Florida Restricts Firearms for WMA Turkey Hunts

At its meeting Wednesday in Pensacola Beach, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) passed a new rule that limits the methods of take allowed during spring turkey hunts on FWC-managed areas, beginning with next spring’s turkey season (March 2011). However, all legal bows and crossbows are still allowed.

The new rule restricts firearms to shotguns and muzzleloading shotguns only, using shot no larger than No. 2. All rifles, pistols, buckshot and slugs are now prohibited during spring turkey hunts on wildlife management areas (WMAs), except on Joe Budd WMA, Raiford WMA and Santa Fe Swamp Wildlife and Environmental Area. On these three areas, muzzleloading rifles will still be allowed, because spring turkey hunting on these areas is restricted to primitive guns only.

Florida said safety concerns on public lands prompted the new restrictions.

Comments

I live in the middle of a WMA in northern Florida and no one has ever been injured during turkey season by centerfire weapons. It's not a safety issue. Here the FWC has no clue as to what the meaning of management is. There have been more people, including children, hurt or killed by being thrown from vehicles in the pursuit of deer dogs. The FWC needs to be disbanned and all new people put into place. If you complain the FWC sends a politically correct officer to blow smoke. From james d.campbell on Sunday, September 05, 2010 7:39 AM Many states already restrict the taking of turkey to shotgun and bow only. This is not a big deal to restrict rifles for taking turkey. From Don Nelson on Friday, September 03, 2010 10:08 AM

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