This edition of FWC's Hunting Hot Sheet features several opportunities to Introduce youth to hunting.
We hope it inspires you to take a young person hunting or volunteer for youth programs or events offered by the FWC and its partners.
Experience a
beautiful morning in a wetland with a special youth 15 and under during the Youth
Waterfowl Hunting Days. The Feb. 3-4 hunt is a chance to spend quality time
with your daughter, son, grandchild or other young person. It’s also an
opportunity to teach young hunters about ducks and their habits, where food
comes from, and safe, responsible hunting and firearms handling. Create the
next generation that cares about conservation by
mentoring them during Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days! Check out this Guide to Hunting
Waterfowl in Florida
The FWC also has managed hunts at T.M. Goodwin
Waterfowl Management Area, STA 1W and Guana
River Wildlife Management Area. These fun, family-oriented events
include raffles, free food and great waterfowl hunting. No children are
turned away from the hunts, so a quota permit is not necessary. For more
information on the Guana River hunt, call 904-825-6877. For more
information on the T.M. Goodwin and STA 1W hunts, call 321-726-2862.
Photo
courtesy of John Hitchcock
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Several Youth Hunter
Education Challenge (YHEC) events, ranging from skeet shoots to classes on
muzzleloading and wildlife identification, are available in February. The YHEC
program, developed by the National Rifle Association, offers fun events
that teach leadership, ethics and
safety and expand knowledge and skills. To participate, youth 18 and
under must have successfully completed a hunter safety course.
YHEC event, Jacksonville
Family Fun Skeet
Shoot, Jacksonville Clay Target Sports, Saturday, Feb. 10.
YHEC events, Lakeland
.22 Rifle and
Orienteering classes, Saturday, Feb. 10
Muzzleloading
and Wildlife ID classes, Sunday, Feb. 25
All Lakeland
classes will be held at the Tenoroc
Public Shooting Range. Learn more and register for these events by
contacting Jason Tackett at Jason.Tackett@MyFWC.com
or 863-648-3816.
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The FWC’s Youth Hunting Program
works with partners and volunteers to introduce young people to hunting who
otherwise wouldn’t get the chance. The program offers safe,
educational, mentored youth hunts to youth aged 12-17 accompanied by a parent or guardian.
During these events, youth can learn new outdoors skills during organized hunts
for deer, turkey, hogs, waterfowl, dove, and
small game. Check out upcoming squirrel, hog, alligator and turkey hunts
being offered, or become a
volunteer.
The Florida Sportsmen's Conservation
Association (FSCA) is hosting its 18th Annual
Outdoor Youth Day Saturday Feb. 3 at the Everglades Youth Conservation Camp
from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This event features buggy and airboat rides, canoeing,
archery, shooting sports, fishing and wildlife shows for youth of all ages.
$10/person entrance fee for all activities.
If the gobble of a wild turkey
fires you up, imagine how excited it would make a young person on their first
hunt! Share that thrill with a special youth
during Florida’s Youth
Spring Turkey Hunt Weekend, held Feb. 24-25 south of State Road 70, and
March 10-11 in the rest of the state. This Saturday-Sunday hunt occurs the
weekend prior to the opening of spring turkey season on private property and on
many wildlife management areas (WMAs).
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Tallahassee Ducks Unlimited is hosting an outdoor event for youth
Saturday, Feb. 24 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Ayavalla Airfield off Gardner Road
in Tallahassee. The event will feature supervised target shooting; tractor, ATV
and airboat rides; wildlife displays; hunting dog demonstrations; law enforcement
exhibits; giveaways; raffles; bounce houses; and a chance to make a wood duck
nesting box. A $20/youth entrance fee includes lunch and an annual membership to
Ducks Unlimited's Greenwing program for youth 17 and under. For more information, contact David
Cardman at 863-581-0133 or tallahasseegreenwings@gmail.com.
Hunting season opportunities in February
Zone B general gun season runs through Feb.
18
Zone D general gun season runs through Feb.
18
Zone D late muzzleloader season
runs Feb. 19-25
Snipe season runs through Feb.
15
Gray squirrel season
runs through Mar.
4
Quail season
runs through Mar.
4
For more season dates information: 2017-2018 Florida hunting season dates and bag limits
Conservation organization links
National Wild Turkey Federation national convention
The NWTF’s national
convention is Feb. 14-18 in Nashville, Tennessee at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. It’s an amazing event - where conservation
and hunting's most devoted supporters come together for a weekend of
networking, learning and fun. The weekend includes great entertainment,
calling contests, exhibits, auctions, and more. Don’t miss out! Get more information and tickets. Find other NWTF events in Florida.
Ducks Unlimited
events in Florida
Florida Sportsmen
Conservation Association
The Future of
Hunting in Florida
United
Waterfowlers-Florida
Sign up a hunter
safety course
Hunter safety courses cover firearms safety, wildlife conservation, responsible hunting
and more. Students can attend a no-cost traditional classroom course. Or they
can complete the classroom portion online. FWC’s website offers several online
courses including a FREE option. After the online classroom portion is
complete, students must sign up and attend a skills day.
Register
for Feb. 16-18 Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) workshop in West Palm Beach
The Feb. 16-18 BOW workshop is being held at the FWC's Everglades Youth Conservation Camp. It provides expert instructors and safe, hands-on learning opportunities so participants can learn skills such as fishing, boating, hunting, target shooting, birdwatching, canoeing/kayaking, archery, outdoor cooking and more. The workshop is open to anyone 18 years or older. Learn more and register for this Becoming an Outdoors-Woman workshop.
Bookmark these links
to find information fast!
Get your hunting license and permits
2017-2018 Florida Hunting Regulations
New hunter information
Find a FWC-Managed Shooting Range
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