FWC CHANGES SPRING CREEK WMA’S HUNTING FORMAT

February 17, 2005
CONTACT: Karen Parker, 386.758.0525

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) converted the Big Bend Wildlife Management Area (WMA) Spring Creek Unit, located in Taylor County, to a still hunt area during the February commission meeting held in Panama City Beach.

The approved rule prohibits dogs other than bird dogs or retrievers except during small game season. Nighttime hunting of raccoon during small game season will continue to be allowed. The new rule no longer allows the use of dogs for hunting deer. A muzzleloading gun season was also established under the new rule.

According to John Ault, Regional Public Hunting Areas Coordinator, the FWC commissioners adopted the recommendation to change the 14,600-acre WMA to a still hunt area because there had been complaints of deer dogs trespassing onto private property from the WMA.

“For several years, the Commission has taken various types of actions to solve the problem but was only marginally successful. Law Enforcement officers focused their attention on the area, but the trespass problems continued. The commission felt the only way to solve the problem was to stop deer dog hunting on the area,” Ault explained.

A public input meeting was held in Perry during early December between the FWC, deer dog hunters and property lessees; however, no new solutions were proposed that were acceptable to both groups, according to Ault.

The new rules become effective July 1, 2005.

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