Florida, the Sunshine State, caters not only to sunbathers and beachgoers, but also hunters seeking the thrill of diverse landscapes. Florida has many hunting opportunities year-round, from muddy marshes to vast farmlands. Successful and ethical hunting requires strategic navigation of the state’s hunting seasons. Prepare your camouflage, polish your blades, and discover Florida’s 2024 game calendar as below:
Florida Hunting Season Dates
Deer
| Zone | Season | Dates | Youth Deer Hunt Weekend |
| A | Archery | July 29 – Aug. 27 | Sept. 9-10 |
| Crossbow | July 29 – Sept. 1 | Sept. 9-10 | |
| Muzzleloading gun | Sept. 2-15 | Sept. 9-10 | |
| General gun | Sept. 16 – Oct. 15 Nov. 18 – Jan. 7 | Sept. 9-10 | |
| Antlerless deer | DMU A2: Nov. 18-19 DMU A3: Nov. 18-21 | Sept. 9-10 | |
| B | Archery | Oct. 14 – Nov. 12 | Nov. 25-26 |
| Crossbow | Oct. 14 – Nov. 17 | Nov. 25-26 | |
| Muzzleloading gun | Nov. 18 – Dec. 1 | Nov. 25-26 | |
| General gun | Dec. 2 – Feb. 18 | Nov. 25-26 | |
| Antlerless deer | Dec. 29-31 | Nov. 25-26 | |
| C | Archery | Sept. 16 – Oct. 15 | Oct. 28-29 |
| Crossbow | Sept. 16 – Oct. 20 | Oct. 28-29 | |
| Muzzleloading gun | Oct. 21 – Nov. 3 | Oct. 28-29 | |
| General gun | Nov. 4 – Jan. 21 | Oct. 28-29 | |
| Antlerless deer | DMU C1: Nov. 17-20 DMU C2: Nov. 17-19 DMU C3: Nov. 17-19 DMU C4: Nov. 17-20 DMU C5: Nov. 4-5, Nov. 18-19 DMU C6: Nov. 17-20 | Oct. 28-29 | |
| D | Archery | Oct. 21 – Nov. 22 | Dec. 2-3 |
| Crossbow | Oct. 21 – Nov. 22, Nov. 27 – Dec. 1 | Dec. 2-3 | |
| Muzzleloading gun | Dec. 2-8, Feb. 19-25 | Dec. 2-3 | |
| General gun | Nov. 23-26, Dec. 9 – Feb. 18 | Dec. 2-3 | |
| Antlerless deer | DMU D1: Nov. 25-26, Dec. 30-31 DMU D2: Nov. 23-26 |
| Season | Type of Allowed | Daily Bag Limit | Possession Limit | Annual Bag Limit |
| Archery and Crossbow | Antlered or Antlerless | 2 Deers | 4 Deers | 5 deers (2 antlerless max) |
| Muzzleloading Gun | Antlered or Antlerless (max 1 antlerless) | |||
| General Gun | Antlered only | |||
| Other Seasons | Antlered only |
Other Big Games
| Species | Zone | Season | Dates | Bag Limit | Hunting Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear | East Panhandle, North, Central, and South | General gun | Oct. 21-29 | 1 per person per season | Rifles, shotguns, pistols, revolvers, muzzleloaders, crossbows, or bows |
| Wild hog | Statewide | Year-round | No closed season | No limit | Rifles, shotguns, pistols, revolvers, muzzleloaders, crossbows, bows, or dogs |
Turkey
| Zone | Season | Dates | Bag Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| North | Youth turkey hunt weekend | March 9-10 | 1 per person per day, 2 per season |
| North | Spring turkey season | March 16 – April 21 | – |
| South | Youth turkey hunt weekend | March 2-3 | – |
| South | Spring turkey season | March 2 – April 7 | – |
Migratory & Waterfowl Birds
| Statewide | Season | Dates | Bag Limit |
| Ducks | Early teal | Sep. 16 – Sep. 24 | 6 |
| Regular | Nov. 18 – Nov. 26 Dec. 9 – Jan. 28 | 6 | |
| Geese | Early Canada goose | Sep. 2 – Sep. 24 | 5 |
| Regular | Nov. 18 – Nov. 26 Dec. 1 – Jan. 30 | 5 | |
| Doves | Phase I | Sep. 23 – Oct. 23 | 15 |
| Phase II | Nov. 11 – Dec. 4 | 15 | |
| Phase III | Dec. 12 – Jan. 15 | 15 | |
| Snipe | Snipe | Nov. 1 – Feb. 15 | 8 |
| Woodcock | Woodcock | Dec. 18 – Jan. 31 | 3 |
| Rails | King and clapper rails | Sep. 1 – Sep. 24 Nov. 18 – Jan. 21 | 15 |
| Sora and Virginia rails | Sep. 1 – Sep. 24 Nov. 18 – Jan. 21 | 25 | |
| Crows | Crows | Oct. 28 – Nov. 12 Dec. 2 – Feb. 18 | No limit |
Upland Games
| Statewide | Season | Dates | Bag Limit |
| Quail | Quail | Nov. 11 – Mar. 4 | 12 |
| Gray squirrel | Gray squirrel | Oct. 14 – Mar. 4 | 12 |
| Rabbit | Rabbit | Year-round | No limit |
Furbearers
| Hunting/Trapping (Statewide) | Dates | Bag Limit | Hunting Method |
| Bobcat, Otter | Dec. 1 – March 1 | No limit | Rifles, shotguns, pistols, revolvers, muzzleloaders, crossbows, bows, or dogs/Live traps or snares |
| Raccoon, Opossum, Skunk, Nutria, Beaver, Coyote | Year-round | No limit | Rifles, shotguns, pistols, revolvers, muzzleloaders, crossbows, bows, or dogs/Live traps or snares |
Mason Miller founded and leads WildlifeForum.org, a forum promoting ethical hunting and conservation. Mason, an avid outdoorsman and naturalist, studies and protects animals via activism, instructing, and research. His love of nature and dedication to sustainability inspired him to start WildlifeForum.org for responsible hunters, anglers, and outdoor lovers.
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