ignition (including 209 primers). Muzzleloaders using smokeless powder, those that can be loaded from the breech or those with self-contained cartridge ammunition capabilities are not legal during Florida Muzzleloader Hunting Season.

Shotgun or 209 type primers are considered percussion caps and are legal to use during the Florida Muzzleloader Hunting Season.

Visit the following link for this season dates – http://www.eregulations.com/florida/hunting/deer-seasons-bag-limits/

Must have $5 Deer Permit as well as hunting license to hunt deer during the Florida Muzzleloader Hunting Season

This information is subject to change, for more information visit: http://myfwc.com/

Knight Rifles, America’s Muzzleloader!

Hunting Seasons are updated for 2022-2023

CLICK HERE for 2022-2023 Florida Hunting Regulations

ANTLERED DEER – deer with at least one antler 5 inches or more in length (see DMU pages for additional antler regulations)

Zone A

  • Archery season: July 30 – Aug. 28
  • Crossbow season: July 30 – Sept. 2
  • Muzzleloading gun season: Sept. 3-16
  • Youth deer hunt weekend: Sept. 10-11 *
  • General gun season:
    • Sept. 17 – Oct. 16
    • Nov. 19 – Jan. 1

Zone B

  • Archery season: Oct. 15 – Nov. 13
  • Crossbow season: Oct. 15 – Nov. 18
  • Muzzleloading gun season: Nov. 19 – Dec. 2
  • Youth deer hunt weekend: Nov. 26-27 *
  • General gun season: Dec. 3 – Feb. 19

 

Zone C

  • Archery season: Sept. 17 – Oct. 16
  • Crossbow season: Sept. 17 – Oct. 21
  • Muzzleloading gun season: Oct. 22 – Nov. 4
  • Youth deer hunt weekend: Oct. 29 – 30 *
  • General gun season: Nov. 5 – Jan. 22

 

Zone D

  • Archery season: Oct. 22 – Nov. 23
  • Crossbow season: Oct. 22 – Nov. 23, Nov. 28 – Dec. 2
  • General gun season: Nov. 24 – 27, Dec. 10 – Feb. 19
  • Youth deer hunt weekend: Dec. 3-4 *
  • Muzzleloading gun season: Dec. 3-9, Feb. 20-26

 

ANTLERLESS DEER – deer (except spotted fawn) without antlers or antlers less than 5 inches

Zone A

  • Archery season:
    • DMU A2: July 30 – Aug. 7
    • DMU A3: July 30 – Aug. 14
  • Crossbow season:
    • DMU A2: July 30 – Aug. 7
    • DMU A3: July 30 – Aug. 14
  • Youth deer hunt weekend:
    • DMU A2 and DMU A3: Sept. 10-11 *
  • General gun season:
    • DMU A2: Nov. 19-20
    • DMU A3: Nov. 19-22

Zone B

  • Archery season: Oct. 15 – Nov. 13
  • Crossbow season: Oct. 15 – Nov. 13
  • Youth deer hunt weekend: Nov. 26-27 *
  • General gun season: Dec. 30 – Jan. 1

Zone C

  • Archery season: Sept. 17 – Oct. 16
  • Crossbow season: Sept. 17 – Oct. 16
  • Muzzleloading gun season: DMU C5: Oct. 22-23
  • Youth deer hunt weekend: Oct. 29 – 30 *
  • General gun season:
    DMU C1: Nov. 18-21 
    DMU C2: Nov. 18-20 
    DMU C3: Nov. 18-20 
    DMU C4: Nov. 18-21 
    DMU C5: Nov. 5-6, Nov. 19-20 
    DMU C6: Nov. 18-21

Zone D

  • Archery season: Oct. 22 – Nov. 23
  • Crossbow season: Oct. 22 – Nov. 23
  • Muzzleloading gun season: DMU D2: Dec. 3-4 
  • Youth deer hunt weekend: Dec. 3 – 4 *
  • General gun season:
    DMU D1: Nov. 26-27, Dec. 31-Jan. 1 
    DMU D2: Nov. 26-27, Dec. 17-18, Dec. 31-Jan. 1

Bag Limit

Daily bag limit: 2 deer

  • During those portions of archery and crossbow seasons when antlerless deer can be taken, either deer may be antlered or antlerless.
  • During those portions of general gun season when antlerless deer may be taken, only 1 deer may be antlerless.
  • During all other seasons, only antlered deer may be taken. Antlerless deer can only be taken by antlerless deer permit/tag.

Possession limit: 4 deer

Annual bag limit: 5 deer of which only 2 can be antlerless

Deer taken under the Deer Depredation Permit Program, Private Lands Deer Management Permit Program and Antlerless Deer Permit Program (antlerless deer only), and on licensed game farms and hunting preserves are excluded from bag (daily and annual) and possession limits.

Deer Dog Training Season

Zone A: Aug. 13 – Sept. 1

Zone B: Oct. 29 – Nov. 17

Zone C: Oct. 1-20

Zone D: Oct. 29 – Nov. 17

* Youth deer hunt weekend

Youth 15-years-old and younger can harvest any deer except spotted fawn, but youth must be supervised by an adult, 18 years or older. Youth may use any legal method of take (including dogs) for deer, with a limit of 1 deer for the weekend that counts towards the youth’s annual statewide bag limit. This weekend does not apply to wildlife management areas.

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