FWC has new online tool to find opportunities at nearby WMAs 

For immediate release: April 1, 2020
Media contact: Tammy Sapp, 850-228-1353 

Suggested Tweet: #FWC has new online tool for finding nearby outdoor recreational opportunities @MyFWC: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/FLFFWCC/bulletins/284077b #Florida 

April “Outta’ the Woods”
By Tony Young 

Note: The health and safety of employees and the Floridians and visitors we serve are a top priority for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. As COVID-19 (Coronavirus) continues to impact our communities, we’re taking proactive measures to protect stakeholders, staff and volunteers. Before heading to a wildlife management area, we recommend hunters and other WMA users visit MyFWC.com/Notices to check the open/closed status of the area as well as any updates regarding closures to roads, gates, campgrounds and more.

The FWC continues to be in close communication with the Governor’s Office, the Florida Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control regarding the most recent COVID-19 status and guidance. For questions related to COVID-19 in Florida, visit FloridaHealth.gov/diseases-and-conditi…/COVID-19/ or contact the Department of Health’s dedicated COVID-19 Call Center by calling 866-779-6121 or emailing COVID-19@flhealth.gov.

FWC has new online tool to find opportunities at nearby WMAs 

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has launched a new feature that lets hunters search online for wildlife management areas by specific features. This new WMA Finder allows users to search by location; season; species; youth, family or mobility-impaired hunts; and those that allow deer or hog dogs; trapping; night raccoon hunting; or have planted dove fields. It also allows outdoor enthusiasts to search for fishing, camping, horseback riding and shooting range opportunities. Users can narrow their WMA search within so many miles of a location or physical address.

Using the WMA Finder is easy. For example, let’s say you wanted to find a WMA within 50 miles of your residence where you could hunt wild turkeys this spring without a quota permit. By following these 5 steps, you can see what’s available:

• Visit com/WMAbrochures and click on the red button titled “Start Searching Now!”
• Under the “Season” dropdown, select “Spring Turkey.”
• Under “Quota Permit,” select “No.”
• Under “Where,” set the slider to “50 miles” and enter your zip code.
• Lastly, select the “Search” button on the far bottom right of the page.

WMA Finder will generate a map showing areas that meet the search criteria, including what county or counties they are in and hyperlinks to specific WMA regulations brochures.

These WMA regulations brochures and maps are only available online at MyFWC.com/WMAbrochures. Before heading afield, spend a few minutes familiarizing yourself with the information. You can take the brochure and map with you, even to places where you can’t connect to the internet, by printing it, taking a screenshot with your cell phone or downloading it to your mobile device.

Also, before you go to a WMA, we recommend you check the open/closed status of that area by visiting MyFWC.com/Notices. The FWC regularly updates this webpage, including closure information related to roads, entrances and campgrounds.

Florida is blessed to have one of the largest WMA systems in the country at nearly 6 million acres. The FWC is the lead manager or landowner on over 1.4 million acres and works in partnership with other governmental or private landowners on the remaining 4.5 million acres. Florida’s WMAs are managed for conservation and recreation and offer a wide range of hunting opportunities including quota/limited entry hunts, special opportunity hunts and public hunting areas where people can walk on to hunt.

Learn more about Florida’s WMA’s by visiting MyFWC.com/WMAbrochures.

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