Home : Special Season : Dove : General Information on WMA Dove Fields :
General Information on WMA Dove Fields for the 2008-2009 season.
Apalachee WMA is located approximately 4 miles north of Sneads on SR271 ( River Road). Dove fields are located on the interior of management Zone A. Maps will be available at the check station. Dove hunting is allowed on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday during the regional dove season. Check-in is mandatory as a zone tag is required when hunting in Zone A (200 available). A regular quota permit (200 available) is required if hunting during the quota period of the general gun season in Zone A. Contact the Apalachee WMA office for more information at (850) 592-5595.
Apalachicola River WEA is located 7 miles east of White City on Saul's Creek Road off of Doc Whitfield Road (CR 387). Hunts are conducted Saturdays only for the first phase. During second and third phases, hunts are open daily within legal shooting hours. Contact the Apalachicola River WEA office for more information at (850) 827-2934 or (850) 827-2413.
Babcock/Webb WMA-Punta Gorda Water Treatment Facility PSGHA is located 8 miles east of Punta Gorda. To get to the Babcock/Webb WMA take exit 164 off I-75. Then, take Highway 17 for 2 stop lights and turn right on to Highway 74. Travel east approximately 5 miles to the Punta Gorda water treatment facility and turn right. A check station attendant will direct you to the field. Hunts will be conducted on October 4 & 18 and November 15 & 29. A dove hunt quota permit is required with a maximum of 45 hunt permits issued for each dove hunt. Quota permits may be obtained free of charge from any license agent, county tax collector's office, or online at www.wildlifelicense.com, choose "Florida" and then "Quota Hunt Permits". Quota permits will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 10:00 a.m., Eastern Time, September 11, 2008 and will end at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, September 22, 2008. Permits not issued during this period for a hunt date may be obtained first-come, first-served at the check station beginning at 11:00 a.m. the day of each hunt. Contact the Babcock/Webb office for more information at (941) 575-5768.
The Blackwater WMA Field Trial Area is located approximately 1 mile west of Hwy 191 on Buddy Hardy Rd and approximately 5 miles south of Hwy 4 on Gordon Land Rd. There is no quota for hunters who wish to hunt these dove fields. In the area designated as the Field Trail Area, hunting is permitted only on fields that are posted as open to dove hunting; approximately 15 of 40 small fields found on the area will be posted as open on opening day. To determine the status and availability of these and other fields, hunters should consult the "Public Dove Field Maps" located at the entrance of Coldwater Stables and at the intersection of Buddy Hardy Road and Three Notch Rd. Maps are also available at the Division of Forestry Headquarters at Munson. The dove fields are open Monday through Saturday during the first phase of dove season. During the second and third phases these fields are open Monday through Wednesday. Dove season ends January 1 on the Field Trail Area. In addition to these fields, fifteen other fields north of Highway 4 and off of Highway 191, on Blackwater proper, are open during the statewide season dates. Maps to these fields can be obtained at the Division of Forestry Headquarters at Munson. Contact the Blackwater WMA office for more information at (850) 957-6170.
DuPuis WEA is located 25 miles west of Stuart off SR 76 (Kanner Highway) in Martin and Palm Beach Counties. The dove field is open each Sunday during the season from noon to sunset. A dove hunt quota permit is required with a maximum of 44 hunt permits issued for each dove hunt. Quota permits may be obtained free of charge from any license agent, county tax collector's office, or online at www.wildlifelicense.com, choose "Florida" and then "Quota Hunt Permits". Quota permits will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 10:00 a.m., Eastern Time, September 11, 2008 and will end at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, September 22, 2008. Permits not issued during this period for a hunt date may be obtained first-come, first-served at the check station beginning at 3:00 p.m. the day of each hunt. During the 1st and 2nd phases, check-in is at the check station. During the 3rd phase, hunters should register at the small game self-check station at Gate 1 when leaving the area. Contact the DuPuis WEA office for more information at (561) 924-1939.
Dinner Island Ranch WMA is located approximately 21 miles northeast of Immokalee in Hendry County. From Immokalee, travel east on CR 846 for approximately 19.5 miles till you come to the intersection of CR 846 and CR 846/833. Dinner Island entrance is located on the west side of CR 833. Hunts are Saturdays only during the dove season. For more information, contact the Dinner Island Ranch WMA office at (863) 902-3349.
The dove fields on the Joe Budd WMA are located approximately 15 miles northwest of Tallahassee off Highway 268 in Gadsden County. They may be reached by taking exit 27 off of I-10 and traveling 2.1 miles west on U.S. 90. Turn left on highway 268 and proceed 2.4 miles to High Bluff Road. Turn left and go 1.2 miles to the entrance of Joe Budd WMA. The check station is located just inside the entrance. Hunters must obtain a daily hunt permit at the check station upon entering the area. One hundred ten (110) daily hunt permits are available each day of the small game season. Field locations are available on a map located at the above described check station. These fields are only open during the Joe Budd WMA small game season (check area brochure for dates), on Saturdays that coincide with the statewide dove season. Contact the Joe Budd WMA office for more information at (850) 627-1773.
Lake Wales Ridge WEA, Royce Unit dove fields are located east of Lake Placid. From US 27, take C.R. 621 east for approximately 2 miles and look for Hallmark Avenue. Turn left (north) on Hallmark for approximately 4 miles, the road changes names to Ponce de Leon for about 1 block, then jogs left and becomes Royce Ranch Avenue. Continue for 1 mile, entrance is located on west (left) side of Royce. Hunts are noon to sunset. Hunts will be conducted on October 4, 11 & 25, November 15 & 29 December 13 & 20, and January 10. A dove hunt quota permit is required with a maximum of 25 hunt permits issued for each dove hunt. Quota permits may be obtained free of charge from any license agent, county tax collector's office, or online at www.wildlifelicense.com, choose "Florida" and then "Quota Hunt Permits". Quota permits will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 10:00 a.m., Eastern Time, September 11, 2008 and will end at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, September 22, 2008. Permits not issued during this period for a hunt date may be obtained first-come, first-served at the check station beginning at 11:00 a.m. the day of each hunt. All hunters must check in and out at check station, hours are 11am to sunset. All hunters must check in and out at check station, hours are 11am to sunset. No camping allowed. There are now 4 fields open for all dove hunts. Contact Lake Wales Ridge WEA office for more information (863) 699-3740.
The Okaloacoochee Slough WMA has been discontinued. A new dove field on higher ground will be operational at Spirit of the Wild WMA (just west of OK Slough on CR 832) this season. Contact the Okaloacoochee Slough WMA office for more information at (863) 612-0775.
Spirit-of-the-Wild WMA is located south of LaBelle in Hendry County. From LaBelle, take State Road 29 south approximately 11 miles. Turn east on County Road 832 and drive approximately 2 miles. The main entrance is on the north side of the road and the check station is approximately 1 mile up the entrance road. 100 daily quota permits (no exemptions) are available at the check station on a first-come, first-served basis. Hunts will be conducted on October 4, 11, 18 & 25, November 15, 22 & 29, December 13, 20 & 27 and January 3 & 10 with shooting hours from noon to sunset. Hunters must hunt from assigned stations posted in the dove field. Contact the Spirit-of-the-Wild WMA office for more information at (863) 902-3349.
Maps and regulations summaries of these and other MAs are available by visiting our Wildlife Management Area (WMA) Regulations and Maps Section at hhttp://www.wildflorida.org/hunting/.