Hunting in Florida: 7 Animals To Hunt in the Winter

Florida’s four wildlife management zones all have varying hunting seasons and are controlled and regulated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

If you are interested in hunting during the winter months in Florida, here’s a list of animals to look for:

1. Deer
Generally gun season for deer takes place from late November to early January. During this season, legal centerfire rifles and pistols, shotguns, muzzleloaders, crossbows, and bows may take antlered deer. Keep in mind the state is divided up into different hunting zones per the Florida Wildlife Commission and hunters should check with the commission for exact zone dates.

2. Turkey (Considered Fall Season)
General gun season varies from zone to zone for turkey, with a portion of the season falling in the winter months of November and December. Some zones even stretch their season into parts of January. A bag limit of two turkeys applies to this season. Be sure to check with the FWC website for current zone information.

3. Rabbit
Rabbit can be hunted year round in all four management zones in Florida. All legal rifles, shotguns, muzzleloaders, crossbows, bows and pistols, may take rabbits at any time. Rabbit limits include 12 rabbits daily and a possession limit of 24 rabbits.

4. Otter
Statewide otter season occurs annually from December to the beginning of March. There is no limit on otter bagged, but pelts may not be taken outside of the state without a Florida tag. You can hunt otter with all legal rifles, shotguns, muzzleloaders, crossbows, bows and pistols during the season.

5. Wild Hog
Wild hog has no bag limit and can be hunted year round in Florida. Hogs can be either trapped or shot without hunting to meet the state’s license requirement. Hogs are not a native species to Florida and are considered to be invasive.

6. Small Game
Small game animals, such as raccoon, opossum, coyote, beaver, and skunk, are another part of Florida’s year round hunting season. Raccoons and opossum may be hunted at night with the use of .22-caliber rimfire rifles or single-shot .410 gauge shotguns. There is no limit on any of these small game species in the state of Florida.

7. Bobcat
Bobcat season takes place from Dec. 1 to March 31 statewide. There are no bag limits on bobcat. Animals may be hunted with all legal rifles, shotguns, muzzleloaders, crossbows, bows and pistols.

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