Duck Hunting the Sunshine State
Hunting is an enjoyable sport not just in Florida but in other parts of the world as well. What makes Florida so special when it comes to hunting ducks is because of its geographical factor. Much of Florida is covered by wetland habitat. Much of this habitat is also open an
d available for public hunting. These reasons make the state of Florida extremely popular when it comes to duck hunting.
Duck Hunting Regulations
Generally, duck or waterfowl hunting is permitted in Florida only if the water body has public access. Waterfowl or duck hunting is prohibited if the water body is closed for a specific reason or if the area does not allow the discharge of firearms. Regulating bodies for duck hunting include the Wildlife Management Areas or WMAs, Water Management District lands or WMD, and National Wildlife Refuges or NWRs. Other agencies that may regulate duck hunting include the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission or FWC or the local law enforcement agency.
Experienced duck hunters say that the best place to hunt for these waterfowls is on Lake Okeechobee. This lake has always been an excellent site for duck hunting even when duck migrations are poor. Lake Okeechobee attracts many migratory ducks because of its vast size measuring 750 square miles and its shallow depth and vast array of water plants available.
Duck hunting cannot be done just on any time of the year. There are duck hunting seasons that need to be followed and these seasons vary. Duck hunters must keep posted prior to proceeding on a hunt. Another regulation that needs to be followed when out duck hunting is the observance of bag limits. This refers to the number of ducks a hunter can take on a hunt. The type of duck a hunter can shoot must also be observed. Bag limits and type of ducks to be hunted vary during different duck hunting seasons.
For first time duck hunters, there are guided duck hunting which can provide an extensive outlook and first on-hand peak at duck hunting.
