Florida Fishing License Info & Hunting & Birding in the Sunshine State

Fishing

With so many lakes and rivers, fishing is another popular activity in the state of Florida, and it’s extremely easy to get started fishing in the state.

Florida Fishing licenses are available at the local county tax collector’s office, online, or at most bait and sporting goods stores. Fees vary. Visit the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission online for details. (Freshwater fishing at www.floridaconservation.org/fishing and marine fisheries at http://marinefisheries.org.)

Note that due to the wealth of marine life in the state, there are certain protected no-take areas where fishing is not allowed. Contact your local authorities or check postings at your destination to ensure that fishing is allowed at your site.

Hunting

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission posts information about Florida hunting regulations, maps, seasons and licensing information on its website.

In Florida, annual hunting seasons include archery, crossbow, muzzle-loading, general gun, antlerless deer, turkey (two seasons), quail, squirrel, bobcat and otter. In addition, wild hogs, rabbits, raccoons, opossums, skunks, nutrias, beavers and coyotes may be taken year-round.  

With few exceptions, if you’re aged 16-34, you’re required to complete a state hunter safety course before you obtain your hunting license. Classes are offered throughout the state (and fill up fast during the hunting season) so don’t wait until the last minute to get certified. You can register for a class on http://myfwc.com/huntersafety or by contacting your local Florida Wildlife Conservation office.

Those under 16 are encouraged to take the class, but they aren’t required to, so long as they are hunting under adult supervision. Likewise, those over 34 are encouraged to take the class, even though it’s not required, because it offers so much useful information regarding safe hunting practices. It’s also a great way to meet new people if you’re new to Florida.

If you’re more interested in viewing wildlife than hunting it, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website also includes details about wildlife viewing stations located throughout the state.

Birding
If you love bird-watching, you’ll love living in Florida, as the state maintains a network of nearly 400 sites known for their Florida bird-watching and education opportunities. The network, known as the Great Florida Birding Trail (GFBT) consists of 2,000 miles of self-guided highway. To plan your own bird watching adventure, just visit the Florida Wildlife Conservation website, which features an interactive trip-planning tool that will allow you to track species of interest while planning trips along the GFBT.

For complete information consult The Guide to Establishing Florida Residency.