Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge announced new white-tailed deer and wild hog hunting opportunities will be available during the 2021-2022 season. The FWC will issue permits for these hunts via random draw. The phase I application period runs through 11:59 p.m. ET Monday, June 28. Any permits remaining after phase I will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis beginning July 1. Apply for these hunts at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.

While the FWC issues permits for refuge hunts, we do not manage these hunts. For more information about hunting regulations and permit requirements for these hunts, contact Loxahatchee NWR. 

Let us know if you see a wild turkey – a hen with or without poults, a jake or a gobbler – anywhere in Florida between now and Aug. 31. By reporting wild turkey sightings, you can help FWC biologists learn more about our wild turkey population.

Get started reporting wild turkeys on your mobile device by downloading the Survey123ArcGIS app or report sightings online. 

The FWC’s summer wild turkey survey is conducted each year to learn more about annual nesting success, brood survival, and the distribution and abundance of wild turkeys. See a summary of results from last year's survey. 

Photo courtesy of Glenn Whittington

The opportunity to apply for fall quota hunts during phase II runs through 11:59 p.m. ET  Monday, June 28. Fall quota permits provide access to archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun, wild hog, family, youth, mobility-impaired hunts and more on select WMAs. Permits for these hunts are issued via random drawing. Use the following online resources to help you with the application process:

• Check what permits are available
• Review WMA regulations brochures and maps
• Apply at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com

Don’t forget, you’ll need a valid Florida management area permit or a license type that includes one, unless exempt, to apply.

Receive your hunter safety certification by taking an FWC-approved online course and then attending our skills day for hands-on training. We even offer a free option for the online portion and the in-person skills training is free, too! Students who take the course can learn about conservation and how to be safe, knowledgeable, responsible, and involved hunters. Find a Florida hunter safety course.

Florida requires anyone born after June 1, 1975, to receive their hunter safety certification before they can buy a license to hunt unsupervised. Learn more about hunter safety requirements and programs.

If you see a sick or dead wild rabbit in Florida, report it to the FWC by:

• Calling the Wildlife Health Hotline at 866-293-9282, which is monitored 7 days a week.
• Emailing location information to WildlifeHealth@MyFWC.com, which is monitored only during business hours.

Reports of sick and dead domestic (pet) rabbits should be referred to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services by calling (850) 410-0900.

The FWC is monitoring Florida’s wild rabbit population for rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus type 2 (RHDV2), a disease which is highly contagious and often fatal to domestic and wild rabbits. RHDV2 was detected in domestic rabbits on a farm in Lake County in December 2020; however, it has not been detected in Florida’s wild rabbit populations.

While RHDV2 can’t be transmitted to humans, the FWC recommends you do not handle sick or dead rabbits because they can carry other diseases infectious to humans.

Learn more about RHDV2.

Registration is now open for the 2021 Florida Python Challenge®!  You can win cash prizes for the most or longest Burmese python. Active duty military personnel and veterans who register for the competition will be eligible for additional prizes.

The goal of the Florida Python Challenge^® is to increase awareness about invasive species and the threats they pose to Florida’s ecology. The annual competition encourages people to get directly involved in Everglades conservation through invasive species removal. Visit FLPythonChallenge.org to register for the competition, take the online training, learn more about Burmese pythons and the unique Everglades ecosystem, and find resources for planning your trip to south Florida to participate in the Florida Python Challenge®.