Florida hunting and fishing laws
The Florida rules that catch people out, in plain English: hunter education, minimum age, blaze orange, Sunday hunting, shooting hours, baiting, night hunting, tagging and private land. Each one links to the state's own text.
Season dates for 2026-27. Page updated October 12, 2026.
These pages sum up the rules to help you find them. They are not legal advice. The state's own regulations govern, so check them before you go.
Hunter education in Florida
Persons born on or after June 1, 1975 must have successfully completed a hunter safety course in order to buy a license.
Under the deferral and mentoring option, those 16 years of age or older and born June 1, 1975 or after may hunt under the supervision of a qualified hunter, meaning an adult 21 years of age or older who has a valid hunting license and has met the requirement. The license prints that the holder must hunt under supervision of a qualified hunter age 21 or older.
Minimum hunting age in Florida
Florida sets supervision rules rather than a minimum hunting age. Hunters under 16 need no hunting license, and minors under 16 may use firearms only when supervised by a parent or an adult acting with the parent's consent. Anyone born on or after June 1, 1975 must pass hunter safety before buying a license to hunt unsupervised.
Blaze orange in Florida
Applies to: Deer
All people hunting deer on public lands, or accompanying someone hunting deer on public lands, must wear a minimum of 500 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange material as an outer garment above the waistline. This requirement does not apply during archery-only seasons or on private lands. No blaze pink provision was found.
Sunday hunting in Florida
Florida has no statewide Sunday hunting restriction. Statewide seasons run on consecutive days, Sundays included, and FWC schedules some special hunt days on Sundays. Wildlife management areas have their own area rules, so check the area's regulations.
Shooting hours in Florida
Hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset on lands outside of the wildlife management area system. Spring turkey hours on most areas are sunrise to sunset, and on private land one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. WMAs vary by area brochure.
Baiting in Florida
It is prohibited to take game on lands or waters where corn, wheat, grain, food, minerals, or other substances meant to be consumed have been placed, except that non-migratory game may be hunted in proximity of year-round game-feeding stations on private lands, provided the feeding station has been maintained with feed for at least six months. Baiting is prohibited on public lands.
Applies to: Deer
Feeding deer within the CWD Management Zone outside of deer season is not allowed.
Applies to: Bear
It is illegal to feed bears in Florida, and bait or feed for any wildlife is prohibited on WMAs. On private land, bears may be taken near a year-round feeding station for other game only if it was set up at least 6 months earlier, and no processed food products may be used.
Night hunting in Florida
Taking or attempting to take wildlife with artificial lights is prohibited under the gun and light rule, Fla. Stat. section 379.404.
Applies to: Furbearers
The gun and light permit is not required to take wild hog, coyote, armadillo, black or Norway rat, and house mouse with a gun and light during non-daylight hours. On private property with landowner permission, wild hogs may be hunted year-round day or night without restriction and with no license required, though WMA restrictions apply.
Tagging and reporting a harvest in Florida
Applies to: Deer
Log the deer in a harvest log (app, paper, or online) before moving it, then report it within 24 hours, before final processing, before handing it to a processor or taxidermist, or before it leaves the state, whichever comes first. Proof of sex, the skull plate with any attached antlers, must stay with the deer in the field, in camp, and en route until it is cooked or stored at the hunter's home.
Hunting on private land in Florida
A hunting license does not authorize trespass; get the landowner's permission before entering private land. Land may be posted with "No Trespassing" signs or international-orange paint marks under Fla. Stat. 810.011, and trespassing while carrying a firearm is a felony.
Can you show your Florida license on your phone?
Digital license yes. Harvest log can be in the app.
FWC says a license downloaded to the Fish|Hunt FL app “does count as personal possession of your license.” Florida has no deer or turkey carcass tag: hunters log the animal “prior to moving it” in the app, on paper or online, then report within 24 hours. Exception: the permit-only bear hunt uses a mailed tag you must “affix … through the hide before you move the animal.”
Phone with license; mailed tag only for bear
Florida hunting season dates, 2026-27
The main seasons, from the state's published dates. Zones and units can differ; each season links to the state's own page for it.
| Season | Dates | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer — archery | Sep 19 – Oct 18, 2026 | Zone C | Zones differ: A Aug 1-30, B Oct 17-Nov 15, D Oct 24-Nov 25 |
| Deer — general gun | Nov 7, 2026 – Jan 24, 2027 | Zone C | Zone D: Nov 26-29 and Dec 12-Feb 21; B: Dec 5-Feb 21 |
| Deer — muzzleloading gun | Oct 24 – Nov 6, 2026 | Zone C | Other zones have different dates |
| Black bear | Dec 5 – Dec 27, 2026 | Bear Harvest Zones | Permit (drawing) only; no free-running dogs |
| Spring turkey | Mar 20 – Apr 25, 2027 | North of State Road 70 | South of SR 70: Mar 6-Apr 11, 2027 |
| Fall turkey | Nov 7, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027 | Zone C | Other zones differ (Zone D: Nov 26-29, Dec 12-Jan 17) |
| Quail | Nov 14, 2026 – Mar 7, 2027 | Statewide | |
| Mourning dove — phase 1 | Sep 26 – Oct 18, 2026 | Statewide | Also Nov 14-Dec 6 and Dec 19-Jan 31 |
| Ducks — regular season | Nov 21, 2026 – Jan 31, 2027 | Statewide | Split: Nov 21-29 and Dec 12-Jan 31 |
What you can hunt in Florida
Big game
- White-tailed deer General season Zones A to D
- Black bear Draw or limited entry Season reinstated; permit application in September
- Alligator Draw or limited entry Statewide hunt by random drawing
- Wild hog General season Year round, no limit, no license on private land with permission
Upland and small game
- Wild turkey General season Fall and spring
- Quail General season
- Gray squirrel and rabbit General season
- Raccoon and opossum General season Year round
Waterfowl and migratory
- Ducks and geese General season
- Dove, woodcock, snipe, rail General season
- Sandhill crane No season No season
- American coot General season 15 a day, 45 in possession
- Common gallinule General season 15 a day, 45 in possession
Furbearer and predator
- Bobcat and otter General season December to March
- Coyote General season Year round
- Fox No season May be chased with dogs but not killed
What you can fish for in Florida
Separate freshwater and saltwater licenses; several extra permits
Fishing licenses sold: 3-day, 7-day, Annual
Trout and char
- Trout No season Florida has no trout fishery
Salmon and anadromous
- American, hickory and Alabama shad General season Hook and line only
Warmwater
- Black bass General season Florida, largemouth, Suwannee, spotted, Choctaw and shoal
- Butterfly peacock bass General season South Florida canals
- Panfish General season
- Black crappie General season
- Striped, white and sunshine bass General season
- Catfish, chain pickerel and bowfin General season
- Shoal bass — Chipola No season Release immediately
Saltwater and marine
- Snook Needs a stamp Snook Permit, including from shore
- Tarpon Tag or permit Catch and release; a tag allows one fish only when pursuing a record
- Goliath grouper Tag or permit 200 permits a year by random draw
- Snapper, grouper, hogfish and amberjack Needs a stamp State Reef Fish Angler designation from a private vessel
- Spiny lobster Needs a stamp Spiny Lobster Permit
- Sharks from shore Needs a stamp Shore-based Shark Fishing Permit
- Red drum and spotted seatrout General season
- Flounder, sheepshead and pompano General season
- Cobia, king and Spanish mackerel General season
- Bonefish No season Catch and release only
Other
- American eel General season
- Sturgeon No season Release immediately
- Alligator gar No season Release immediately
Official Florida links
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Carry your Florida license on your phone
Sportsmen Ledger holds your hunting and fishing licenses and tags, these rules and your harvest log, and it works with no signal. Free to start.
Compare with other states
- Hunter education requirements by state
- Minimum hunting age by state
- Blaze orange requirements by state
- Sunday hunting laws by state
- Legal shooting hours by state
- Baiting laws by state
- Night hunting laws by state
- Tagging and harvest reporting by state
- Hunting on private land, state by state
- Can you show your hunting or fishing license on your phone? Every state