Wildlife Management Area · FL

Apalachicola Wildlife Management Area Hunting

Apalachicola Wildlife Management Area

Florida

587,502 acresManaged by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Explore 587,502 acres of public hunting land in Florida. View the property boundary, hunting seasons and regulations, map information and official sources.

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Hunting regulations

Official regulations ↗

Current season: 2026-2027. Verify current regulations and closures before hunting.

Regulations for

Species & Seasons

DeerMultiple seasonsArchery · General Gun · Muzzleloader

Applies to all listed opportunities

Antlered deer with at least 1 antler having 3 or more points (each point 1-inch or more in length) OR a main beam of 10 inches or more in length

Details & restrictions

Archery/Muzzleloading Gun Season: Antlered deer with at least 1 antler having 3 or more points (each point 1-inch or more in length) OR a main beam of 10 inches or more in length

Archery Season

October 24–November 22

antlerless deer (which includes does and bucks with antlers less than 5 inches in length

General Gun Season

November 26–29, December 12–February 3

Muzzleloading Gun Season

December 5–7

TurkeyYouth Turkey: March 12-15Spring Turkey: March 20–April 25Spring

Spring Turkey Season

Youth Turkey: March 12-15Spring Turkey: March 20–April 25

BearDec 5–27

Details & restrictions

Taking bear with the aid of dogs is prohibited.

Season

Dec 5–27

QuailSee details

Quail Season

RaccoonRelated rules in 3 area-wide periods

Details & restrictions (3)

raccoon and opossum may be hunted at night as allowed in #2 under "General Gun Season" and #2 under "Small Game Season" in this brochure.
raccoon and opossum may be hunted at night only by the aid of a light and dogs, with .
raccoon or opossum by display or use of light from a moving vehicle, boat, or animal is prohibited.

BobcatMultiple seasons

Closed

Bobcat may not be harvested

Season

December 1 through March 1

OpossumRelated rules in 3 area-wide periods

Details & restrictions (3)

raccoon and opossum may be hunted at night as allowed in #2 under "General Gun Season" and #2 under "Small Game Season" in this brochure.
raccoon and opossum may be hunted at night only by the aid of a light and dogs, with .
raccoon or opossum by display or use of light from a moving vehicle, boat, or animal is prohibited.

OtterDecember 1 through March 1

Season

December 1 through March 1

Fox, Raccoon, Opossum and Bobcat SeasonOctober 1–March 7 (Fox Hunt Area Only)

Season

October 1–March 7 (Fox Hunt Area Only)

Details & restrictions

Legal to Hunt - Fox, raccoon, opossum, bobcat, coyote, and rabbits. Bobcat may not be harvested, except during daylight hours from December 1 through March 1. Raccoon, opossum, coyote, and rabbits may not be harvested, except as allowed during overlapping seasons. Harvesting fox is prohibited. Take of other non-native wildlife is limited to species generally classified as game.

Regulations Unique to Fox, Raccoon, Opossum and Bobcat Season - 1. Fox, raccoon, opossum, coyote, and bobcat may be chased with free-running dogs during the day and at night. 2. During dates that overlap with the general gun or small game season, raccoon and opossum may be hunted at night as allowed in #2 under "General Gun Season" and #2 under "Small Game Season" in this brochure. 3. Rabbits may be chased with free-running dogs from ½ hour before sunrise until ½ hour after sunset only.

Permit, Stamp, and License Requirements - Hunting license (an annual hunting license is required for nonresidents to hunt game and furbearers) and management area permit.

Other Hunt Periods3 periods

Area-wide hunt periods not tied to one species.

Small Game Season

November 14–March 7

Details & restrictions

Permit: Hunting license (an annual hunting license is required for nonresidents to hunt game and furbearers), management area permit, migratory bird permit (if hunting migratory birds), state waterfowl permit and federal duck stamp (if hunting waterfowl), military license or ID (if harvesting waterfowl during the Veterans and Active Military Waterfowl Hunt days), and bear harvest permit (if hunting bears).

1. Hunting with centerfire rifles is allowed. 2. In the Dog Hunt Area (including the Fox Hunt Area), raccoon and opossum may be hunted at night only by the aid of a light and dogs, with .22 rimfire firearms other than .22 magnum, or with a single-shot .410 centerfire or muzzleloading shotgun, using shot no larger than No. 6. Hunting raccoon or opossum by display or use of light from a moving vehicle, boat, or animal is prohibited. 3. Hunting wild hog with dogs is prohibited, except during daylight hours in the Dog Hunt Area (including the Fox Hunt Area). 4. Any dog may be used to hunt small game (gray squirrel, quail, migratory birds in season, and rabbits) in the still-hunt area, but only during the following dates: November 23–25, November 30–December 4, December 8–11, and February 15–March 7. 5. Taking bear with the aid of dogs is prohibited.

Archery/Muzzleloading Gun Season

February 4–14

Details & restrictions

Permit: Hunting license (an annual hunting license is required for nonresidents to hunt game and furbearers), management area permit, archery permit (if hunting with a bow), crossbow permit (if hunting with a crossbow or airbow), muzzleloading gun permit (if hunting with a muzzleloading gun), deer permit (if hunting deer), and migratory bird permit (if hunting migratory birds).

1. Only bows, crossbows, airbows, and muzzleloading guns may be used for hunting, except as allowed during overlapping seasons and centerfire shotguns for hunting migratory birds and non-protected birds. 2. Hunting deer or wild hog with dogs is prohibited, except wild hog may be hunted with dogs as allowed during the small game season on dates that overlap with the archery/muzzleloading gun season.

Migratory Bird Season

Details & restrictions

Permit: Hunting license (an annual hunting license is required for nonresidents to hunt migratory game birds and non-native game birds), management area permit, migratory bird permit, state waterfowl permit and federal duck stamp (if hunting waterfowl), and military license or ID (if harvesting waterfowl during the Veterans and Active Military Waterfowl Hunt days).

All Migratory Bird Regulations shall apply. 1. Hunting ducks, geese, and coot with lead shot is prohibited. 2. Centerfire and muzzleloading shotguns are allowed for hunting during established area seasons when migratory birds are legal to hunt.3. Shooting hours for migratory birds are ½ hour before sunrise until sunset. 4. Non-hunting assistants with required licenses and permits may actively participate in Veterans and Active Military Waterfowl Hunting Days, provided they may not harvest wildlife.5. Adults with required licenses and permits may actively participate in Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days, provided they may not harvest wildlife.

Permits & Check-in5 items

Archery Season: Hunting license (an annual hunting license is required for nonresidents to hunt game and furbearers), management area permit, archery permit, deer permit (if hunting deer), wild turkey permit (if hunting wild turkey), migratory bird permit (if hunting migratory birds), and state waterfowl permit and federal duck stamp (if hunting waterfowl).
General Gun Season: Hunting license (an annual hunting license is required for nonresidents to hunt game and furbearers), management area permit, deer permit (if hunting deer), WMA deer-dog permit (if hunting deer with dogs), wild turkey permit (if hunting turkey), migratory bird permit (if hunting migratory birds), state waterfowl permit and federal duck stamp (if hunting waterfowl), military license or ID (if harvesting waterfowl during the Veterans and Active Military Waterfowl Hunt days), and bear harvest permit (if hunting bears).
Muzzleloading Gun Season: Hunting license (an annual hunting license is required for nonresidents to hunt game and furbearers), management area permit, muzzleloading gun permit, deer permit (if hunting deer), wild turkey permit (if hunting turkey), migratory bird permit (if hunting migratory birds), state waterfowl permit and federal duck stamp (if hunting waterfowl), and bear harvest permit (if hunting bears).
Quail Season: Hunting license (an annual hunting license is required for nonresidents to hunt quail) and management area permit.
Spring Turkey Season: Hunting license (an annual hunting license is required for nonresidents to hunt wild turkeys), management area permit, and wild turkey permit.

General Restrictions4 items

Archery Season: 1. Only archery equipment may be used for hunting, except as allowed during overlapping seasons and centerfire and muzzleloading shotguns for hunting migratory birds and non-protected birds. Hunting with crossbows, airbows, or bows equipped with a draw-lock device is prohibited (except by Persons with Disabilities Crossbow Permit). 2. Hunting deer or wild hog with dogs is prohibited, except wild hog may be hunted with dogs as allowed during the small game season on dates that overlap with the archery season.
General Gun Season: 1. During general gun season, the use of a light in a manner capable of disclosing the presence of wildlife from 12 a.m. (midnight) until ½ hour before sunrise is prohibited, except as allowed when hunting raccoon and opossum. 2. In the Dog Hunt Area (including the Fox Hunt Area), raccoon and opossum may be hunted at night only by the aid of a light and dogs, with .22 rimfire firearms other than .22 magnum, or with a single-shot .410 centerfire or muzzleloading shotgun, using shot no larger than No. 6. Hunting raccoon or opossum by display or use of light from a moving vehicle, boat, or animal is prohibited. 3. Hunting deer or wild hog with dogs is prohibited, except during daylight hours in the Dog Hunt Area (including the Fox Hunt Area). 4. A valid WMA deer-dog hunting permit is required to hunt deer with the aid of dogs. 5. Taking bear with the aid of dogs is prohibited.
Muzzleloading Gun Season: 1. Hunting with archery equipment or guns, other than muzzleloading guns, is prohibited except as allowed during overlapping seasons and centerfire shotguns for hunting migratory birds and non-protected birds. 2. Hunting deer or wild hog with dogs is prohibited, except wild hog may be hunted with dogs as allowed during the small game season on dates that overlap with the muzzleloading gun season. 3. Taking bear with the aid of dogs is prohibited.
Spring Turkey Season: 1. Legal shooting hours are ½ hour before sunrise until sunset. 2. Hunting other animals is prohibited. 3. Hunting with dogs is prohibited. 4. Only bows, crossbows, PCP airguns propelling a bolt or arrow and centerfire and muzzleloading shotguns using a #2 or smaller shot size may be used for hunting. 5. During the youth turkey hunt, only youth under 16 years of age may hunt and must be under the direct physical supervision of an adult not younger than 18 years of age. Adults with required licenses and permits may participate when in the presence of a youth, but may not harvest a wild turkey.

Additional Information2 items

Archery Season: but not spotted fawn)
Muzzleloading Gun Season: bear

Official Sources2 sources

Official resources

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About this property and data

Hunting access: Check the official source for access conditions

Boundary: Official agency boundary

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Always verify current regulations, closures, and posted conditions before your trip.

Source and review details

Dataset: Florida reviewed onboarding logical properties
Ownership review: reviewed-source
Data review: Reviewed before staging

Boundary source: Florida reviewed logical properties ↗

Rules change. Always check the official source before your trip.