These extraordinary hunts offer large tracts of land with an abundance of game and low hunting pressure. All deer hunts enable you to take only mature bucks with at least one antler having four or more points, one inch or longer. Hunters can take does during archery hunts and, if they draw an antlerless deer permit, also during general gun hunts. This practice of deer management offers hunters excellent chances of taking quality bucks and the opportunity to take a doe on public land. Wild hogs also are legal to take, and there is no size or bag limit on them.

These special-opportunity deer and wild hog hunts take place on Fort Drum (Indian River County), Lake Panasoffkee (Sumter County), Triple N Ranch (Osceola County) and Green Swamp West Unit (Pasco County) wildlife management areas.

Fort Drum has 20 permits available for its seven-day general-gun deer and hog hunt on 20,858 acres; they cost $50, should you get drawn. Lake Panasoffkee offers eight four-day archery hunts on the 8,676-acre tract, which cost $100 each. Triple N Ranch has two seven-day general-gun deer and hog hunts on its 15,391 acres, and each permit costs $175.

Green Swamp West Unit is where James Stovall took the state’s highest-scoring deer on record – a 25-point, nontypical that netted a 206 Boone-and-Crockett score. He took the trophy buck in 1999 after getting drawn for the special-opportunity archery hunt. The area offers archery and gun hunts on 34,335 acres, and permits cost $100 each.

The FWC also has week-long released-quail hunts on the Blackwater Carr Unit in Santa Rosa County. With these hunts, you must bring and release your own pen-raised quail. There’s just one $100 permit available for each of the 16 weeks, and if you’re lucky enough to draw one, you and up to three of your friends will have the entire 590 acres to yourselves.

If you’d like to apply for any of these great hunts, the first thing you’ll need to do is get a 2012-2013 Special-Opportunity Fall Hunt Worksheet – available at MyFWC.com/License.

Beginning at 10 a.m. (EDT) on May 1, you can submit your completed application at MyFWC.com/License or at any county tax collector’s office or license agent. The application period runs through June 5.

These coveted permits are issued by random drawing, and you may apply for as many hunts and dates as you like to increase your chances of being selected. You must include a $5 nonrefundable fee for each hunt you apply for, though hunters are limited to drawing only one permit per hunt.

If you’re selected in the random drawing, you have until the deadline specified to pay the cost of the selected hunt. You can do this online at MyFWC.com/License or at any license agent or tax collector’s office. If not, you forfeit it, and it’ll go to the next applicant selected in the random drawing.            

Whether still hunting by yourself or hunting with family and friends for deer, hogs or released quail, the FWC’s special-opportunity fall hunts are just what the doctor ordered for a premium hunting experience.

The hardest part might be picking your destination.

These abundant resources, coupled with responsible freshwater fish management, are why Florida is known as the “Fishing Capital of the World.”

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) scheduled  the first of four license-free recreational fishing days on this holiday weekend so more people will have the chance to get out and try their luck. Plus, this weekend coincides with a productive freshwater fishing period, when the weather is usually pleasant. Many of Florida’s recreational sport fishes, such as black bass, bluegill and redear sunfish, move into the shallows to spawn during spring, making them more available for anglers to catch.

Besides enjoying the fun of reeling in a fish, people find that recreational fishing is a good motivator to enjoy the great outdoors. In fact, fishing is a prime reason lots of folks get outside in the first place.

Fishing is a low-cost, wholesome form of entertainment, which is why the FWC offers four days when a recreational fishing license is not needed. The FWC also made June 2 and Sept. 1 license-free saltwater fishing days and set June 9 as the second license-free freshwater fishing day. These days coincide with a holiday weekend, National Fishing and Boating Week or open-harvest seasons for popular bay scallops, lobster and king mackerel.

All other bag limit, season and size restrictions apply on these dates for recreational, not commercial, fishing.

To make your fishing day successful, check out My FWC.com/Fishing for freshwater fishing tips, locations and rules.

So escape the hustle and bustle Saturday by telling everyone you’ve “gone fishing.” But don’t forget to take your kids and spouse and friends to share the fun.

“Fishing is a great way to enjoy Florida’s beautiful outdoors, great weather and a wonderful day with family and friends,” Scott said. “License-free fishing days are the perfect opportunity to discover the fun and excitement of fishing and Florida’s great outdoors.”

The days are perfect chances for parents, who don’t yet have a license, to take youth fishing, or for avid anglers to introduce a friend to the recreational pursuit without having to purchase a license.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) spread out the opportunities this year so more people will be able to head for their favorite lakes and rivers or saltwater destinations on designated days. Instead of providing one weekend for freshwater fishing and one weekend for saltwater fishing, the Commissioners decided at their meeting in February to break up the days. You won’t need a recreational fishing license on the special days listed below.

Florida residents and nonresidents, mark these Saturdays on your calendar for 2012:

• April 7 - Freshwater
• June 2 – Saltwater
• June 9 – Freshwater
• Sept. 1 – Saltwater

The April 7 date occurs during a productive freshwater fishing period, when the weather is usually comfortable. Plus, it is Easter weekend, and many people like to fill the weekend with a variety of activities with family or friends.

The June 2 free saltwater fishing day coincides with the first weekend of Gulf red snapper season and National Fishing and Boating Week, which means there will be lots of other related activities going on too.

The June 9 date for freshwater fishing also coincides with the last day of National Fishing and Boating Week. Last year, 38 states had at least one license-free fishing day during this annual event.

Sept. 1 is the Saturday of Labor Day Weekend, when lots of people have time to recreate and celebrate the traditional end-of-summer holiday. In addition, bay scallops, lobster and Atlantic snook will be open for harvest on this date.

All other bag limit, season and size restrictions apply on these dates. The license-free fishing designation applies only to recreational fishing, not commercial.

To make your free fishing day successful, check out MyFWC.com/Fishing for fishing tips, locations and rules.

Those who venture out may discover why Florida is the Fishing Capital of the World and feel as if they are part of the sport’s business engine that propels a $7.5-billion economic impact and sustains 80,000 jobs.

Fishing, however, is much more than a money-generating sport. Nature-based recreation can make people happier and healthier. And it’s fun and relaxing.

Only youths under 16 years old are allowed to harvest a turkey while supervised by an adult, 18 years or older. On private land, no license or permit is required of the youth or supervising adult, unless the adult plans to help “call-in” the bird or otherwise participate in the hunt. In that case, the supervisor will need a hunting license and turkey permit.

To prevent overcrowding, most of the 78 participating WMAs require a youth spring turkey quota permit, and if the adult supervisor is going to attempt to call in a bird on any of these WMAs, he or she also will need a management area permit in addition to the hunting license and turkey permit.

There are still youth spring turkey quota permits available for some areas, and they can be obtained by those hunters under 16 years of age on a first-come, first-served basis at MyFWC.com/License or at a license agent, beginning at 10 a.m. EST on March 8.

There are also 23 WMAs that do not require a quota permit. Those are: Apalachicola, Aucilla, Big Bend – Spring Creek Unit, Big Bend – Tide Swamp Unit, Blackwater, Choctawhatchee River (only the south portion of the area), Escambia River, Herky Huffman/Bull Creek, J.W. Corbett, Joe Budd, Jumper Creek, Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, Kissimmee River, Lake Monroe, Lochloosa, Log Landing, Lower Econfina River, Middle Aucilla, Osceola, Richloam, Steinhatchee Springs, Three Lakes and Upper St. Johns River Marsh.

For all of these hunts, it is important to note that adults are not allowed to do the shooting; only the kids may harvest a bird. And on WMAs, the only firearms that are allowed to be used during spring turkey seasons are shotguns and muzzleloading shotguns, using shot no larger than No. 2.

It's also a perfect time to give children supervised hunting experiences with you.

Hunting is a proven and very necessary tool of wildlife and habitat management, especially when habitat is lost to urbanization and wildlife gets displaced because of our state's ever-growing population.

Scientific findings have shown that those who hunt and engage in outdoor recreation with their families develop a sense of stewardship for nature and a desire to conserve it.

In fact, hunters form a foundation for wildlife conservation. Through the sale of hunting licenses and permits, and the excise tax generated from hunting equipment, hunters as a whole pay most of the cost of wildlife conservation and research, public land acquisitions, habitat protection, science-based fish and wildlife management and law enforcement. All of us get to enjoy the benefits of these efforts.

Even non-hunting spouses and significant others can share in the spirit of stewardship with a couple of good holiday gift ideas. For the hunters (or anglers) in your family or circle, why not buy them a five-year license, or make a stocking-stuffer of a one-year license? Licenses may be purchased at https://www1.fl.wildlifelicense.com/start.php.

If they already have one of those, consider getting them a conservation license plate for their vehicle. Not only will one of them look great on their truck, recreational vehicle or car, but in purchasing one, you will be helping to conserve wildlife for generations to come. To order online, go to Buyaplate.com. You can also purchase or renew any plate at your local tax collector's office.

Here's how hunters can enjoy the many traditional hunting seasons Florida offers: 

During general gun season, which coincides with holiday-gift-shopping time, most hunters are in pursuit of deer, but they also can bag wild hogs, rabbits, raccoons and coyotes. And quail and gray squirrel season is in and runs through March 4. Snipe season is also in and runs through Feb. 15 statewide.

Bird hunters wanting to experience something different should try hunting woodcock. Woodcock season runs Dec. 18 - Jan. 31 statewide, and they make excellent game birds because they provide a challenging shot when flushed. Small-game hunting such as this provides a great opportunity to introduce a kid to the great sport of hunting.

And for all the duck hunters out there, the second phase of the waterfowl and coot season will last through Jan. 29 and includes geese.

As you can see, the winter holidays provide a wealth of opportunities, from sharing time with family to giving a gift that is both personal and conservation-minded, to experiencing the heritage of hunting in Florida's great outdoors. For more information on hunting in Florida, go to MyFWC.com/Hunting.

More flexibility in relocating gopher tortoises may lead to more of the threatened, long-lived tortoises being moved from areas about to be developed onto public conservation lands, so the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) on Nov. 17 approved revisions to gopher tortoise permitting guidelines to enable that.

"Today's approved revisions are part of the FWC's adaptive management strategy that balances the most effective gopher tortoise conservation with the needs of Floridians," said Deborah Burr, Gopher Tortoise Management Plan Coordinator.

The revisions to the permitting guidelines are also designed to achieve the conservation objectives for the management plan. One objective addresses decreasing gopher tortoise deaths on lands proposed for development through responsible relocation of the tortoises. Another objective calls for repopulating gopher tortoises on public conservation lands where they no longer occur or where densities are low.

The revisions streamline the process for the Disturbed Site permit. This permit authorizes the relocation of gopher tortoises after sites have been prematurely cleared and before tortoises have been relocated.

The FWC approved its first management plan for gopher tortoises in September 2007, providing conservation measures to ensure gopher tortoises thrive in Florida. The plan also calls for permitting guidelines that enable Florida to meet the tortoise's habitat needs now and in the future. Initially approved in 2008, the guidelines are revised as the FWC learns more about balancing the needs of gopher tortoises and people. The current revisions came after meetings with stakeholders during the past year. The input received was incorporated into the revisions approved by the Commission.

Four years after adopting its first Gopher Tortoise Management Plan, the FWC is also asking the public to share its thoughts on improving conservation of the gopher tortoise. Loss of habitat is the main threat to the gopher tortoise's survival, and that plan will be updated in 2012.

Florida has accomplished much for gopher tortoises in the past four years, including the humane relocation of more than 4,000 gopher tortoises from sites slated for development. Conserving the gopher tortoise is essential not only to the tortoise, which lives for up to 60 years, but to 350 other Florida species, such as the indigo snake and burrowing owl, which share and shelter in the tortoise's extensive burrows.

People with suggestions on revising the Gopher Tortoise Management Plan can review it and submit their ideas online at http://share.myfwc.com/GT2/Lists/Input on Revisions to the GT Mgmt Plan. Public input will be accepted through Nov. 28.

For more information on the gopher tortoise, please visit MyFWC.com/GopherTortoise.

People 16 years old or older and born after May 31, 1975, must complete the FWC's hunter safety requirement before they can buy a Florida hunting license. 

There is an exception though. A law passed a few years ago that allows individuals to hunt under the supervision of a licensed hunter, 21 years old or older, without having to complete the state's hunter safety certification.

It's called the Hunter Safety Deferral License, and it allows those people who purchase one to hunt on a one-year trial basis. It's designed to encourage experienced hunters to teach novice hunters about our sport and is a great incentive for getting more people to give hunting a try. Individuals taking advantage of this would have to pass a hunter safety class to be eligible to buy a license and hunt the following year.

If you're a youngster and already hunt, I suggest you go ahead and take a hunter safety class before you turn 16. Of course, until then, you may hunt under adult supervision.

You can register for a hunter safety class by going to MyFWC.com/HunterSafety or by contacting your nearest FWC regional office. Also, there are two versions for your convenience. 

There's the traditional course, which is 12 hours of classroom instruction plus a four-hour "field day," or you can opt for taking the online or CD-ROM version at home. But, you'll still have to sign up for the "skills day" part.    

The traditional course is offered during four weekdays or on a Saturday-Sunday. If you take it during the week, each session is three hours and offered after normal working hours. On the weekend, you'll spend eight hours Saturday and four hours Sunday morning in the classroom. The remainder of Sunday you'll move over to the shooting range to complete your certification.

The first thing you'll learn about in the traditional class is Florida's many hunting laws. An FWC law enforcement officer gives this introduction. Volunteer hunter safety instructors teach the remaining curriculum.

You'll be taught ethics, hunter responsibility, parts of firearms, various hunting lingo and the proper way to shoot. You'll discover the differences between various bullets, calibers and gauges; how to identify game animals; and learn wildlife conservation and best management practices for native species. In addition, you'll find out about outdoor survival techniques and learn how to administer first aid in the field. Archery and fundamentals of bowhunting also are taught.

In your last hour in the classroom, you'll be given a standardized test of true-or-false and multiple-choice questions. All you need is to score an 80 percent or better, and then you get to move outside to the shooting range for the field day portion.

This part takes about four hours. During that time, you'll get to shoot clay pigeons with a shotgun, practice your archery skills and target practice with a .22 rifle. You'll also receive a muzzleloader demonstration, where you'll have the chance to shoot one if you'd like. All guns, bows, targets and ammo are provided. All you have to do is take aim!

After you complete the field day, you'll be given your hunter safety card. At that point you can purchase a Florida hunting license and get ready for opening day.

If you choose to take the hunter safety class online or by CD-ROM, you'll learn all of the above-mentioned material and be given a practice test to prepare you for the last segment - the skills day.

Skill days take about four hours to complete. You'll learn much of what is taught during the traditional course, including hunting laws and ethics, how to handle firearms safely, when to take a shot and where to place the crosshairs. Then you'll get to shoot on the range and be given the same standardized test.

Register today to take a hunter safety class 'cause the 2011-2012 hunting season is just around the corner!

Which zone am I in?

Wild hogs, rabbits, raccoons, opossums, skunks, nutrias, beavers and coyotes may be taken year-round.

* Except for Holmes County, where there is no fall harvest of turkeys allowed.

** Only youths under 16 years old will be allowed to harvest a turkey while supervised by an adult, 18 years or older.

*** In Holmes County, spring turkey season is limited to March 17 - April 1.

Hunting Zones

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Open scalloping areas on Florida's Gulf coast extend from the west bank of the Mexico Beach Canal in Bay County to the Pasco-Hernando county line near Aripeka. It is illegal to possess bay scallops while you're in or on state waters outside the open harvest areas, or to land bay scallops outside the open areas.

There is a daily limit of 2 gallons of whole bay scallops in the shell or 1 pint of bay scallop meat per person. In addition, no more than 10 gallons of whole bay scallops in the shell or one-half gallon of bay scallop meat may be possessed aboard any vessel at any time. You are allowed to harvest bay scallops only by hand or with a landing or dip net. Bay scallops may not be harvested for commercial purposes.

Unless otherwise exempt, you will need a regular Florida saltwater fishing license when you use a boat to harvest scallops. If you wade from shore, you will need a regular Florida saltwater fishing license or a free resident shore-based license.

Divers and snorkelers are required to display a "divers-down" flag (red with a white diagonal stripe) while in the water. Boaters must stay at least 100 feet away from a divers-down flag in a river, inlet or channel. In open waters, boaters must stay 300 feet away from a divers-down flag.

During the season, scallop harvesters can assist FWC's scallop researchers by completing an online survey at http://svy.mk/bayscallops. Harvesters can indicate where they harvest scallops, how many they collect and how long it takes to harvest them. Participants can also email BayScallops@MyFWC.com  to ask questions or send additional information.

More information on bay scallops, including management rules, dive-flag regulations and boating safety is available online at MyFWC.com/Fishing (click on "Regulations" under "Saltwater Fishing"). Information about scallop research is available at MyFWC/Research/Saltwater under the "Mollusc" section.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) wrapped up its two-day meeting Thursday in St. Augustine, in which it accepted staff recommendations on state-threatened species; discussed marine fisheries issues of concern to anglers, commercial fishermen and specimen collectors; approved hunting issues for deer and alligators; and dealt with other wildlife-related issues.

On Wednesday Commissioners elected Kathy Barco of Jacksonville to serve as Chairwoman and Kenneth Wright of Winter Park as Vice Chairman. Their terms are for one year. Outgoing Chairman Rodney Barreto served six one-year terms as Chairman.

"I am honored to be elected to serve in this role and grateful to my predecessor for his example to us all," Barco said.

Commissioners on Wednesday approved staff's listing recommendations for 61 species following a presentation on Biological Status Reviews for species currently listed by the state as threatened or species of special concern. Twenty-seven members of the public provided a variety of comments on the listing issue. Forty species will remain listed as threatened, 16 species will be removed from the list, and five species will remain as species of special concern.

A change in status of the species will not occur until management plans are brought back to the Commission for approval.

Also on Wednesday, Commissioners approved revisions to the permitting guidelines for gopher tortoises to ensure the keystone species thrives in Florida. The revisions reduce monitoring requirements for landowners who receive gopher tortoises on their property and modify the conservation permit to include an on-site relocation option for certain public projects. The revisions are part of the FWC's adaptive management strategy to ensure the most effective gopher tortoise conservation in balance with the needs of Floridians.

FWC staff and Commissioners discussed the anchoring and mooring pilot program on Wednesday; Commissioners selected the city of Stuart, in partnership with Martin County, as a program site. FWC staff will work with each of the sites involved in the program, including the cities of Sarasota, St. Petersburg and St. Augustine, and Monroe County, to develop ordinances pertaining to anchoring and mooring in each jurisdiction.

Also on Wednesday, Commissioners:

• Adopted a rule change that adds approximately four hours of daylight hunting per day to the state's recreational alligator hunting season. The change will be in effect for this year's season: Aug. 15 - Nov. 1.
• Directed staff to continue evaluating a proposed manatee protection zone in Flagler County.
• Approved an executive order implementing new deer harvest rules in two areas of the Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area in South Florida, in an effort to allow the deer population to rebound. The rules will affect the upcoming 2011-2012 hunting season.
• Recognized St. Augustine sculptor Capt. Pierre Pierce for his contributions to fish and wildlife conservation through his highly acclaimed artwork.

On Thursday, the Commission approved rule amendments for permit, Florida pompano and African pompano that expand their protection to offshore federal waters beyond Florida state waters, where the fish currently aren't protected, and created separate conservation-management strategies for these species.

Some of the key changes for permit include creating a special South Florida Permit Management Zone that includes a three-month closed season, and adjusting size and bag limits. The new rules also modify certain Florida and African pompano rules.  These rule amendments are expected to take effect Aug. 31.

In addition, Commissioners approved rules that extend the FWC's stone crab management to offshore federal waters beyond Florida state waters.  These rule amendments are expected to take effect Aug. 31.

The Commission also approved a rule amendment that will make the recreational harvest season for red snapper in Gulf of Mexico state waters consistent with this year's open season in Gulf federal waters.  This open harvest season will occur from June 1 through July 18 this year.

Commissioners also directed staff to develop possible rule modifications that would extend state requirements governing the harvest of marine life (aquarium species) into federal waters adjacent to state waters, and to create a commercial quota for octocorals and adopt areas in federal waters currently closed to their harvest.  Commissioners also heard a report on the impact of the 2010 snook cold-weather kill and decided to reopen the harvest of snook on the Atlantic coast on Sept. 1; however, they decided the Gulf snook fishery should remain catch-and-release only until Aug. 31, 2012, to give the stock additional time to recuperate.  The Commission also received updates on various federal fisheries management issues.

Also on Thursday, FWC staff briefed Commissioners on the status of the contract for the new Recreational License Issuance Services, set to replace the current Total Licensing System in October 2012.  After reviewing proposals and negotiating with several companies, the FWC ultimately awarded the contract to Brandt Information Services of Tallahassee. 

Regarding freshwater fisheries, Commissioners recognized the University of Florida bass-fishing team and approved a Black Bass Management Plan after hearing a report on the final proposed version.

The next Commission meeting will be Sept. 7-9 in Naples.