02-08-2008, 05:10 PM
February extends deer season in Northwest Zone and duck hunting for kids
If you're like me and haven't bagged that monster buck yet, or maybe you live in the central or southern part of the state and haven't come to terms that deer season's over for the year, February might have just
what the doctor ordered. You see, there's a second phase of the muzzleloading gun season Feb. 14-24, but only in the Northwest Hunting Zone.
Immediately following the close of general gun season<br />
in the Northwest Zone, this muzzleloading season offers continued deer and hog hunting opportunities. The best part is it occurs during the rut in some areas and offers the best chance of taking a trophy<br />
whitetail. For instance, in most parts of the Apalachicola National Forest and in Gadsden County, the rut's still going strong during this time.<br />
Also, on Eglin Air Force Base, the rut's just coming in.
The hunt's for wild hogs and bucks with at least one antler five inches or more in length above the hairline. On private land, the daily bag limit is two<br />
deer. Bag limits and antler size for deer on wildlife management areas (WMAs) can differ, so check the area's brochure before you hunt.
It's important to note - no turkeys may be taken during this season.
On private lands, crossbows can be used during this season, as well as muzzleloaders and bows, but you must have the $5 muzzleloading gun permit to hunt, no matter which method of take you choose to use.
On WMAs, this late season's still referred to as the archery/Outta' the Woods muzzleloading gun season.
Only bows and muzzleloaders can be used - no crossbows are allowed, unless you possess a Disabled Person Crossbow Permit. To hunt during this season on WMAs, you must have an Archery Permit if you use a bow and a Muzzleloading Gun Permit if you use a muzzleloader.
Bows and crossbows must have a minimum draw weight of 35 pounds, and hand-held releases on bows are permitted. For taking deer, broadheads must have at least two sharpened edges with a minimum width of 7/8 inch. Muzzleloaders that fire single bullets, when used for taking deer, must be at least .40-caliber. Those firing two or more balls must be 20-gauge or larger.
You're allowed to take deer and hogs over feeding stations on private land, as long as the feeding station's been established for at least six months prior to the season and maintained year-round. It's illegal to use bait on WMAs.
Some things you can't do during this late season include:<br />
using dogs (except leashed dogs can be used to track wounded game); shooting swimming deer; using explosive or drug injecting arrows; using muzzleloaders with self-contained cartridge ammunition capabilities; and using or even possessing modern firearms.
Also, Feb. 2-3 are statewide "Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days." Children under 16 can hunt waterfowl, coots and common moorhens while supervised by an adult (18 years or older). Just the kids can hunt - adults only supervise. No licenses or permits are required for participants.
The daily bag limit on ducks is six, and within that six-bird limit there can be only one black duck, one mottled duck, one fulvous whistling-duck and one pintail. Two may be canvasbacks, redheads, wood ducks or scaup, and four can be scoters or mallards (of which only two can be female). The daily limit on coots and common moorhens is 15, and there's a five-bird limit on mergansers, only two of which may be hooded. All other species of ducks may be taken up to the six-bird limit, except harlequin ducks. Taking or attempting to take harlequins is illegal.
Shotguns, 10-gauge or smaller, are the only firearm the kids are allowed to use during the "Youth Waterfowl Days," and shotguns must be plugged to no more than a three-shell capacity (magazine and chamber combined). Waterfowl hunters may possess only "nontoxic" shot - only iron (steel), bismuth-tin and various shot made from tungsten-alloy are permissible. Bows too are legal but not very practical for duck hunting.
It's legal to use retrievers, artificial decoys and manual or mouth-operated bird calls. In fact, they're essential gear for duck hunting.
Whether you decide to continue deer hunting in the Northwest Zone, or if you'd rather take your kid duck hunting during the statewide "Youth Waterfowl Days" - February's got you covered.
Here's hoping your persistence pays off. Take a kid hunting. If you don't have any children, offer to take someone else's - be a mentor. As always, have fun, hunt safely and ethically, and we'll see you in the woods!
Tony Young looks forward each year to hunting the<br />
Northwest Zone's late muzzleloading season, because he<br />
lives in that zone, and the deer are still in rut on most of the properties he hunts.
If you're like me and haven't bagged that monster buck yet, or maybe you live in the central or southern part of the state and haven't come to terms that deer season's over for the year, February might have just
what the doctor ordered. You see, there's a second phase of the muzzleloading gun season Feb. 14-24, but only in the Northwest Hunting Zone.
Immediately following the close of general gun season<br />
in the Northwest Zone, this muzzleloading season offers continued deer and hog hunting opportunities. The best part is it occurs during the rut in some areas and offers the best chance of taking a trophy<br />
whitetail. For instance, in most parts of the Apalachicola National Forest and in Gadsden County, the rut's still going strong during this time.<br />
Also, on Eglin Air Force Base, the rut's just coming in.
The hunt's for wild hogs and bucks with at least one antler five inches or more in length above the hairline. On private land, the daily bag limit is two<br />
deer. Bag limits and antler size for deer on wildlife management areas (WMAs) can differ, so check the area's brochure before you hunt.
It's important to note - no turkeys may be taken during this season.
On private lands, crossbows can be used during this season, as well as muzzleloaders and bows, but you must have the $5 muzzleloading gun permit to hunt, no matter which method of take you choose to use.
On WMAs, this late season's still referred to as the archery/Outta' the Woods muzzleloading gun season.
Only bows and muzzleloaders can be used - no crossbows are allowed, unless you possess a Disabled Person Crossbow Permit. To hunt during this season on WMAs, you must have an Archery Permit if you use a bow and a Muzzleloading Gun Permit if you use a muzzleloader.
Bows and crossbows must have a minimum draw weight of 35 pounds, and hand-held releases on bows are permitted. For taking deer, broadheads must have at least two sharpened edges with a minimum width of 7/8 inch. Muzzleloaders that fire single bullets, when used for taking deer, must be at least .40-caliber. Those firing two or more balls must be 20-gauge or larger.
You're allowed to take deer and hogs over feeding stations on private land, as long as the feeding station's been established for at least six months prior to the season and maintained year-round. It's illegal to use bait on WMAs.
Some things you can't do during this late season include:<br />
using dogs (except leashed dogs can be used to track wounded game); shooting swimming deer; using explosive or drug injecting arrows; using muzzleloaders with self-contained cartridge ammunition capabilities; and using or even possessing modern firearms.
Also, Feb. 2-3 are statewide "Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days." Children under 16 can hunt waterfowl, coots and common moorhens while supervised by an adult (18 years or older). Just the kids can hunt - adults only supervise. No licenses or permits are required for participants.
The daily bag limit on ducks is six, and within that six-bird limit there can be only one black duck, one mottled duck, one fulvous whistling-duck and one pintail. Two may be canvasbacks, redheads, wood ducks or scaup, and four can be scoters or mallards (of which only two can be female). The daily limit on coots and common moorhens is 15, and there's a five-bird limit on mergansers, only two of which may be hooded. All other species of ducks may be taken up to the six-bird limit, except harlequin ducks. Taking or attempting to take harlequins is illegal.
Shotguns, 10-gauge or smaller, are the only firearm the kids are allowed to use during the "Youth Waterfowl Days," and shotguns must be plugged to no more than a three-shell capacity (magazine and chamber combined). Waterfowl hunters may possess only "nontoxic" shot - only iron (steel), bismuth-tin and various shot made from tungsten-alloy are permissible. Bows too are legal but not very practical for duck hunting.
It's legal to use retrievers, artificial decoys and manual or mouth-operated bird calls. In fact, they're essential gear for duck hunting.
Whether you decide to continue deer hunting in the Northwest Zone, or if you'd rather take your kid duck hunting during the statewide "Youth Waterfowl Days" - February's got you covered.
Here's hoping your persistence pays off. Take a kid hunting. If you don't have any children, offer to take someone else's - be a mentor. As always, have fun, hunt safely and ethically, and we'll see you in the woods!
Tony Young looks forward each year to hunting the<br />
Northwest Zone's late muzzleloading season, because he<br />
lives in that zone, and the deer are still in rut on most of the properties he hunts.