Clerification of Florida game laws

grumpy

grumpy

New member
Spoke with Mr. Eddie White with the florida fish and game commision this morning and these are the clerifications we discussed.
1) You are allowed to hunt coyotes with a centerfire handgun, or muzzleloader rifle. Only centerfire rifles are prohibited.
2) There is no limit on shot size for hunting coyotes, the only restrictions are for game mammels and game birds.
3) E-callers are allowed for hunting coyotes. Coyotes are not considered a game mammal, and the regulations clearly state that electronic callers are not allowed for the taking of game mammals.
4) It is however, not legal to hunt coyotes at night in the state of florida, as the regulations state that the possesion of a firearm or light is prohibited after legal shooting hours.
To recap; you can use a handgun or muzzleloader,
you can use any size shot you prefer,
you can use e-callers for coyotes only,
you cannot hunt coyotes at night.
If you run into a game warden or ranger that argues the point, he can contact Eddie White at: 850 488 8573 and he will explain it to them.
 
Thanks for the update, I called the FWC & got the same info over the phone. Good to hear it come from higher up too. When I called last week, I ended up talking to 3 different officers before any one really knew the answer. Interesting......since thats their business to know.

Grumpy,you have mail.
 
I assume that you mean centerfire rifles are illegal during small game season? But thanks for the info and thanks again for the invite, sorry I couldn't make it this weekend...

-dave
 
grumpy,

But you still can't use a recorded game call on any Wildlife Management Area for hunting anything INCLUDING coyotes... Right?

Recorded game callers are for private land use only if I remember right.

$bob$
 
No, we were talking about WMA's and he was clear about using e-callers for coyotes only. You cannot use them for Racoons or hogs as they are considered game animals.
 
grumpy,

I don't mean to be dense but obviously this is a VERY important issue and confusion could land someone in jail if we get it wron. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Are you saying that Eddie White told you that it is OK to use a recorded game call to hunt coyotes on a Wildlife Management Area?

I never asked him that specific question in my memory and now wish I had.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

If we CAN in fact use recorded game calls for coyotes on WMA's then it opens a whole new world for fun and excitement in Florida!!!

I bet we'll have fits with the local Wildlife Officers convincing them on this one. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

I'd also like to say a few words in defense of Florida Wildlife Officers. I've met a bunch of them and know several on a first name basis and think they are a fine bunch of young men that put their lives on the line almost every day to protect our wildlife from unlawful poachers etc.

They have a VERY difficult job and I'm sure it's almost impossible to keep in touch with laws that they rarely, if ever, deal with such as centerfire handguns during small game seasons or recorded game calls for coyotes.

Please guys... Cut them some slack. You'll have to look FAR and WIDE to find a more sincere, dedicated, and hard working bunch than Florida Wildlife Officers. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

$bob$
 
Something else guys...

Please note that a blanket statement like it's ok to "blah, blah, blah" on WMA's doesn't always make it legal on ALL wildlife management areas.

Each biologist on each individual WMA can ask the state to make a specific rule(s) for his/her wildlife management area. This is done often so, you need to, not only go into the field with the knowledge you gain here, and from Eddie White, but you need to very carefully read the brochure from the specific WMA you are planning to hunt.

Circle the parts that you rely on and that might be a departure from "regular stuff" that a Wildlife Officer" might encounter. If you're stopped it's a lot easier to produce your brochure with the circled info than to argue with a Wildlife Officer that might cover 20-30 different WMA's each year.

That WMA can specifically prohibit something that may be legal on other WMA's.

So as an example... If the Cecil Webb WMA brochure says you can only hunt hogs on opening day and only take one.... You'd better better be double damned sure to follow that rule to the "T". (Real Life Example)

Another example is that on some WMA's you can use a centerfire rifle in turkey season and in others you can't.

Be careful out there and hopefully you won't ever find yourself explaining to a judge that you thought what you were doing was legal and find out the hard way that it wasn't. :eek:

Just wanted to clarify all that. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

$bob$
 
OK... Ok... Ok....

Yes... I'm preaching but hopefully this stuff I'm hammering everyone about will one day save a costly ticket or jail time.

Here's a perfect example of the constantly changing rules for individual WMA's.

2005-2006 Proposed Rule Changes

Most of this stuff is related to WMA's and some to regions. None of these proposed changes affect a predator hunter that I could see but some may.

I didn't find any occurences of the word coyote so maybe we're safe for another year? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Have fun out there... Be safe... And share your experiences here... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

$bob$
 
When I asked about e-callers, his exact words were, "yes, you can use electronic callers for coyotes only". "The state of florida does not consider coyotes as game mammals, and the regulations say that electronic callers are prohibited for the calling of game mammals".
 
Grumpy,

Just got back from a deer hunt... No deer but this is VERY good news... I'm gonna get me a Foxpro!!!

Yipeeeeeeeee /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

I'll send you a private email... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

$bob$
 
RickH2,

Interesting stuff but as usual, with most government studies, they're WAY behind the curve.

If you just howl a bit almost anywhere in Florida other than downtown areas you'll find that at least one and often several packs will respond.

They're everywhere and breed like rabbits. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif :eek: /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

It's my sworn and solemn duty to help control the Florida coyote population... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

$bob$
 


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